Magic Advent Calendar

Window 1

A “Brick” of Bicycle Cards.

Many magicians begin their journey into magic with a pack of playing cards, so a supply of good-quality cards is always a useful gift for an aspiring magician.

Bicycle Playing Cards have been a firm favourite with magicians for generations. They’re good quality, reasonably priced and instantly recognisable. They’re also particularly useful because many specially manufactured cards, gimmicks and magic effects are produced to match the familiar Bicycle Rider Back design.

Rather than buying a single pack, why not go the whole way and buy a “brick”?

A brick is simply a box containing 12 packs of playing cards, traditionally a mixture of red and blue backs. For anyone who practises card magic regularly, they’ll certainly get used!

Bicycle cards are widely available, although we’d always recommend trying your favourite specialist magic dealer first.

Window 2

The Royal Road to Card Magic

ou’ve given them the cards, so now they need to learn what to do with them!

First published in 1949, The Royal Road to Card Magic, by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue, has become one of the classic books on card magic. Decades after its original publication, it remains a popular starting point for anyone wanting to learn the fundamental techniques of card conjuring.

The book takes the reader progressively through essential moves and sleights before putting them to use in complete tricks and routines. That’s one of its great strengths: rather than simply teaching a collection of tricks, it helps the reader build the skills needed to become a better card magician.

Numerous editions have appeared over the years, from inexpensive reprints of the original text to revised and annotated versions. One particularly interesting choice for someone wanting to explore the book in greater depth is Mark Lewis’ Annotated Royal Road to Card Magic, which combines the original material with Lewis’ additional notes, observations, ideas and variations.

For a newcomer to card magic, however, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with starting with an ordinary edition of the original book. It’s inexpensive, widely available and has helped generations of magicians take their first steps into serious card magic.

If you’re buying for an aspiring magician, The Royal Road to Card Magic deserves a place on the bookshelf.

Window 3

A Close Up Mat

To a non-magician, a close-up mat might look like a rather expensive piece of material that doesn’t actually do very much. To a magician, however, it can be an extremely useful piece of equipment.

The soft surface makes it easier to handle playing cards, coins and other small props, while also defining a clear performance area on a table and providing a professional-looking backdrop for the magic.

Close-up mats come in almost every shape, size, colour and price imaginable. At one end of the scale are simple foam or neoprene-backed mats that can be rolled up and carried in a bag. At the other are luxurious mats mounted on solid wooden bases, sometimes complete with drawers and other features.

For a first mat, we’d suggest keeping things simple. A good-quality, plain, foam or neoprene-backed mat around A4 size or slightly larger is inexpensive, portable and suitable for practising or performing a huge range of close-up magic.

Colour is largely a matter of personal taste, although it’s worth choosing something that provides a good contrast with the props being used. Red or blue-backed playing cards, for example, are much easier to see against a contrasting surface.

Not every magician uses a mat. Magicians who perform table-hopping in restaurants and at events often work directly on the available table because there simply isn’t room amongst the plates, glasses and cutlery. But for practising at home and performing close-up magic in more controlled surroundings, a good mat is an extremely useful addition to a magician’s kit.

Our own preference is for a plain surface without large logos, patterns or unnecessary decoration. After all, you want your audience looking at the magic, not admiring the mat!

Your local magic dealer should have several to choose from and will be able to advise you on the most suitable size and type.

Window 4

Magicians’ Rope

So far we’ve concentrated mainly on cards and close-up magic, but what about the magician who wants to perform something a little bigger and more visual?

A hank of magicians’ rope opens up a surprisingly large world of magic. The classic Cut and Restored Rope is probably the best-known example, but there are countless routines involving knots, loops, different lengths of rope and even several pieces apparently joining together or changing size.

Rope magic has remained popular with magicians for good reason. It’s highly visual, can be seen by a larger audience, is relatively inexpensive and, unlike many stage props, packs down into a remarkably small space.

Proper magicians’ rope is specially made to be soft and easy to handle, and is available in various thicknesses and colours. For somebody just starting out, bright white rope is usually a good choice because it’s clearly visible and suitable for a wide variety of routines.

One important word of warning: don’t simply buy a length of ordinary household rope! The softness and handling characteristics of proper magicians’ rope really do make a difference, particularly when learning some of the classic techniques. Buy it from a specialist magic dealer and they’ll be able to recommend the right type.

You could turn this into an even better present by adding a good pair of scissors and some instruction in rope magic. Abbott’s Encyclopedia of Rope Tricks is one of the classic collections, while many excellent books, videos and downloadable tutorials on rope magic are also available.

As always, a good magic dealer will be able to help you choose the rope, instruction and any other accessories needed to get started.

Window 5

Watch the Masters at Work

What better way to be inspired than by watching some of the masters of magic perform?

Over the years, countless performances by great magicians have been recorded for television, home video and, more recently, streaming and online viewing. Performers such as Paul Daniels, Tommy Cooper, Derren Brown, Dynamo and David Blaine all have very different styles of presenting magic, working everywhere from theatres and television studios to intimate venues and busy city streets.

These recordings aren’t necessarily intended to teach the secrets behind the tricks. In many ways, that’s exactly what makes them so valuable.

Watching a great magician perform can teach an aspiring performer an enormous amount about timing, presentation, misdirection, audience management, humour and showmanship. With a little knowledge and experience, you’ll begin to notice not just what the magician does, but when they do it, where they direct the audience’s attention and how they turn a trick into a memorable piece of entertainment.

DVDs of classic magic performances can still make wonderful gifts, particularly when they contain material that’s difficult to find elsewhere. But today there are also streaming services, downloads and official online recordings offering the opportunity to watch great magic from the past and present.

Sometimes one of the best ways to learn magic is simply to watch a great magician and ask yourself why the performance works so well.

Window 6

Somewhere to Put It All!

There’s something nobody tells you when you first become interested in magic: the stuff accumulates!

Books, playing cards, coins, ropes, DVDs, gimmicks, props and mysterious little boxes whose contents you’ve long since forgotten all need somewhere to live.

It might not sound particularly magical, but some good storage can make an excellent present for a magician. A bookcase for the ever-growing magic library, a set of drawers for smaller props, or some sturdy storage boxes can help turn a chaotic collection into something resembling an organised one.

For the magician who performs away from home, an equally useful gift is a good-quality case for transporting props to shows. Specialist cases designed specifically for magicians are available, but they aren’t always necessary. A sturdy flight case, photographer’s case, tool case or large briefcase with adjustable dividers or foam inserts can often do the job extremely well.

Think about what the magician actually performs before choosing one. A close-up magician carrying cards, coins and a few small props will need something very different from a children’s entertainer transporting larger equipment.

And when the case isn’t travelling to a show, it can double as somewhere to keep the props safely stored at home.

It may not be the most mysterious present under the Christmas tree, but after a few years of collecting magic, somewhere to put it all can feel like a miracle in itself!

Window 7

Sharpies & Stationery

If you know little or nothing about magic, you might be wondering why on earth we’re suggesting Sharpie markers as a Christmas present!

The answer is that they’re one of those simple things that many close-up magicians and mentalists always seem to have with them. They’re perfect for having playing cards signed by spectators (yes, magicians really do deliberately deface perfectly good packs of cards!), writing predictions and countless other magical purposes.

A packet of good permanent markers might not look particularly exciting under the Christmas tree, but think of them as the magical equivalent of socks and underwear: not terribly glamorous, but surprisingly useful and always needed!

And while we’re talking about practical supplies, magicians can get through a surprising amount of stationery and craft materials. Depending on the sort of magic they enjoy, blank cards, envelopes, card and paper, labels, craft knives, cutting mats, glue and rubber cement can all find their way into the magician’s workshop.

If you don’t know exactly what they need, a gift voucher for a good stationery, art or craft shop can be an excellent alternative. Then they can choose their own supplies without you having to work out why anybody could possibly need 100 identical little envelopes and a roll of double-sided tape for a card trick.

Not every magical gift needs to be magical. Sometimes the most useful presents are the things that help the magician make the magic.

Window 8

Something Magical to Wear

Every magician needs to look the part, although thankfully the days when that automatically meant a dinner suit, bow tie and mysterious cape are largely behind us!

There is a huge range of magic-themed clothing available, from T-shirts featuring classic magic posters and amusing magical slogans to ties, hats and other accessories decorated with playing cards, rabbits and all the usual symbols of the conjuring world.

But clothing can sometimes become part of the magic itself.

How about a pair of playing-card socks? As well as being a suitably unusual present for a magician, specially chosen card designs can be used as a fun way of revealing a prediction. Imagine asking somebody to name a playing card, only for the magician to pull up a trouser leg and reveal that very card printed on their sock!

One of our own members has created a range of playing-card prediction socks, along with other magic-themed designs, which are available through Redbubble.

Of course, the recipient doesn’t actually have to perform with them. They’re equally suitable for anyone who simply wants to announce to the world that they have an unhealthy interest in playing cards.

Whether it’s a T-shirt, tie, pair of socks or something altogether more flamboyant, a little magical clothing can make an unusual and entertaining gift.

Window 9

Sponge Balls

A good sponge ball routine is one of the classics of close-up magic. The little balls appear, disappear and multiply, jump invisibly from one hand to another and, in the right hands, can produce some wonderfully impossible-looking magic.

They’re most commonly associated with close-up performance, but don’t be fooled by their size. Wayne Dobson famously performed sponge ball magic on the Royal Variety Performance, demonstrating that even a couple of little red balls can play surprisingly well on a much bigger stage.

Sponge balls are available in different sizes, colours and degrees of softness. Goshman has long been one of the best-known names associated with them, with the classic red sponge ball probably being the version most magicians will recognise.

For somebody starting out, we’d suggest a set of good-quality balls around 1½ inches in diameter. They’re a useful general-purpose size and a good starting point for learning the basic moves and routines.

And don’t just give them the balls! Ask your magic dealer to recommend a good book, video or other instructional material covering sponge ball magic. The props themselves may be simple, but there is an enormous amount that can be done with them.

Once again, this is a gift that proves good magic doesn’t necessarily require an expensive box of complicated apparatus. Sometimes a few little pieces of sponge and a lot of practice are all you need.

Window 10

The Tarbell Course in Magic

If The Royal Road to Card Magic is one of the classic starting points for card magic, The Tarbell Course in Magic is something altogether bigger.

The Tarbell Course is a monumental collection of magical knowledge covering an enormous range of subjects, from cards, coins and rope magic to mentalism, stage magic, illusions and the principles and techniques behind effective performance.

The modern collection comprises eight volumes, containing hundreds of tricks, routines, techniques and ideas. The books can usually be purchased individually, making it possible to build the collection gradually, or bought as a complete set for someone who deserves a particularly impressive Christmas present!

A full set isn’t cheap, but these aren’t books that are likely to be read once and forgotten. They’re the sort of reference books a magician can return to throughout their lifetime, often discovering something completely new each time.

Some of the language, presentation and effects inevitably reflect the era in which the original material was written, but the underlying magical thinking and wealth of information have ensured that Tarbell remains an important part of many magicians’ libraries.

For someone who is becoming serious about learning the art of magic, The Tarbell Course in Magic is less a collection of books and more a magical education sitting on the bookshelf.

Window 11

Coins for Magic

Playing cards might be the first thing many people associate with close-up magic, but a few ordinary-looking coins can be just as magical.

Coin magic includes appearances, vanishes, productions, transformations and coins apparently travelling invisibly from one place to another. Best of all, many of the fundamental techniques can be practised with nothing more than a handful of suitable coins.

That makes a small collection of interesting coins a surprisingly good present for a magician.

British coins can certainly be used, but magicians often choose particular coins because of their size, weight, appearance and how easily they can be distinguished from one another. Older coins and foreign currency can therefore be particularly useful, as well as simply being more interesting to perform with.

For someone already interested in coin magic, a specialist magic dealer can also recommend purpose-made or specially prepared coins used for particular effects. Unless you know exactly what the magician wants, however, we’d suggest asking the dealer for advice rather than attempting to choose one yourself.

Add a good book or instructional video on basic coin magic and you’ve got a present that could provide many hours of practice.

And there’s one considerable advantage over most of the presents in our Advent Calendar: if they decide magic isn’t for them, at least some of the present is still legal tender!

Window 12

A Magic Wand

Every great magician needs a magic wand, so why should the magician in your life be without one?

Believe it or not, a wand isn’t simply something for a magician to wave mysteriously over a top hat. In the right hands it can be a genuinely useful magical prop, forming part of countless tricks, routines and techniques.

And while it probably won’t prove quite as useful in an emergency as Harry Potter’s holly and phoenix feather wand, it can certainly help to make the magic happen!

The traditional magician’s wand is a simple affair: straight and uniform in width, usually with a black centre and contrasting white tips. If you’re feeling crafty, you could even make one yourself from a suitable length of wooden dowel, carefully sanded and painted.

At the other end of the scale are beautifully made hand-turned wooden wands, sometimes fitted with metal tips and carefully weighted and balanced for performance. Specialist makers produce wands from many different woods and materials, so they can be as much a personal possession as a practical prop.

For something particularly unusual, wands have even been made from wood with connections to famous magicians, turning a working magical prop into a rather special piece of memorabilia.

Whether it’s an inexpensive first wand, a homemade one or a beautifully crafted example intended to last a lifetime, we think a magic wand makes a wonderfully traditional Christmas or birthday present for a magician.

Window 13

A Mirror

Window 13 might be unlucky for some, and this one certainly will be if it gets broken! Then again, a mirror isn’t really a very good window, is it?

Joking aside, a good mirror can be one of the most useful practice tools a magician owns.

When learning a new sleight or routine, it’s very easy to concentrate on what your hands are doing without realising what the action actually looks like from the audience’s point of view. A mirror allows the magician to watch the effect as a spectator would see it, helping to spot awkward movements, unwanted flashes and those tell-tale moments when something doesn’t look quite as natural as you thought it did.

A reasonably large tabletop or freestanding mirror can be particularly useful for practising close-up magic with cards, coins, sponge balls and other small props. Ideally, choose one that can be positioned at different angles and that leaves both hands free to practise.

For the particularly enthusiastic magician, several mirrors can be arranged at different angles to provide views from the front and sides. Specialist three-panel practice mirrors are also available, although an ordinary household mirror can do the job perfectly well.

Of course, these days a phone or camera can also be invaluable for recording and reviewing a performance. But a mirror has one important advantage: the feedback is immediate. You can practise a movement, see the problem and try it again straight away.

It’s certainly not the most glamorous piece of magical apparatus, but for a magician trying to make their sleight of hand look effortless, a mirror can reveal rather more than whether they’re having a bad hair day.

And perhaps, given that this is Window 13, we’d recommend wrapping it particularly carefully!

Window 14

A Magician’s Notebook

Some of the best magic doesn’t begin with an expensive prop. It begins with an idea, so give your magician somewhere to write those ideas down!

A good notebook or journal can be an extremely useful companion for anyone seriously interested in magic. It can be used for recording new ideas, working out routines, writing scripts and presentations, making notes at lectures, keeping track of books and tricks to investigate, or simply jotting down those flashes of inspiration that arrive at the most inconvenient moments.

It doesn’t need to be anything particularly elaborate. A good-quality hardback notebook that will survive being carried around in a bag is probably more useful than something so beautiful that its owner is frightened to write in it.

For a more personal present, you could choose one decorated with playing cards or another magical design, or even have a notebook personalised with the magician’s name.

And there’s another reason we like this suggestion. Learning magic isn’t only about discovering how a trick works. Developing your own presentation, thinking about what you want an audience to experience and recording what worked, or didn’t work, are all part of becoming a better performer.

Just make sure that if the notebook contains any secrets, you resist the temptation to have a sneaky read!

Window 15

A Magic Set

There are countless magic sets available, and it might even have been a magic set that first sparked your magician’s interest in the subject. But don’t assume that means they’ve outgrown them!

A good magic set can be a relatively inexpensive way of discovering several different branches of magic. Depending on the set, it might contain card tricks, coin magic, mind reading, classic apparatus and other effects, giving the recipient an opportunity to discover the type of magic they most enjoy.

Modern sets will often supplement printed instructions with online or video tuition, making it much easier to see how the tricks should look when they’re performed properly.

And magic sets aren’t necessarily just for complete beginners. Here at The Order of The Magi, we once devoted an entire club evening to looking at different commercially available magic sets. It proved great fun, even for experienced magicians, and there was genuine interest in seeing just how much magic some of those boxes contained.

One of the best-known names in this field is Marvin’s Magic, founded by magician Marvin Berglas. Their current range includes everything from small introductory collections to larger sets containing hundreds of tricks, as well as themed collections devoted to particular areas of magic.

You’ll also find magic sets from numerous other manufacturers in toy shops and online, while specialist magic dealers may stock sets aimed at somebody wanting to take the subject a little more seriously.

So don’t dismiss a magic set simply because it’s sold as a boxed collection or marketed towards younger magicians. The props might be simple, but that doesn’t mean the magic has to be. In the hands of a skilled performer, even something from a beginner’s magic set can still completely fool an audience.

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Tickets to a Magic Show

So far we’ve suggested plenty of things a magician can read, practise with, wear or add to their collection. But sometimes the best magical present is simply the opportunity to sit back and let somebody else do the magic!

Tickets to a magic show can make a fantastic gift, and there’s something to suit almost every budget. It might be a local magician performing at a small theatre, a touring illusion show, an intimate close-up magic experience, or tickets to see one of the biggest names in magic.

And if you’re feeling particularly generous, you could always go a little further. London, Las Vegas and other major cities around the world regularly offer opportunities to see magic performed in dedicated venues, theatres and spectacular stage productions. Add travel and accommodation and your Christmas present has suddenly become a magical weekend away.

Watching other performers is also valuable for anyone learning magic. You don’t have to spend the entire performance trying to work out how everything is done. In fact, we’d suggest doing exactly the opposite!

Watch how the magician introduces an effect, interacts with the audience, uses music, lighting and humour, builds suspense and turns what might be a relatively simple trick into a memorable piece of entertainment. There’s an enormous amount to learn from watching a good performer at work.

But most importantly, go along and enjoy the show. Magicians spend an awful lot of time entertaining everybody else, so occasionally it’s rather nice to be the one sitting in the audience wondering, “How on earth did they do that?”

Window 17

A Magic Lecture or Workshop

Watching a great magician perform is one thing. Having the opportunity to learn directly from one is something else altogether.

Magic lectures and workshops can make excellent presents for somebody who wants to develop their skills. They might last a couple of hours at a local magic club, take the form of a full-day workshop or, for the particularly enthusiastic magician, extend into a residential course lasting several days.

Unlike watching an instructional video or reading a book, attending a lecture gives the magician the opportunity to see techniques demonstrated in person, hear the thinking behind particular routines and often ask questions directly of the performer.

And the subject doesn’t necessarily have to be another collection of tricks. Some of the most useful lectures concentrate on areas such as presentation, misdirection, mentalism, children’s entertainment, close-up performance, routining or the business side of being a professional magician.

Specialist magic dealers, individual performers and magic societies regularly organise lectures and workshops, so it’s worth looking to see what’s available in your area.

Here at The Order of The Magi, visiting lecturers form an important part of our own programme of events, bringing performers and specialists to Manchester to share their knowledge and experience with our members and visitors.

For somebody who is serious about improving their magic, a few hours spent learning from the right person could be worth considerably more than another trick sitting in a drawer.

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Learn Something That Isn’t Magic

This might seem a strange suggestion in a list of presents for magicians, but sometimes one of the best ways to become a better magician is to learn something that isn’t magic at all.

Magic is a performing art, and knowing how a trick works is only part of becoming a good performer. Acting or stagecraft lessons can help with movement, voice and presence. A comedy or improvisation workshop can improve timing and audience interaction. Public-speaking tuition can build confidence, while dance lessons can help with posture, movement and learning how to use a stage.

Even something like ballroom dancing might seem completely unrelated to conjuring, but learning to move confidently and naturally in front of other people can be surprisingly valuable to a performer.

Think about the magician you’re buying for. Do they struggle to speak confidently in front of an audience? Perhaps a public-speaking course would help. Are they naturally funny but unsure how to structure comedy? Try a comedy or improvisation workshop. Do they perform on stage but spend the entire show rooted firmly to one spot? Some acting, stagecraft or dance tuition might be just the thing.

The object isn’t to turn your magician into an actor, comedian or dancer. It’s about borrowing skills from other performing arts and bringing them back to the magic.

After all, audiences rarely remember how technically difficult a sleight was. They remember the person who entertained them with it.

Window 19

A Personalised Number Plate

Here’s one for the magician who already seems to have everything: a little magic for their car!

A personalised registration can make a wonderfully unusual gift, particularly if you can find something that relates to the magician’s name, stage name or favourite branch of magic.

Here in the UK, one particularly appropriate starting point is MA61. With a little imagination, the 6 can resemble a G and the 1 an I, giving you MAGI. Registrations beginning MA61 C… are particularly popular with magicians because they can visually suggest MAGIC, while the remaining letters can sometimes be chosen to relate to the owner.

So a magician called Smith might go hunting for something along the lines of MA61 CSM, while another performer might find a combination incorporating their initials or stage name. Finding the right registration can become part of the fun.

Some personalised registrations can be surprisingly affordable, while particularly desirable combinations can cost considerably more. Just remember that UK registration marks have strict rules about how they may be displayed. You can’t alter the spacing, lettering or appearance simply to make the magical word more convincing. The illusion has to remain on the right side of the law!

You’ll also need to make sure that the registration can legally be assigned to the recipient’s vehicle before buying.

It certainly won’t improve their sleight of hand or make their shows any better, but for the magician who likes to make an entrance, a suitably magical registration plate could be a gift they’ll enjoy every time they get behind the wheel.

Window 20

A Ticket to a Magic Convention

If a couple of hours at a magic lecture sounds good, how about an entire day, weekend or even longer surrounded by magic and magicians?

Magic conventions bring together performers and enthusiasts from far and wide for a mixture of lectures, shows, demonstrations, workshops, competitions and dealers. They’re an opportunity to learn from other magicians, discover new tricks and products, watch some excellent performances and meet people who share the same slightly unusual obsession.

For many magicians, however, some of the best parts of a convention happen between the organised events. Sitting in a hotel bar swapping tricks and stories, meeting performers you’ve previously only seen on stage or online, and catching up with friends from other magic societies can be every bit as enjoyable as the official programme.

Conventions come in all shapes and sizes. Some are relatively small one-day gatherings, while others attract magicians from around the world and take over several venues for a number of days.

Here in the UK we’re particularly fortunate to have a thriving convention scene, including the enormous annual gathering in Blackpool, alongside smaller specialist and regional events throughout the country.

A convention ticket can therefore make a fantastic present, whether it’s someone’s first experience of the wider magic community or an annual pilgrimage they’ve been making for years.

And if you’re feeling particularly generous, don’t forget that there may also be travel, accommodation and spending money for the dealers’ hall. Be warned, though: that last one could prove considerably more expensive than the ticket!

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A Piece of Magic History

Magicians have a habit of collecting things. Give us enough time and we’ll accumulate not only tricks, books and playing cards, but also an extraordinary assortment of objects connected with the history of our art.

So how about giving your magician a little piece of magic history?

Old magic books, theatre programmes, advertising posters, photographs, postcards, tickets, catalogues and vintage magic props can all make fascinating presents. Something doesn’t necessarily have to be particularly old or valuable either. A signed photograph or programme from a favourite performer can have far more personal significance than an expensive antique.

You could look for memorabilia connected with one of the great names in magic, such as Harry Houdini, David Devant, Chung Ling Soo, Tommy Cooper or Paul Daniels, or perhaps find something relating to a magician the recipient has actually seen perform or particularly admires.

Vintage magic-dealer catalogues can also be fascinating. Apart from being collectable in their own right, they’re wonderful snapshots of the tricks magicians were buying, performing and dreaming about owning in years gone by.

And don’t overlook more personal pieces of history. An old programme from a local magic show, an item connected with their magic society or a signed book from a favourite magician might mean considerably more to the recipient than something carrying a large price tag.

Here at The Order of The Magi, founded in 1909, we know just how valuable apparently ordinary programmes, photographs, magazines and other pieces of ephemera can become as the years pass. Today’s souvenir can very easily become tomorrow’s magical history.

Just be warned: buying somebody their first piece of magic memorabilia could be the beginning of another collection you’ll eventually have to find somewhere to store!

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A Magic Dealer Gift Voucher

Buying a present for a magician can be surprisingly difficult.

They might already own the trick you’ve found. They may practise card magic but have absolutely no interest in stage illusions. And that fascinating-looking box of magical apparatus you’ve discovered online might be something they bought twenty years ago and haven’t taken out of the drawer since!

So sometimes the safest magical present is to let the magician choose for themselves.

Many specialist magic dealers offer gift vouchers or gift cards which can be spent on tricks, books, playing cards, accessories, downloads and all those other mysterious things that magicians apparently can’t live without.

It might initially seem a little less exciting than choosing a particular trick yourself, but to a magician, being given some money specifically to spend at a magic shop can be enormous fun. Half the pleasure is browsing through everything available and deciding what to buy.

It’s also an excellent choice if you’re buying for an experienced magician. Once somebody has been involved in magic for a number of years, their interests and tastes can become very particular, and unless they’ve given you a specific shopping list, choosing a trick on their behalf can be something of a gamble.

If their favourite magic dealer doesn’t offer gift vouchers, there’s another wonderfully simple alternative: put some money in an envelope and write “FOR MAGIC ONLY” on the front!

Just don’t be surprised if they somehow manage to spend considerably more than the amount you gave them.

Window 23

Something Made Just for Them

By the time you’ve reached Window 23, you may be buying for a magician who already owns enough tricks, books and playing cards to open a small magic shop of their own.

So instead of buying something off the shelf, why not have something made especially for them?

Magic has a long tradition of craftsmen and specialist makers producing beautiful props and equipment. Depending on your budget, that could be a personalised close-up mat, an engraved card clip, a handmade magic wand, a custom prop, a specially made case or even a piece of apparatus built specifically for one particular routine.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive. A personalised deck box, engraved accessory or something featuring the magician’s name, initials or stage name can turn an otherwise ordinary piece of equipment into something they’ll keep for years.

And if your magician performs professionally, you could think beyond the props themselves. A professionally designed logo, publicity photographs, artwork, a sign for their magic room or even something displaying their stage name could make a wonderfully personal present.

The important thing isn’t necessarily how much it costs. It’s that you’ve taken something connected with their interest in magic and made it uniquely theirs.

Of course, if you’re commissioning a specialist piece of magical apparatus, you may need to do a little detective work first. Magicians can be remarkably particular about their equipment, and asking “Exactly how long would you like your wand?” over breakfast may rather give the surprise away!

For the magician who appears to have everything, something nobody else has could be the perfect answer.

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Membership of a Magic Society

We might be slightly biased with our final suggestion, but one of the best gifts for a developing magician could be membership of their local magic society or club.

This probably isn’t the right present for somebody who discovered their first card trick yesterday. Magic societies generally take membership seriously, not least because meetings provide an opportunity for magicians to discuss techniques, methods and some of the secrets behind their craft.

For somebody with a genuine and developing interest in magic, however, joining a society can open up an entirely new side of the hobby.

Membership provides the opportunity to meet other magicians, exchange ideas, learn new techniques, attend lectures and demonstrations, take part in competitions and social evenings, and perhaps most importantly, receive encouragement and advice from people who share the same interest.

Here at The Order of The Magi, we’ve been bringing magicians together in Manchester since 1909. We meet twice each month and our programme includes lectures from visiting professional magicians, competitions, club nights, social events and much more.

If the magician in your life already has enough cards, books, sponge balls, rope and mysterious little boxes to last a lifetime, perhaps the best magical gift you can give them is somewhere to share their enthusiasm with other magicians.

You can find out more about joining us on our Membership page.