I remember as a youngster, going over to my aunt and uncle’s house with my parent’s every Friday night for spaghetti. After the meal I would head into the living room to watch television, while everyone else gathered around the kitchen table for a game of pinochle.
Besides my relatives, neighbors would come over and join in while the coffee pot churned out cup after cup of the liquid that kept them going till midnight. When the clock finally struck twelve, the game was over and they would count up their winnings, or calculate their losses.
These Friday night card games went on for years. They weren’t hard core players, they were just friends and relatives getting together over a friendly game of pinochle.
Card games like pinochle, bridge, poker or rummy have managed to survive the test of time and technology. While any type of card game can be played on a cell phone, computer or iPad, nothing beats the comardare of getting together with a couple of friends, cracking open a new deck of playing cards and spending a Friday night playing your favorite card game.
Playing cards have been traced back to the 9th century Chinese and believe it or not, they’re remained pretty much unchanged throughout the years – including the ornate artwork that adorns them. Some playing cards are true works of art with their front and back designs so intricate they’re more of a show piece than a game piece.
Today, playing cards are available in the traditional style we’ve come to know and love, as well as playing cards with large print for the visually impaired and plastic ones for longer life. But no matter the style, they all make for good times.
