Holiday gift to Genii STAGE MAGIC

[Spellbinder]

I first began writing articles for Genii magazine in the early 70's. My earliest articles were seasonal in nature; every December I would contribute a list of ways to incorporate Season's Greetings into the magic act. This post continues that tradition, as my annual gift to Genii and its readers. Fitting the gift to the Internet Forum format, it is in three parts this year; close-up; stage/platform; and mental magic.

Part 2 - Platform & Stage Magic

Make your final load from the cups and balls a miniature Christnmas Tree with battery powered lights. Check your local craft store for the makings. The battery lights can also fit inside a clear glass or plastic ornament for an unusual production. You can even lead up to it by using D'Lites in your cups and balls routine.

Pass out balloon hat "antlers" to nine kids, along with black spongeball reindeer noses, and one red spongeball nose. Now you have a team of Santa's reindeer to act out the plot in a little playlet, where the reindeer have to locate Santa Claus who has been missing from the North Pole. He is finally found inside a cut down fireplace version of Bryce's screen.

Another place for Santa to appear... from inside an inflatable lawn decoration Christmas Tree. You just need a Velcro slit up the back iof the tree for Santa to get in and out. It's a nice air conditioned little room for him to wait in, and he can't be seen if the internal lights are all in front of him.

D'Lites and IT can make glowing lights fly down to you from a Christmas tree on a darkened stage. They can swirl around you like fairies on the ends of thin black florist's wires. Finally the large star at the top of the tree, still lit by battery lights, flies down and is worked like a floating ball.

Others- please feel free to give of your magical gifts to help celebrate the season by adding to this thread.