As the festive season for 2015 comes ever closer many magicians will no doubt be doing a Christmas show or two as the year comes to an end. With that in mind I thought now would be a great time to get creative juices flowing on Christmas themed presentations for tricks. To set the focus of this thread, I would like to focus on Christmas presentations for standard tricks like cut and restore rope etc because well it's easy enough to buy the latest themed Christmas trick from a magic shop, I suspect that most magicians have more then enough material sitting in their books and DVDs at home that could be enough for a complete Christmas show if given a little thought.

To get the ball rolling and to spur ideas I thought that I would share a Christmas Card Trick that's suited to a parlor setting. The trick in question is The Great Pearl Mystery out of the book Encyclopedia of Card tricks by Jean Hugard, my contribution is simply the presentation.

On a table sits four drinking glasses each containing one of the four queens and a fifth glass that sits behind these fours holds a single king of diamonds.

On Christmas eve four little girls in four different houses decided to go to bed early ready for Santa (point to the King of Diamonds) to arrive to deliver their presents, in preparation for Santa's arrival each girl put out a cup of hot coco (magician places the four aces face out against each glass).

When Santa eventually arrived and was about to drink each of the hot coco (the magician gathers each of the aces and places them behind the kind of diamonds) one of the little girls woke up to investigate what the noise was. Santa quickly put all the cocos back before the little girl found out what the commotion was (the magician replaces each ace face down against each glass an places the king back into the fifth glass).

In the morning when the three girls woke up each found something very surprising. Despite Santa being interrupted each girl found that a present had been left where their cup of coco was (magician turns over the face down aces to reveal that each has now become one of the four eights).

Santa must of got is hot coco after all (the magicians takes the King from it's glass and spreads it across the table or in his hand to reveal the four aces are now with the King of Diamonds).

I look forward to any other ideas that others may like to share.

Magically

Aus

Right out of the press:
https://www.amazekids.com/magic-download......s-theme/
In an Amazekids/Danny Orleans edition for only 10 Bucks …

I just thought of this reading the post. Do a Christmas Confabulous.

You say, “I not only try to get ahead on my Christmas shopping, but I like to get a jump on my thank you notes”. Have a spectator tell you what he’d give you for Christmas and you pull out a thank you note thanking him that that exact Gift.

Could do the same thing with a th***b Wr***r.

One year for a magic club meeting we dressed up an Abbott's/Hughes' ATTABOY in a Santa outfit and called him SANTABOY. I can't quite recall the routine, but it used Santa-backed playing cards and a special Christmas Gift for the helper.

Julie

Nice Idea's everyone, here are some more from my bank of routines.

Using Bob Hummer's 3-object principle get three blank cards and on one side of each write naughty, nice and nicest. Explain that Santa knows if you naughty or nice and if you put on a this Santa hat you are imbued with Santa like powers. Have one of the cards picked and turned face down and have the cards mixed as per the routine well your back is turned and you can pick the selected card each time.

The next one is a professor nightmare routine, in a small box you say you have Christmas ornaments (the magician removes three different colored balls) but also the rope to hang the ornaments on the tree are also in the bag (the magician removes the three different length ropes). The magician realizing that he has a problem with the ropes not being the same length to hang on the tree he has to use magic to make them all the same size. Elaborate the routine more or less as required.

This is more of a stunt then a magic trick but a good novelty piece to throw into your program. Explain that you think you have worked out how Santa fits down the chimney, but since you don't have a chimney you will show them the same thing using a piece of a4 paper. Proceed to cut the paper in the way explained here and follow through on your claim. http://www.kidzone.ws/magic/walkthrough.htm

A Bank Night routine with letters from Santa as the theme where one letter has a candy cane in it as the prize well the others have letters have funny excuses like rudolph ate them on the way back to the north pole or there was a hole is Santa's sack and most of them feel out on delivering presents to Africa etc. The final letter left to the performer proves to be the only one with the candy cane.

Magically

Aus

What about a bill-to-orniment? Could use the bill to cigar method using the $100 B.S.

...or a card to ornament via intercessor. Have several prepared, place one (not loaded) you have supposedly chosen at random into a plastic bag and break it revealing it is empty. Place the spectator's ornament into a plastic bag and break it revealing the selected card sans corner.

Julie

Check out the December version of TopHat magazine

Use some Christmas Tree Balls in your egg bag.

So again it comes around to that time of the year where we focus on Christmas festivities so I thought I would resurrect this post and add another set of Christmas routines to the list again with commonly found or easily obtainable items. No shop bought Christmas tricks here.

The first trick is called "Under Two Hats" on page 175 on "Scarne on Magic Tricks". The effect of the trick is essentially a matrix done with rolled up paper balls and two hats. The trick can be themed up by getting some gift wrapping paper and rolling them into balls. The premise of the routine is based on how Santa delivers presents during Christmas time with the collection point of the matrix representing the location the presents are to be delivered to. You could go further with the theme by getting Christmas themed hats for use in the trick.

Now since you have four balls of wrapping paper from the previous trick you can perform this next trick straight after. In preparation for the previous trick wrap three small bits of coal in three of the rolled up paper balls and one small trinket (your choice) in the fourth. Mark the ball with the trinket in a way to distinguish it from the others and your set to go.

The premise this time is a naughty or nice test, force the ball with the trinket on a spectator (magicians choice or another preferred method) reveal ticket then the coal in the three others highlighting the possible outcome if they had chosen something else.

The third trick is what I consider a hidden gem in Karl Fulves Self-Working Mental Magic (page 90) called Slight of Mind. Essentially five spectators each get dealt five cards each and asked to look at them and mentally choose one of them. The cards are collected after some presentation then redealt to the five spectators. The Magician takes each packet in turn and asks each spectator if their thought of card appears among them and if it does he reveals their card, if it isn't he moves on to the next spectator, this is repeated with each packet until all chosen cards have been revealed.

The theme here is simple, we are doing a test on how Santa remembers the right presents to give boys and girls. Get 25 file cards and write or draw any number of words or images that could be representative of possible gifts for Christmas and your set.

Anyway, I hope my ideas help get your creative juices flowing in your Christmas performances this year. Remember it isn't what you do it's how you do it.

I wish everyone on the magic Café a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Magically

Aus

Well it's been four years since I last posted on this thread, and here we are again looking back at the year that was and forward to the year that's now fast approaching. With Christmas coming ever closer some magicians will be refocusing our performances for the festivities to come whether it be professionally or with friends and family, so with that in mind and with the spirit of giving, I thought I would share a Christmas routine for everyone to use this coming Christmas.



Secret Santa

Effect: After a short monologue about various Christmas Traditions the magician introduces the concept of a secret gift exchange often practiced called Secret Santa. The Magician places a wrapped gift box with bow on the table.

The Magician explains that this gift is for that last person remaining after all others have been selected. Upon explaining this the magician introduces ten blank faced cards with peoples name written across them. After a brief mixing a spectator is asked to select one remember the name and then return it to the remaining cards, then shuffled. The cards are then thrown into a brown paper bag where the spectator and the magician take turns pulling names out of the bag until only one remains.

Upon revealing the last name left in the bag, it is shown to be the name the spectator selected at the beginning of the trick. After the shock of this revelation has settled, the spectator is asked to open the gift that was placed on the table from the very beginning.

When the spectator opens the gift it is revealed to be a snow globe in which upon closer examination reveals a personal message bearing the chosen name.

Requirements:

10 blank faced playing cards.
1 large brown paper bag.
1 gift box containing the personalized gift bearing the predicted name.

Method:

The method of this trick is an adaption of the trick titled "Grab-Bag" on page 96 in the book Royal Road To Card magic. Once this method is clearly understood, the adaptation to the above routine should be straight forward.

...until next time.


Magically

Aus

As the festive season approaches for 2024, it's the perfect time to bring some holiday cheer into your magic performances. Here are a few creative Christmas-themed routines, each inspired by classic effects from the world of magic, and other timeless tricks.

Whether you're entertaining at family gatherings, community events, or seasonal parties, these presentations are designed to add a touch of wonder and warmth to your repertoire. From Santa's sleigh to the spirit of togetherness, each routine captures the magic of Christmas in its own special way.

Check them out and let the holiday magic begin!

Title: "Santa's Special Gift" (Ambitious Card Routine)

Props Needed:

A standard deck of cards.
A festive box or envelope for the final reveal.
Script:

[Magician holds up a deck of cards.]

Magician: "Christmas is full of traditions, and one of my favorites is the story of Santa's sleigh. Every year, there's one special gift that Santa keeps on top of the pile-no matter what the elves try to do! Let's see if we can recreate that magic with this deck of cards."

[Spread the cards face down and invite a spectator to select one. Have it signed to make it unique.]
Magician: "This card will be our special gift. Just like in Santa's sleigh, it's one-of-a-kind and very important."

[Place the card into the middle of the deck and square it up.]
Magician: "Now, the elves get to work, packing all the other gifts on top. But no matter how much they try"

[Execute a double lift to reveal the selected card back on top.]
Magician: "The special gift always finds its way back to the top of the pile!"

[Repeat the sequence several times using different techniques to add variety, such as a pass, tilt, or the pop-up move.]
Magician: "It doesn't matter how tricky the elves get or how deeply they hide the gift-it always knows where it belongs. Santa must have a little magic of his own!"

[For the finale, perform the card-to-box move. Use a festive envelope or box to reveal the signed card.]
Magician: "But sometimes, Santa has to make sure the most special gift doesn't get lost. He hides it in a safe place... like this!"

[Open the box or envelope and reveal the signed card.]
Magician: "And that's the magic of Christmas: the gift always finds its way home. Merry Christmas!"

[Hand the card to the spectator as a keepsake.]


"The Magic of Christmas Connections" (Cut and Restored Rope Routine)

Props Needed:

A length of red or green rope (holiday-themed).
Scissors or a festive ribbon cutter.
Optional: A small bell or ornament to tie to the rope at the end.
Script:

[Magician holds up a red or green rope.]
Magician: "Christmas is a time when we connect with loved ones-family, friends, and even those we may not see all year long. But sometimes, life happens, and those connections can feel a little... broken."

[Cut the rope into two pieces.]
Magician: "It might seem like there's no way to bring everything back together again. But Christmas has a way of working magic in our lives—just like this rope."

[Begin the restoration process, preparing to fuse the rope back together.]
Magician: "With a little patience, forgiveness, and holiday spirit, those connections that seemed lost can be restored, stronger than ever."

[Restore the rope, showing it completely whole.]
Magician: "And just like that, Christmas reminds us that no bond is ever truly broken-it just takes a little magic to bring it back together."

[Tie a small ornament or bell to the rope's end as a finishing touch.]
Magician: "So this Christmas, remember to cherish those connections. Because whether near or far, the magic of the season keeps us all tied together."

[Hand the rope, with the ornament, to a spectator as a keepsake or display it as part of the act.]



"The Elves and the Christmas Gifts" (Professor's nightmare)

Props Needed:

Three ropes of different lengths:
A short rope (representing a small gift).
A medium rope (representing a medium gift).
A long rope (representing a large gift).

Script:

[Magician holds up the three ropes.]
Magician: "Christmas is a magical time when gifts of all shapes and sizes find their way under the tree. But at Santa's workshop, the elves have a bit of a problem-they can't decide if the size of a gift really matters."

[Display the three ropes of different lengths.]
Magician: "Here we have a small gift, a medium gift, and a large gift. To the elves, it might seem like the bigger the gift, the better the magic."

[Begin the routine to stretch the ropes to equal lengths.]
Magician: "But Christmas has its own kind of magic. When we focus on what's inside, suddenly, all the gifts feel the same-equally special!"

[Show the ropes are now all the same length.]
Magician: "No matter how big or small, each gift is filled with the spirit of giving."

[Return the ropes to their original unequal lengths.]
Magician: "And yet, when the magic fades and the workshop gets back to normal, we're reminded that it's not the size of the gift, but the thought that counts."

[Finish with a flourish, displaying the ropes in their original sizes.]
Magician: "So whether your gift is big, small, or somewhere in between, it's the love behind it that truly makes it magical. Merry Christmas!"

Magically


Aus

"The Spirit of Christmas" - Spirit Writing Presentation


Introduction
"As we gather during this magical season, there's a unique spirit in the air-something intangible yet profoundly felt. Tonight, we'll invite the Spirit of Christmas to join us and share a message of warmth, hope, and joy."

Setting the Scene

Display two blank cards to your audience.
"These blank cards symbolize a clean slate-each Christmas gives us a chance to start anew. To guide us, I'll number each side from 1 to 4."

Number the cards, explaining their meaning:

"The number one is for the surprise of the first Christmas gift.

Two represents harmony and connection.

Three reminds us of the three wise men bringing gifts.

Four stands for the four weeks of Advent, marking the journey to this special season."

Place the two cards together on the table and cover them with a handkerchief.

"Like the soft snow on a winter's night, this handkerchief will shield our cards, creating the perfect atmosphere for the Spirit of Christmas to arrive."

The Ritual

Take out a sprig of mistletoe and show it to your audience.
"For centuries, mistletoe has been a symbol of goodwill, peace, and love. Tonight, it serves as our bridge to the Spirit of Christmas."
Wave the mistletoe gently over the handkerchief.

"The Spirit speaks quietly, asking us to slow down and listen. But if we're patient, it will leave us a message to guide us through this season."

The Reveal

Remove the handkerchief and reveal that a message has appeared on one of the cards. It could read something like:

"Peace,"

"Joy,"

"Love,"

or "Hope."

Display the message to your audience.

Conclusion

Hold the card up as you speak.

"Each Christmas, we give and receive many gifts. But the greatest gifts don't come wrapped in ribbons; they come from the heart. May the Spirit of Christmas guide you to peace and happiness this holiday season."

Optional Props to Enhance the Performance

Use a festive-colored pen (red or green) for any visible writing, should the cards be inspected later.
Incorporate a soft, jingling sleigh bell as you wave the mistletoe to heighten the magical atmosphere.

Magically

Aus

"Santa's Christmas Mystery" - Chop Cup Christmas Presentation

Introduction

"As a child, the Christmas tree was the centerpiece of all my holiday excitement. I'd stare at its glowing lights, wondering how Santa managed to sneak presents underneath it without anyone seeing him. No matter how late I stayed up, I never caught him in the act. Tonight, I want to recreate that magical mystery."

Setting the Scene

Introduce the chop cup as the Christmas tree.

"This cup isn't just any cup-it's going to represent our Christmas tree. Under its branches is where all the magic happens. Let's imagine Santa at work, quietly placing the gifts beneath it while everyone is fast asleep."

Show the small ball and call it a "Christmas gift."

"This tiny ornament represents the gifts Santa would leave behind. Watch closely, because just like Santa on Christmas Eve, it has a way of appearing and disappearing in ways we'll never fully understand."

Building the Mystery
Perform the chop cup routine with a storytelling narrative:

As the ball vanishes from your hand:
"I'd sneak a peek at the tree before bed, and it was always empty underneath. No presents, no signs of Santa... Just like this-gone, as if by magic."

As the ball reappears under the cup:
"But by morning, there they were-gifts sitting perfectly under the tree. How did they get there? It was as if Santa had his own magical way of making them appear."

Adding Suspense

Occasionally "check" the cup as if unsure:
"Could Santa be hiding something else under the tree? He always did seem to have a way of sneaking in extra surprises."

The Climax

End with a larger, unexpected final load (e.g., a Christmas ornament, wrapped candy, or a small wrapped gift).

"And this is what always left me wondering: Santa didn't just put presents under the tree. Somehow, he always made sure there was something extra special waiting there for us-just like this!"

Conclusion

Hold the final load and share the reflection:

"The real magic of Christmas wasn't just about the gifts under the tree-it was the mystery, the excitement, and the joy it brought to our hearts. Even now, I think about how much love Santa put into each one of those surprises, and I hope you feel that same Christmas spirit tonight."

Optional Touches

Decorate the chop cup as a Christmas tree, wrapping it in green felt or adding a few small decorative stickers (stars, ornaments, etc.).
Use Christmas-themed objects as final loads, like a mini tree topper star, a wrapped candy cane, or a festive ribbon-tied gift box.
Include Christmas jingles or the sound of sleigh bells during key moments to enhance the magical atmosphere.

Magically


Aus

Santa's Magical Number" - Add-Up Prediction Trick (The Spirit Mathematician - Tarbell Volume 1 Page 184)

Introduction

"Every year, Santa has the incredible job of delivering presents to kids around the world. Imagine trying to keep track of all the gifts! Tonight, you’re going to help me make a list of Christmas presents, and I'll send it off to Santa. But here's the twist-Santa has already sent me a prediction, locked in this envelope. Let's see if Santa's as magical at math as he is at delivering presents!"

Set-Up

Show the sealed envelope and explain:

"Inside this envelope is a number-a total that represents how many gifts will be on our list. Let's see if Santa got it right!"

Display a notepad or Christmas-themed sheet of paper.

The Gift Selection

Turn to the audience:
"We'll use one of my favorite Christmas songs for inspiration: The 12 Days of Christmas. From this song, think of any type of gift Santa might deliver-could be a partridge in a pear tree, or maybe five golden rings! Just tell me how many of that gift to write down-choose any number between one and nine."

Write down each number and corresponding gift suggested by participants, encouraging them to be creative.
Example: "Three turtle doves," "seven candy canes," "two reindeer plushies."

Tallying the Numbers

After everyone has shared, review the list aloud:
"Alright, here's our final gift list. We've got a wonderfully random mix, don't we? Let's add everything up and see the grand total!"

The Reveal

Add the numbers in front of everyone and confirm the total.
If you prefer, let a volunteer do the math to emphasize fairness.
Dramatically pick up the envelope, opening it slowly.
"Before we started, Santa gave me his magical number-the exact total for all the gifts!"

Pull out the prediction and Santa's letter to the audience which reads:

From the Desk of Santa Claus
North Pole

Dear Magical Helper,

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!

I heard you're getting some help putting together a list of Christmas gifts tonight. My elves and I just love a good guessing game, so I decided to try a little holiday magic myself! Based on my jolly instincts (and Mrs. Claus says I have the best instincts in the business), I'm pretty sure I know the total number of gifts your friends will come up with.

Are you ready for the big reveal? Drumroll please...

The grand total of gifts will be... 45!

Now, don't go thinking this is just a lucky guess! I've been doing this for centuries, after all. Rudolph says it's magic, the elves think it's math, and Mrs. Claus says it's because I eat too many cookies-but I'll leave it to you to decide!

Enjoy the magic, spread some cheer, and remember: no peeking under the tree early!

Ho Ho Ho!

Yours magically,

Santa Claus

P.S. If I get this right, please leave an extra cookie for me. Chocolate chip is my favorite!




Conclusion

Hold up the prediction and thank your helpers:

"Looks like Santa isn't just great at delivering presents-he's a math whiz too! This just proves that some Christmas magic is truly unexplainable. Wishing you all a season filled with joy, wonder, and maybe even a little bit of mystery!"

Optional Enhancements

Decorate the prediction envelope with Santa's signature and a North Pole stamp for added flair.

Use festive markers or crayons to write down the gift suggestions, adding to the Christmas vibe.

Sprinkle in sound effects or background music from The 12 Days of Christmas for immersive ambiance.



Magically


Aus

I made a Christmas trick out of "Fresh Fish Sold Here Today."

It's an opening trick. You come out with a sign, explaining that you'd wanted to add a decoration to the festivities, but the printer messed it up.

You open the sheet and it reads "CHERRY MISTRAMS" in random red and green letters.

You get mad and state that the letters weren't supposed to be like that; start tearing up the sign stating that the "C" was supposed to be over HERE and the "R" was supposed to be over there! Roll up the sign, look at the audience and say; "After all, what I wanted to say was;" open up the sign and it now reads; "MERRY CHRISTMAS" with the letters alternating red and green. (The first time I put this together, I felt the red and green shouldn't be even in the messed up version, but SHOULD be in the restored version. It took me awhile to get something I liked."

When I put this together for the first time, I was working at Westinghouse, and had access to 11" X 17" paper, made the sign 8 1/2" X 17" and it looked really good. If I do it again, I have to put the sign sideways on 8 1/2" X 11" paper, and take it to a shop to be blown up.

Has anyone ever pulled a lump of coal out of an empty xmas stocking?