By: Lauren Gray, Head of Reference
Share the gift of history this holiday season.
Day 10: Playing Cards
(Part of the 12 Days of Archives DIY Series)
You’re never lonely with a deck of playing cards in your pocket. There’s something about the shuffling of cards that attracts new friends.
Playing cards have been in use since at least the 9th century, and the novelty most likely traveled to Europe from the East during the early medieval period.
Playing cards don’t necessarily require poker games, either, though Kansas enjoys the Wild West imagery of cowboys hunkered around a poker table. You can play many fun games with a deck of cards: Old Maid, Crazy Eights, War, Speed, flicking cards into a hat (for instructions, see Bill Murray in Groundhog Day), and our favorite, 52 Card Pick-up (teach it to your children today and they’ll never complain about homework again!). Also, playing cards are stocking-size – why are those gifts always the hardest to find?
Honestly, what images can’t you put on a playing card? They’re meant to be both decorative and fun, after all. We decided to highlight images of playing cards and games – sort of like Card-ception, if you will (cards on cards).
Playing cards haven’t always been as nicely laminated and sleek as they are today. Early cards were handmade with a variety of styles and images, so our DIY efforts are in good company. There are different ways to make playing cards, and we’ve outlined a few of the easier ones below.
- You can print your images double-sided on cardstock with the corresponding suits on the opposite side, then trim them down to size.
- Or, you can print your images and tuck them into trading card sleeves with an additional stiff backing, like cardstock or old cards, behind the images. These cards are one-sided.
- You could also print your images on labels and stick them on an existing deck of playing cards (it’s not lazy, it’s efficient…absolutely).
- If you have a lot of time on your hands and you’re reasonably artistic, you could do it old-school and paint the suits on the back of each printed image. (If you do hand paint them, please tag us on Social Media. We will be suitably impressed.)
The U.S. hasn’t always had 50 stars in the flag. Kansas was number 34, which makes this deck of cards extra special!
These cheeky cards bring their own social commentary to family game night.
Bonus, these playing cards include instructions for the game Scramble, popular in the 1940s.
On the ninth Day of Archives, my archivists gave to me: Calendars
On the eighth Day of Archives, my archivists gave to me: Wall Clocks
On the seventh Day of Archives, my archivists gave to me: Stationery
On the sixth Day of Archives, my archivists gave to me: Bookmarks
On the fifth Day of Archives, my archivists gave to me: Coasters
On the fourth Day of Archives, my archivists gave to me: The Memory Game
On the third Day of Archives, my archivists gave to me: Greeting Cards
On the second Day of Archives, my archivists gave to me: Magnets
On the first Day of Archives, my archivists gave to me: Puzzles
(We bet this song will be in your head all day long…)
Happy Holidays!
Trivia answer: January 29, 1861!