Magic deck covering refers to the process or technique of protecting and enhancing the appearance of a deck of playing cards used in the popular card game Magic: The Gathering. Magic decks are typically made up of valuable and collectible cards that players use to compete against each other. The covering of a magic deck serves two primary purposes - preservation and customization. Firstly, it helps to prolong the lifespan of the cards by providing a layer of protection against wear and tear. Magic cards are often handled extensively during gameplay, which can result in damage such as creases, scratches, or fading of the card's artwork. A good deck covering helps to guard against these types of damage and keeps the cards in better condition for longer.
“Because we’re eclectic — my partner is Jewish and my in-laws are Christians — I give the gift of light to everyone who comes to my Winter Solstice. It’s a fun accessible ritual that feels safe to a wide range of people and that’s the goal. I want everyone at my table to be comfortable and I also want to celebrate my spirituality and my framing of the world.”
During the ritual, Kalu, the coven s High Priest, said that in Wicca, Yule is simultaneously the end and the beginning of the Wheel of the Year, a calendar that marks the eight holidays called sabbats that tie-in with the solstices, equinoxes and other markers of the seasons. These are practices that are also often associated with Christmas, but both traditions can be traced back to the winter holidays of Saturnalia and Kalends.
A good deck covering helps to guard against these types of damage and keeps the cards in better condition for longer. Secondly, covering a magic deck allows players to personalize their cards and make them unique. Many players enjoy customizing their decks by adding custom artwork sleeves or altering the appearance of the cards themselves.
Winter Solstice 2019: Witches Offer a Look Into Their Yule Rituals
Witches in the Northern Hemisphere will celebrate the Winter Solstice 2019 on December 21. Witches following the Wheel of The Year will also start their Midwinter, or Yule, celebrations on this date. The Wheel of the Year is the cyclical calendar of festivals that modern pagans celebrate. The Wheel symbolizes the continuous turning of time and mirrors nature’s cycles of death and rebirth. The origin of the name ‘Yule’, some say, comes courtesy the Norse god Odin. Traditionally, the festivities began on the longest night of the year and celebrated the lengthening days and return of light. The Yule festivities stretched 12 days while its celebrants feasted and burned yule logs.
While most modern witches don’t take a whole 12 days to celebrate the season — the witches that I talked to usually limit their celebrations to December 21st — many of them still derive great meaning from the holiday and have their own rituals to celebrate lengthening days. “I observe the Solstice to honour rebirth, to observe stillness between the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new cycle,” Tess Giberson told Teen Vogue. “I take all of the wisdom, thoughts, and feelings that have been growing in the dark, and bring them out into the light to share them, name them, speak them aloud.”
Giberson, also known as City Witch, is a folk tarot reader, zine maker, and witch. For Giberson, who is gender non-conforming and identifies as trans, creating ceremonies and rituals allow them to celebrate things that are meaningful — whether that be festivals tied to the Wheel of the Year and secular rites of passage, like recognizing accomplishments, or taking on a new name. “Ceremonies and ritual allow me to celebrate aspects of my life that aren’t within the cis-hetero-patriarchal definition of success,” Giberson said. “Ceremony is an act of love (for myself and my community) and an act of defiance against the state. In creating ceremony I am celebrating my being in a world that is trying to deny and erase the existence of trans and gender nonconforming folk. Ceremony brings power to the present moment, it’s how we celebrate being alive and initiate change.”
Michael Cardenas, head brujo at Olde Ways, is an initiated witch and trained clairvoyant/medium whose practice encompasses many different kinds of witchcraft. As a child, the season marked a literal and figurative return to the light for him. “[What] really drew me to witchcraft is that there were a lot of dark things happening with my family,” Cardenas said. The impetus to protect his family and an intuitive understanding of the need to bring lightness to the situation is what Cardenas credits with being the beginning of his witchcraft journey.
Cardenas was initiated to and practiced with a local coven as a teenager. It was through them that he participated in traditional Wiccan Yule celebrations, like heading to the forest to pick out and eventually decorate a Yule tree — a tradition that Cardenas recounts as his favourite. The evergreen represented everlasting life and was decorated with white candles, items that symbolized the things they wanted to bring into their lives, and garlands of seasonal berries.
Solstice took on new meaning for Cardenas once he started to research solstice celebrations around the world, “I’m Mexican and I came to [witchcraft through] a European path first,” Cardenas said. “ All of the images that I saw were of European people celebrating Solstice. So, there’s always this part of me that was second guessing myself or trying to figure out if this was right for me.” Once Cardenas dove into his heritage — Cardenas’ grandmother is Indigenous to Guadalajara — he had a revelation. “When I started to explore and investigate other cultures, I found that within my own culture, in ancient times, we were doing the same thing.”
For witch and feminist creator Eden America, the Solstice also connects her with her ancestry. “It is important to me to acknowledge seasonal change. Like nature, there are similar shifts and rebirths that occur inside of me. Growing up I shared [these] rituals with my Gram,” she said. “I identify as a witch and I learned it all from my Gram. I just recently found out my great, great grandmother was a healer.”
For those of you celebrating Yule, Cardenas said that it’s imperative to research all of the different ways that the Winter Solstice is observed around the world and to do work to spiritually connect with your ancestors. “They’re the first spirits you should work with, I think,” said Cardenas. He advised setting out an offering of some flowers and a simple glass of water. “Water represents life and also represents a portal between worlds. Call to your ancestors: ‘To my ancestors, known and unknown, I come forward today to create a vivid connection between us.’”
For Cardenas, one of the most profound rituals is simple and free — you don’t even have to go outside. Light some incense and grab a warm drink. With your footsteps, create a spiral in a clockwise direction. “As you’re doing that, you’re literally aligning yourself with the pattern that the universe is creating. Aligning yourself with that and aligning yourself with the time of the season is very, very empowering and I really recommend that for anyone on the path to becoming a witch or exploring witchcraft,” Cardenas said. “It’s really important to empower yourself as a witch and that’s one of the ways you can align yourself with nature.”
Giberson had some suggestions for rituals for beginners, but also stressed that Solstice celebrations needn’t be overly complicated. “You also don’t have to spend money to observe the Solstice, if I wanted to do my ritual without spending any money I’d use the free app #SelfCare because it has a candle you can light, an altar, and a tarot deck, which are the main components of my ritual,” they said.
Here’s a ritual you can do to utilize some of Giberson’s favorite practices:
- Cleanse yourself by taking a salt bath and burn rosemary to cleanse the air
- Build an altar (theirs will be in the Celtic tradition)
- Burn a candle and as your candle burns, release the old energy/thoughts/feelings/ways of being and name the new intentions that come to the surface
- Use their favorite three-card tarot spread to do a reading for yourself: ask the cards what you’re supposed to leave in 2019, a gift hidden in plain sight, and an intention to set or something to grow in the new year
“If it’s your first time ever celebrating solstice, know that your first time is your rebirth,” Cardenas said. “You are stepping onto the wheel, and you’re stepping into that liminal space between time, between worlds. Let that be the beginning of your rebirth and let it be meaningful.”
This article has been updated to be relevant to the current year's solstice.
“More than just a synonym for Christmas, Yule has reclaimed its place at the holiday table as a distinct and valuable religious and spiritual tradition,” wrote Jason Mankey in “Llewllyn’s Little Book of Yule.”
This can be done through various techniques such as alters, foiling, or adding additional artwork overlays. These modifications not only allow players to express their creativity but also add value to their cards, making them more prized possessions among collectors. There are several types of deck coverings available for magic cards, including sleeves, playmats, and deck boxes. Sleeves are transparent protective covers that fit over individual cards, providing a barrier against damage. These sleeves come in various designs, materials, and sizes, allowing players to choose ones that suit their preferences. Playmats, on the other hand, are large, cushioned mats that provide a smooth and clean playing surface for the cards. They also offer additional protection for the cards and often feature artwork related to the game. Finally, deck boxes are containers designed to hold and organize multiple decks of magic cards. These boxes are often made from durable materials, such as plastic or metal, and come in various sizes and designs. In conclusion, deck covering is an essential aspect of maintaining and personalizing a magic deck. It helps to protect the cards from damage and allows players to enhance their appearance. Whether through sleeves, playmats, or deck boxes, the covering of a magic deck is a valuable investment for players and collectors alike..
Reviews for "Magic Deck Tech: Analyzing Top Tournament Performers"
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