How to Perform the Card Calendar

This is a fun little trick wherein the magician tells a story about how the deck of cards is designed around the day, night, seasons, weeks and days. To start, you need a bit of preparation. Set the jokers aside and arrange the rest of the deck into four piles, each one with a suit in order of Ace to King. Then put the deck together alternating red and black packets. Now you're ready to begin.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. The deck should be face down in your hand as you start. Begin with some type of story along the following lines: "I bet you didn't know, but the first deck of cards ever designed was done so by a wizard."

2. Then explain: "One of the things he tried to do was show how his cards reflected nature."

3. "The sun and day were represented by the color red, while black cards represent night and darkness." While saying this show the top card (which is red) and the bottom card (which is black).

4. Continue: "The four suits of cards correspond to the four seasons." While saying this cut the deck into four piles of 13 cards, each face up.

5. "The number of cards in each of these piles is 13, which is exactly the number of lunar months in a year."
   
   
   
   Then explain that the number of cards in the deck is 52, the number of weeks in a year.

6. Explain that if you count the value of all 52 cards, with Jacks being 11, Queens being 12 and Kings being 13, the sum is 364. Add one Joker and you get to 365, the number of days in a year. Add both jokers and you get 366, the number of days in a leap year.

7. Scoop the cards up and shuffle. This is a solid opening trick that will lead into others.