Christmas Present

Welcome to the Yule Tarot Blog Hop. Our topic this time around is simply this: Christmas Present. It will be great fun to see what each of us does with this!

Perhaps you have come from Chloe McCracken's blog.

When you finish here, proceed to Alison Cross' blog.

If you find a break in the chain please visit the Master List.

In honor of our theme "Christmas Present"  I will share my Tarot Gift-Giving Ritual.  This is something that has developed over time, primarily in Tarot Circle, my informal meetings for tarot fellowship and learning.

We have done Tarot Gift-Giving for fun while drinking wine and eating cake. We have done it in sacred space. A group of my friends and I did it in a very deep Yule ritual last year, complete with drumming and chanting. Global Tarot Circle tried an on-line version of the Tarot Gift-Giving Ritual and it was magnificent.

The idea behind this ritual is that each tarot card carries an energy. This is the basis for all tarot magick. This ritual is indeed a simple form of tarot magick.

Here's how it works.

In a small group, everyon can give an individual gift to each person there. In a large group it is better if each person choses only one person to whom to give a gift. Alternatively, you could have everyone draw names to determine to whom each person will give a gift.

Once each person knows to whom they will give a gift, everyone must look through their tarot decks. Each person must quietly select a tarot card to symbolically give as a gift; one card for each person they are gifting.

Once all gifts have been selected it is time to begin the giving ritual.  In an in-person gathering the gift cards can actually be handed to the recipient. Of course they are returned to their proper decks at the end of the ritual. Gifts should be given one at a time. The giver must explain their intention in giving the gift.

On a magickal level this can be a very powerful thing. For instance, when you hand the Ten of Pentacles to someone whom you know is trying to buy a home and say "I give you the Ten of Pentacles for success in your desire to own a wonderful home" you are bringing all the energy of the Ten of Pentacles as well as your own intentions to the recipient's desire. The other people in the ritual can empower the gift further by holding the intention in their hearts, and perhaps saying together as the gift is presented "so mote it be."

If there are members of the group that are not as familiar with the card meanings they can certainly look through the deck and find pictures in the cards that seem right. A new tarot reader might present a card such as the Sun and simply say "This looks like a happy card and I wish you happiness."

Beyond the magickal benefits of this ritual, this is a wonderful way to foster fellowship. It's also a great tarot teaching tool because it gets people thinking about card meanings and about the magickal uses of tarot.

Try this with your tarot class, study group, coven, Facebook group or friends. You can make your own rules to suit your particular group. You can do this any time of the year, but it surely is nice to do it at Yule.

And so to you, my tarot friends, at this time of returning light I give to you the Sun that you may allow yourself to shine brilliantly and that you may live without fear, delighting in all things.

If you are working backwards it's time to visit Chloe McCracken's blog.

If you are moving to the next blog in line it's time to visit Alison Cross' blog.

If you find a break in the chain please visit the Master List.

Happy Holidays to all!

How I Use Tarot to Find the Perfect Gift

Are you stuck trying to choose a perfect gift for someone special? Let tarot be your guide!

Simply think of the person and pull a card at random.

There are a number of ways to interpret the card to find the right gift.

Does looking at the card image give you a clue? Are the characters in the card holding something or doing something that makes you think of a gift? For instance, the High Priestess is holding a book; could a book be the right gift?

Does the card say anything to you intuitively? Does it make you think of something, or remind you of something?

What are the keywords for this card? Are there any keywords that suggest a gift? For instance, a keyword for the Magician is "tools." Might your recipient enjoy some sort of craft tools, garden tools or kitchen tools?

The elemental association of the card might give you a clue as well.

Air cards might suggest books, lessons, writing implements or gifts of technology.

Fire cards might suggest toys, crafts, sporting goods or games.

Water cards might suggest romantic gifts, wineglasses, bath gifts or alcoholic gifts.

Earth cards might suggest food gifts, gifts of money or gift cards or supplies for home or garden.

Don't stress out this holiday season! Let the tarot help you with your shopping!