002-Christmas Magic - James W. Baker

5/28/2018 002-Christmas Magic - James W. Baker

1/48


2/48

THolidqlr Aaqg ic A3oo/


3/48

MreIChylanes|[',Baker

picturesyleoreverlieLernerluhlicntionc0ompanyilinneapolis


4/48

To tny son, Glenn, a joLly elf who enjoys the magic in the airat Christmas time. As a youn{ster, he was levitated, sawed inhalf, and vanished, aLl in the interest of improvin my magicact, and he never once complained.CopyrightO 1988 y Lerner PublicationsCompanyAll rights reserved. International copyright secured.No part of this book may be reproduced in any formwhatsoever without permission in writing from the publisherexcept for the inclusiogr of brief quotations in anacknowledged review.This book is available in two editions:Library bi ng by Lerner Publications CompanySoft cover First Avenue Editions241 First Avenue NorthMinneapol is , Minnesota 55401

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataBaker, James W., 1926-Christmas magic/by James W. Baker; pictures by George Overlie.p. cm.-(The Hol iday magic books)Summary: Explains how to perform ten magic tricks revolving arounda Christmas theme.ISBN 0-8225-2227-6l ib. bdg.)ISBN 0-822s-es37-0pbk.)1. Tr icks'-Juveni le l i terature.2. Christmas-Juveni lel i terature. 1. Magic tr icks, 2. Christmas.] I . Overl ie,George, l l . II. Tit le . III. Series: Baker,James W., 1926-Holiday magic books.GV1548.8333 1988793.8 dc19Manufactured in the United States of America1 2 3 4 5 6 7 I I 10 97 96 9s 94 93 92 91 90 89 88

88-2703CIPAC


5/48

,CONTENTSIntroductionA Christmas SpellThe Magical OrnamentThe Vanishing SantaCard of Christmas SyrnbolsThe Floating Christmas CardsThe Restored Christmas TfeeChristmas Mind ReadingThe Magician's Christmas TreeSanta Claus KnowsTen Presents for TWo DaughtersTficks for Better Magic

7I12162125283234374246


6/48

6


7/48

INTRODUGTIONAt Christmastime, families decorate sweet-

smelling pine trees with ornaments and tinsel.The smells of cookies and cider and cinnamonhang in the air. Grandparents and cousins sur-round a table piled high with food. Carolers singunder a starry sky.

Christmas is a time for giving and receivinggifts. On Christmas Eve, children throughoutthe world wait by a window, hoping to hear thesound of Santa's sleighbells or catch a glimpseof a reindeer's glowing red nose.

In the magical spirit of the holiday, you canpresent your friends and family with a Christmasmagic show. Learn to perform the magic tricksin this book, and you can give magical gifts notonly at Christmastime, but throughout the year.


8/48

fr4\\%^\@ \-@\


9/48

*Tsw ETrcAE@Lyrng on a table a-re some pictures associatedwith Ctrristmas: Santa, ice, to5rs,reindeel wreattrs,and lights. You ask a volunteer from the audienceto select one of the pictures. Without tellinganyone which picture she chose, she then turnsaround so she can't see what you are doing. Therest of the audience watches you. You begintapping the pictures, saying "Go" with each tap.The volunteer mentally spells the name of thepicture she selected, one letter for each tap, andsays "Stop" when she reaches the final letter.She tells the audience which picture she chose,then she turns around. The entire audience seestJrat you are pointing to the picture she mentallyselected.


10/48

r6 Ejffgare /,a


11/48

ruewTeffiTTNote that each picture used in the trick is spelledwith a different number of letters: I-C-E - 3 letters,T-O-Y-S : 4letters, S-A-N-T-A - 5 letters,L-I-G-H-T-S : 6 letters, W-R-E-A-T-H-S - 7 letters,and R-E-I-N-D-E-E-R = 8 letters.L.Lay the labeled pictures haphazardly on the

table, not in the order above.2.Tap any pictures for the first two taps. Thentap ice for Number 3, toys for Number 4, Santafor Number 5, lights for Number 6, and so on.This will automatically complete the spellingon the chosenobject.A picture of another object can be substituted, aslong as it has the same number of letters as the

object it replaces, such as SNOW for 4, CANDYfor 5, PRESENT for 7, ORNAMENT for 8, etc.I I


12/48

e40e{arffiererShow a small Christmas ornament to your audi-ence and explain that it has magical powers.Then take a sheet of paper and tear it into threepieces. Have one volunteer from the audiencewrite "santa Claus" on one piece of paper, a secondvolunteer write "Easter Bunny''on another pieceof paper, and athirdvolunteerwrite "Tooth Fairy"on the last piece of paper. Have the three vol-unteers fold their papers once and drop theminto a paper bag marked "Santa's Toy Ba$J' Haveanother volunteer blindfold you. Explain thatthe magical Christmas ornament will help youfind the slip of paper marked "Santa Claus."t2


13/48

You reach into the bag with tJle ornament in yourhand and bring out one of the three slips of paper.It is the one marked "Santa Claus." It has beenlocated by the magical Christmas ornament.e


14/48

/?tau\''

34eqw Tffi@@ TTThe "magical" Christmas ornament has nothingto do with locating the slip with "Santa Claus"written on it, but is used only for what magicianscall misdirection, which takes the minds of theaudience off the real method for doing the trick.1. When you tear the sheet of paper into three

pieces, you will note that the center piecg hastwo rough edges while the top and the bottompieces have only or?e rough edge (Figure 1).t4

,*#e*


15/48

2. Hand the center piece (with two rough edges)to a volunteer from the audience and tell himto write "Santa Claus" on his piece of paper.

3. Hand the other two pieces of paper (with onlyone rough edge) to the other two volunteersand tell them to write "Easter Bunny" and "ToothFairy" on their sheets.4. Have the volunteers fold their sheets and dropthem all into the bag.

5. When you reach into the bag you can easilytell which sheet is marked "Santa Claus" byfeeling for the piece of paper with the two roughedges. You have to be a good actor when doingthis trick, making the audience believe that itis the magical Christmas ornament-and notyou-that is finding the "Santa Claus" paper.

15


16/48

F


17/48

You say the magicword "Doog Leorr"-Good Noel spelledbackward - and liftthe cone-shapedSanta Claus hat,leaving the glassupside-down overthe small picture ofSanta Claus. Thepicture has van-ished (Figure 2).


18/48

Again placing the Santa Claus hat over the glass,you lift both the hat and the glass and the smallpicture of Santa Claus reappears (Figure 3).

The secret is in the glass,although the audiencedoes not realize this.1. You must prepare he glassahead of time. Glueor paste a circular white paper disk to the topof the glass.Trim the edgesof the paper so thatit does not extend beyond the rim of the glass(Figure 4). When the glass is turned upsidedown on another piece of white paper the paperdisk becomes nvisible.

l8


19/48

ffiEwrt

2. Glue a piece ofred constructionpaper in the shapeof a cone. Adda strip of whitepaper to the bot-tom of the coneand a bal l ofcot ton to thepoint to make aSanta Claus hat.This hat should bebig enough to justcover the glass.

3. Draw a smal lpicture of SantaClaus on a pieceof paper smallerthan the top ofthe glass.

'--.-,-/rr,iitjiiK:iiz;-

E: ., ':dzZa':ii,1:i. ",];'ii\:'r-Diti;l j$'

19


20/48

?


21/48

e{#W EY E-eL>K*qShow a mysterious-looking card of Christmassymbols to your audience. Then, withoutletting the audience see what you are writing,write a prediction on a piece of paper, fold it,and put it on a table in full view of theaudience.

2l


22/48

Ask a volunteer to call out a number from I to16. Hand him tJre card of Christmas s5nnbols.Ask him to turn the card so that the Christmastree with his number on it is at the top of thecard. Starting at the top, have him count thesymbols from left to right, top row to bottomrow-just as he would read a book-until hecounts to his number. After he sees the symbolhe landed on, have him read the prediction youwrote down at the beginning of the trick. Youhave correctly predicted the symbol he wouldland on, even though you had no idea whichnumber he would choose.E4eW Teee.ewEETFor this trick, you will need a pencil, a piece ofpaper,and the card of Christmas symbols (Figure1). Trace the card of Christrnas symbols or redrawit exactlv as shown.

22


23/48

6

23


24/48

ry@qwT@ffiTTThe card of Christmas symbols is designed sothat all 1-6symbols look different. No one willnotice that four of the symbols-although notexactly the same-are Christmas ornaments. Whenyou make your prediction write "You will chooseChristmas ornaments" on the slip of paper. Nomatter what number is chosen from L to 16 thevolunteer will always land on one of the foursymbols of Christmas ornaments.

24


25/48

=-/>-+=T---1-"';t i . -/ ://eqow ETrceE


26/48

flry( -,"

E


27/48

2. Slide the rest of the Christmas cards betweenyour hand and the first two cards.3. When you have slid all of the cards under yourhand, slowly raise your hand, palm down. Thecards will rise, clinging to your hand as if bymagic. Next, slowly lower your hand to the tableand remove the Christmas cards one by one.4. Ask someone in the audience to examine thecards. While attention is focusedon the Christ-mas cards, casually put your hand in your pocketand get rid of the toothpick.


28/48

e(aw ETLeoE{sShow a letter-size envelope to the audience andthen seal it. With a pair of scissors, snip off thetwo ends. After showing a Christmas tree ofgreen construction paper to the audience, pushit into one end of the envelope until the top ofthe tree emerges from the other end. You thenapparently cut the envelope and the tree insidein half, but when the Christmas tree is pulledout, it is obviously uncut.28


29/48

T


30/48

;ftgrwre3../az 4 o | ( \(w@qleMrils alew)

E


31/48

3. When you cut the envelope in half, bend theenvelope and insert the scissors between theChristmas tree and the envelope so that the treeremains undamaged (Figfure 4 and Figlure 5)'Practice this in front of a mirror until you are

certain the audience cannot see the tree as youcut the envelope.

(wngicfu^ ierQscissorsnseiel gn,lg Clorfstrwasree

31


32/48

e$jw EF E-&&Lu**You put a Christmas card, a Christmas orna-ment, and a Christmas candle on a table andinvite a volunteer from the audience to touchone of the objects while you are out of the roorn.When you return, you take the person's handand say something like "Please concentrate onthe item you touched." Close your eyes. "I ambeginning to pick up your thoughts." You openyour eyes and touch the object that she touchedwhile you were out of the room.. to


33/48

E


34/48

hdgw E{ E#eE


35/48

E


36/48

3. Bend the torn parts over,letting them fall outsidethe tube (Figlure3).4. Reach nside the tube withyour fingersand slowly pullup the center coils a littleat a time, holding the rollof newspapers steady asyou do. Gradually work thecenterof the coil up and upuntil you havea "Christmastree" that is about six feet(2 m) high (Figlure4).

lfrgwre


37/48

-.'::a -li_, /e{ow ET l{,#4>,


38/48

z


39/48

2. From white paper or cardboard,make four littleround disks about two inches (5 cm) across.Onone draw a Christmas tree, on another a snow-man, on the third a Christmas candle, and onthe last a Christmas ornament (Figurc2).

kq@wwTewTT1. Place the picture of Santa Claus on the table,making sure no one sees what is written on

the back.2. Mix up the four round pictures and place oneon each of Santa'seyes,one on his mouth, andone on the ball at the end of his cap. It doesn'tmatter which one goeswhere.


40/48

way you tell her what to do.

the two pictures she picks

aside,saying "We won'ts she picked up.vou the snowiscard the ot

u turn over tith one hand andin the other.c. If she hands vou thethat one aside with the otpictures and say, "Fine Thatthe snowman." Then vou turnof Santa Claus. Either way, Sancorrectly predicted the snowman.

40

the volunteer to select thb snow-her pick up any two of th round

is theremove the other two ictures

these."the volunteer to hand eof


41/48

4. On the other hand, if the volunteer does notpick up the snowman when you ask her topick up any two pictures, follow these steps'a. You say, "OK, we'll get rid of these," as youset the two pictures that she picked up aside.Then you have the volunteer pick up the othertwo pictures-one of them being the snowman-and hand one to you.b. If she hands you the snowman, You tell herto discard the other picture. Then you turn overSanta Claus with one hand, holding the snow-man in the other hand.c. If she hands you the other picture, set itaside and say, "Fine That leaves you with thesnowman." Then you turn over the picture ofSanta Claus to reveal his prediction. Eitherway, Santa Claus has correctly predicted thesnowman"

4T


42/48

42


43/48

e


44/48

x-


45/48

ruewTe@@TT1. Tell the story about the magicians and their

two daughters. As you show the picture, pointout that there are six dark presents and fourlight ones.

2. With a pair of scissors, cut the picture intothree pieces A, B, and C) along the horizontaland vertical lines.

3. Rearrangethe three pieces by switching pieceA and piece B.4. Now count the presents. You will find that,magically, there are now five dark presentsandfive light ones. Even you, the magician, mightnot know how this happened.

45


46/48

TRICKS ORBETTERMAGICHere are some simple rules you should keep inmind while learning to perform the tricks in thisbook.1. Read the entire trick several times until vou

thoroughly understand it.2. Practice the trick alone or in front of a mirroruntil you feel comfortable doing the trick, thenpresent it to an audience.3. Learn to perform one trick perfectly beforemoving on to another trick. It is better to performone trick well than a half dozen poorly.4. Work on your "presentation." Make up special

"patter" (what you say while doing a trick) thatis funny and entertaining. Even the simplesttrick becomes magical when it is properlypresented.

5. Choose tricks that suit you and your personality.Some tricks will work better for you than others.

46


47/48

Stick with these. Every trick is not meant tobe performed by every magician.

6. Feel free to experiment and change a trick tosuit you and your unique personality so thatyou are more comfortable presenting it.

7. Never reveal the secret of the trick. Your audi-ence will respect you much more if you do notexplain the trick. When asked how you did atrick, simply say "by magic."

8. Never repeat a trick for the same audience. Ifyou do, you will have lost the element of surpriseand your audience will probably figure out howvou did it the second time around.

9. Thke your magic seriously, but not yourself.Have fun with magic and your audience willhave fun along with you.

47


48/48

ABOUT THE AUTHORJames W. Baker, a magician for over 30 years, hasperformed as "Mister Mystic" in hospitals, orphanages, and

schoolsaround the world. He isa memberof the InternationalBrotherhood of Magicians and the Society of AmericanMagicians, and is author of. Illusions lllustrated, a magicbook for young performers.From 1951 o 1963, Baker was a reporter for The Richmond(VA) News Leader. From 1963 to 1983, he was an editorwith the U.S. Information Agency, living in Washington,D.C., India, Turkey, Pakistan, the Phil ippines, and Tunisia,and traveling in 50 other countries. Today Baker and hiswife, Ela ine, l ive in Wil l iamsburg, Virg in ia, where heperforms magic and writes for the local newspaper, TheVir{inia Gazette.

ABOUT THE ARTISTGeorge Overlie is a talented artist who has il lustratednumerous books. Born in the small town of Rose Creek.Minnesota, Overlie graduated from the New York PhoenixSchool of Design and began his career as a layout artist.He soon turned to book il lustration and proved his skil land versatility in this demanding field. For Overlie, fantasy,illusion, and magic are all facets of illustration and havemade doing the Holiday Magic books a real delight.48

002-Christmas Magic - James W. Baker

Documents

Transcript of 002-Christmas Magic - James W. Baker