It's National Card Playing Day! What's the story behind a deck of cards?

December 28^th is Card Playing Day! This day offers the perfect time to spend an hour or so playing cards with family and friends. And, it arrives at just the perfect time of year…a few days after Christmas. The holiday hustle and bustle is over. The kids are getting bored of their new toys. It’s time to turn to card games for a calmer, relaxing, and more slow-paced form of fun and entertainment.

Enter the world of card games. Cards have survived for centuries as a form of “play” and entertainment. Sure, there are a few serious gambling types among us, who view cards a serious “business”. To most of us, card games are just…games.

Playing cards were invented in Imperial China as early as 9th Century during the Tang dynasty. A deck of regular playing cards contains fifty-two cards: thirteen cards in each of four suits. Most of us play cards come with one or two Jokers.
52 cards represents the 52 weeks in a year
4 suits represents the 4 seasons
13 cards in each suit represents the 13 weeks in each season
12 Royals represent the 12 months
2 red and 2 black suits represent the 4 different solstices
The 4 suits also represent the four natural elements