A Family Tradition

             It’s Sunday afternoon and I am sitting at my kitchen table surrounded by all six of my children, my husband, and my two daughter-in-laws.  There is a sense of excitement in the air with the sound of laughter.  We are in the middle of a game called Scum.  You probably are wondering what is Scum.  Well, Scum is an amazingly fun game played with face cards.  The object of the game is to get rid of your cards.  The last one left holding their cards is called Scum.   Scum has become a Sunday tradition at our house.  We have many traditions in our family and playing games is one of them.   Many of the games we play use cards.  A deck of cards is one of the staples that I believe each family must have to enjoy family time together.

            It is believed that cards began in ancient Egypt.  Since the beginning cards were used for enjoyment.  There are many variations of enjoyment when it comes to a deck of cards.  There are many faces to a deck of cards.  A traditional deck of face cards consists of four sets; a set of hearts, a set of clovers, a set of diamonds and a set of spades.  Each set contains numbers two through ten, a Jack, a Queen, a King, one ace and two Jokers.  There are many games that are played with cards such as; Scum, Shang High Rummy, Fish, War, and Smurts, just to name a few.  Other games such as Uno, Phase 10, or Old Maid are cards with their own faces on them.  For instance, a deck of Uno cards has numbers and colors that correspond with the game of Uno.  A good deck of cards can come in all shapes and sizes.  The traditional size is my favorite because it is just the right size to hold in your hand.

Some of the games that you can play with cards are not considered appropriate such as those associated with gambling or cartomancy.  Cartomancy is card reading or fortune telling and is sometimes associated with black magic.  For these reason, there are some people who do not allow face cards in their homes.  I disagree with this type of thinking.  A deck of cards is simply a deck of cards.  What you do with this deck of cards determines whether it is good or bad.   

A deck of cards can provide so much enjoyment that does not necessarily come just from playing games.  A deck of cards can provide opportunities to create great memories.  I have fond memories of sitting at our kitchen table on Sunday afternoon’s, or sitting on the deck of our house boat with family and friends playing a game of cards.  My memories go back even farther too when I was a little girl and I was taught how to play Solitaire by my grandmother.

Collecting cards is another form of enjoyment.  Because a deck of cards comes in many different styles, it makes collecting decks of cards and adventure.  I have a daughter who collects cards.  She tries to get a deck of cards from each place she visits.  She has some from places like Florida, California; Lake Powell or the San Diego Zoo.  Collecting cards has become a fun hobby of hers.
            A deck of cards may seem simple to most people, but to me, a deck of cards is priceless.  Big or small, black or white each deck can provide you with unforgettable memories; experiences that can not be purchased.  They are made with you and a loved one and one, two or three very simple decks of cards.