If you don't have a campfire blanket you are missing out on one of the best parts of Scouting. Not only are badges and crests fun to collect and mount but your blanket can become a diary of your Scouting career.

Start your blanket today! The sooner you begin, the better, because this means you can have a more complete history of all you will do as a Beavers, Cub, Scout, Venturer, Rover or Scouter. Plan it carefully and it can record many wonderful adventures and valued memories.

Some blankets are truly magnificent! Their style doesn't really matter — poncho, cape or coat seems to mean very little. But the collection of badges sewn out in a logical pattern is what does the trick.

For example: if you were a Beaver you will have a few mementos from Beaverees, that you will want to sew in place. How about at the bottom on one side? Above them you can put all the souvenirs of your Cub life. First your investment insignia, followed by all of your proficiency badges and then the reminders of Camps, Cuborees, Kub Kar rallies and all kinds of other outings.

Above the Cub history you will want to record your time as a Scout. Think about this carefully because the badges at this level are the most numerous. Plan ahead. Reserve certain rows of your blanket for certain types of badges. You may eventually want all your challenge badges together after you move on to Venturer. You may return many years to an annual Camporee or Winteree and will want to keep those souvenirs side by side in chronological order. As you become a Venturer and even a Rover you will add these on in appropriate order, telling the story of your Scouting life.

Having a campfire blanket also leads to trading with other members of your movement. This is great fun but please remember that such business transactions must always be fair and honest and concluded with a sincere handshake. Also remember that such trading is not your sole purpose for going to camps and Jamborees! Don't make a career of badgering but a career of Scouting that the badges represent.

You may collect badges from districts all across Canada and each one tells a story of the city or area it represents. With very careful planning you can actually design a mosaic of Canada by placing these treasured trades in geographical zones across your blanket ... all of Ontario together, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, B.C., etc.

You will also collect the badges of other nations, particularly if you are fortunate enough to attend a World Jamboree or other international event. These too can be grouped by country or continent to give your blanket a very special design.

A campfire blanket is colourful, practical and very enjoyable. Collecting and mounting is only the beginning of the fun. The best part will be the memories recalled further down the road.