How to Decorate for a Card Club

Card clubs can be formal affairs or casual get-togethers among friends.

Playing cards originated in ancient China, as early as the 9th century. The tradition of playing cards was then brought to Europe in the 14th century; card games were played by royalty and the nobility as well as the common man. There are hundreds of variations of card games. Card clubs can be devoted to one particular kind of game, such as bridge; decorating for a card club can add to the refinement and tradition of card games.

Things You'll Need

• Real or artificial flowers
• Construction paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Stencils

Instructions

1. Place a tablecloth on each card table. Use bright, colorful prints to create a welcoming, bright space for your card club. Create centerpieces using real or artificial flower arrangements to place at each card table. Draw inspiration from the seasons by using warm, subtle colors in the fall or bright, vibrant colors in the spring and summer.

2. Create place cards for your guests. Use suits from a deck of cards; for example, draw spades, hearts, clubs and diamonds on pieces of red and black construction paper and cut them out. Mount the shapes on cardboard and stand them up at the card tables.

3. Hang banners up over the windows and doorways. Make a "Welcome" banner with a playing-card theme by painting or drawing suits of cards or jacks, queens, kings and aces on the banner. Hang the banner in a well-lit place so your guests can clearly see and admire it.

References

• "The Online Guide to Traditional Games"; Playing Cards -- History and Useful Information; James Masters; 1997