Card Playing Day
This holiday is featured in the Obscure Holiday Calendar app with emoji-style visuals, reminders, and daily fun facts.
Overview
Card Playing Day, observed on December 28th, is a day dedicated to the enjoyment and tradition of playing card games. It's an opportunity to gather with friends and family, shuffle a deck, and engage in beloved pastimes like poker, bridge, solitaire, or even a simple game of snap. The day celebrates the rich history, strategic thinking, and social bonding that cards have fostered for centuries.
Observed each year on December 28, Card Playing Day invites people to pause, share the story, and bring a little themed joy to their day.
Origin and story
Playing cards originated in China, possibly during the Tang dynasty, before spreading to the Middle East and then Europe.
The four suits in a deck of cards (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs) are believed to represent the four main classes of medieval society: military, clergy, merchants, and agriculture.
Quick facts
- DateDecember 28
- TypeGames & Fun
- Great forGame nights, Families, Puzzle fans
Also on this date
Ways to Celebrate Card Playing Day
Card Playing Day celebrates the timeless fun of card games, from casual family favorites to competitive classics. Whether you’re playing with friends, family, or online, it’s a great day to shuffle the deck and deal.
Play a classic card game
- Poker
- Bridge
- Rummy
- Go Fish
- Crazy Eights
- Solitaire
Learn or refresh the rules
If you’re trying a new game or need a refresher, these resources are helpful:
- Card Game Rules & Instructions (Pagat.com) — one of the most comprehensive card game rule sites online.
- How to Play Card Games (Bicycle Cards) — official guides from the iconic playing card brand.
Play cards online
- Play digital card games or apps
- Try online multiplayer card games
- Practice solitaire or puzzle-based card games
Make it a social event
- Host a game night
- Teach kids or friends a new game
- Play for fun prizes or bragging rights
- Pair card games with snacks or drinks
Did you know?
Playing cards are believed to have originated in China over a thousand years ago before spreading to Europe and the rest of the world.
External links may lead to third-party websites.
Fun facts
- Playing cards originated in China, possibly during the Tang dynasty, before spreading to the Middle East and then Europe.
- The four suits in a deck of cards (spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs) are believed to represent the four main classes of medieval society: military, clergy, merchants, and agriculture.
- The 'King' card is often considered the highest, but in some games, the 'Ace' reigns supreme.
- A standard deck of 52 cards has 80,658,175,170,943,878,571,660,636,856,403,766,975,289,505,440,883,277,824,000,000,000,000 possible permutations for a shuffled deck, a number so large it's effectively impossible to ever shuffle a deck into the exact same order twice.
- The joker card, a relatively modern addition, was originally invented in the United States around the 1860s for the game of Euchre.
- The 'Dead Man's Hand' in poker is famously two pairs: black aces and black eights, said to be the hand Wild Bill Hickok held when he was shot.
Sources and attribution
Source not provided.
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FAQ
- When is Card Playing Day?
- It is observed on December 28 each year.
- What is Card Playing Day?
- Card Playing Day, observed on December 28th, is a day dedicated to the enjoyment and tradition of playing card games. It's an opportunity to gather with friends and family, shuffle a deck, and engage in beloved pastimes like poker, bridge, solitaire, or even a simple game of snap. The day celebrates the rich history, strategic thinking, and social bonding that cards have fostered for centuries.
- How do people celebrate Card Playing Day?
- Play a classic card game—poker, bridge, rummy, or even Go Fish—and make it social with friends or family.
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