Back to the Thinking Day Page
Back to the Walnut Creek Association Home Page

Thinking Day Ceremonies


Contemporary World Association pin

WAGGGS button Candlelight Ceremony (flowers, real or artificial may be substituted for candles)

The group stands in a horseshoe formation.

Leader: This horseshoe, in which we stand, symbolizes the open friendship circle. In the open end of our horseshoe stand our sister scouts and guides around the world. Though we can't see them, they are there in spirit and with thoughts of friendship for you and me. We will use candles/flowers to remind us of the meaning of Thinking Day in our ceremony. My candle/flower represents Thinking Day, February 22nd.

Scout 1: Today we light/place these candles/flowers as symbols of our friendship with all Girl Scouts and Girl Guides around the world.

Scout 2: I light/place my candle/flower in memory of Lord Baden-Powell, founder of Scouting and Guiding. February 22 was his birthday.

Scout 3: I light/place my candle/flower for Lady Baden-Powell, Chief Guide of the World. February 22 was also her birthday.

Scout 4: February 22, the birthday of both Lord and Lady Baden-Powell, was set aside in 1926 as Thinking Day, the day when Girl Scouts and Girl Guides all over the world think about each other and what Scouting and Guiding means to them.

Scout 5: I light/place my candle/flower to represent service Girl Scouts and Girl Guides are prepared to give others.

Scout 6: My candle/flower represents the Girl Scouts and Girl Guide Promise made by members in all the member countries of the World Association.

Scout 7: Let us all renew our Promise by repeating it together.
Everyone now repeats the Girl Scout Promise.

Link hands as in a Friendship Circle and close with the Dutch Padvindster's (Girl Guide) Goodnight:
I am a Link in the Golden Chain of World Friendship Scouting
and I must keep my Link strong and bright.

line of GS logo images

WAGGGS button World Pin Ceremony
As soon as a girl becomes a member of Girl Scouts/Girl Guides, she is also a member of the World Association. While it is possible to present the girl with both her Girl Scout and World Association pin immediately, it is better to do so after a period of time in which the girl has been made aware what these pins stand for. Presenting the Girl Scout pin is usually done during an Investiture Ceremony; presenting the World Association pin is usually done during a Thinking Day Ceremony.
An optional prop needed for this ceremony is either a large picture of the World Association logo or a felt/flannel board in which the separate pieces of the pin can be placed by the scouts, as the ceremony progresses.

The group stands in a horseshoe formation.

Leader: (if not part of a Thinking Day ceremony, give a brief, concise explanation of the World Association)
This horseshoe in which we stand symbolizes the open friendship circle. In the open end stand our sister Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from around the world. We can not see them, but they are here in spirit with thoughts of friendship for all of us.
The pin your are about to receive is a symbol of this world wide bond. Its purpose is to encourage friendship between girls of all nations. As you receive your pin, remember that millioins of girls all over the world will be receiving and wearing it also.

Scout 1: The World Association pin has a blue background. The blue stands for the sky which is over us all.

Scout 2: The gold trefoil stands for the sun which shines on us all. Its shape represents the three parts of the Promise.

Scout 3: The stars in the trefoil reminds us of our Promise and Law.

Scout 4: The vein is the compass needle that guides us.

Scout 5: The wavy base of the trefoil is shaped like a flame, the flame of love of humankind in the true spirit of international friendship.

Suggested song: Rise Up, O Flame (Sing Together Songbook)

Leader (presents pin)
We wear the World Association Pin above the Girl Scout membership pin because wwe are a member of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts first, then members of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America.

Suggested song: Girl Scouts Together (Pocket Songbook)

A terrific reference for song lyrics can be found at the Online Songbook website.

line of GS logo images

WAGGGS button Fruit Salad Ceremony
Things needed for this ceremony:

Have each girl choose a WAGGGS country to represent or assign a country.

Girls should gather around a table on which has been placed the large mixing bowl. Each in her turn empties her cup of fruit into the bowl and says, "I offer my fruit in the name of insert country name."

The leader says, "In the name of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, I mingle all these fruits so that each offering may touch every Girl Scout and Guide around the world. (Stir fruit). I top it with the special joy of belonging. (Top with the whipped cream). Please come quietly to get your fruit cocktail and think about your sisters around the world."

As a closing, you may want to join hands in a circle and say, "I am a Link in the Golden Chain of world friendship and I must keep my link strong and bright." (You might even want to make a large paper link to use for this ending).

line of GS logo images

WAGGGS button Sample Thinking Day Ceremony Agenda
Used succesfully by both a single troop and adapted for a school-wide ceremony.

WAGGGS button Click here for directions in making the World Association pin felt/flannel board.

Back to the Thinking Day Page
Back to the Walnut Creek Association Home Page