Hope, Warmth, and Tarot Cheer For the Most Wonderful Time of Year
Keep the childlike wonder of midwinter burning brightly with the help of this festive deck. Featuring reimagined suits of candles (wands), good cheer (cups), canes (swords), and gifts (pentacles), the Yuletide Tarot honors this spiritual time of year while remaining true to Rider-Waite-Smith style. Bestselling author Kristoffer Hughes' guidebook presents detailed descriptions of each card's keywords, meanings, and holiday lore as well as five unique midwinter spreads that will deepen your connection to this magical season.
Yuletide Tarot by Kristoffer Hughes
Art by Erin O`Leary Brown
Published by Llewellyn worldwide
ISBN 978-0-7387-7045-1
RRP $32:99
Yuletide Tarot is an absolutely charming and fascinating Tarot concept, which I believe is the first of its kind . Created by Chief of the Anglesey Druid Order in Wales Kristoffer Hughes, after he had casually mentioned to his editor at Llewellyn that there was no complete Tarot honouring the Christmas season, and was then asked if he would like to have the honour of creating one. The set is gloriously illustrated by Erin O'Leary Brown who specializes in children's illustration as well as botanical and nature themes.
The set arrives in a sturdy magnetic lock box with a brown paper package design complete with stamps and postmarks from the North Pole. A christmas tree and all the symbols of the season adorn the cover.
The Yuletide theme continues with the backs of the 78 cards being decorated with a festive wreath and holly. The high quality card has rich glossy colours and shuffles very well.
I must admit that with it being a midwinter themed deck it does feel very whimsical and light hearted as it should, and indeed the word whimsy is used proudly throughout the 302 pages of the stunningly illustrated guidebook. However, don't be fooled by the candy canes which represent swords, the candles which represent rods, the gifts are the pentacles , and good cheer are the cups . This deck is a serious deck and should be treated as such, it proved spookily accurate in my own circumstances this season with the 3 of candy canes being the first out. As is the way with the subtle art of tarot as a tool for communicating with the divine, Yuletide tarot does indeed guide us through the dark. The darkest part of the year to be exact and often dark circumstances that life throws our way even though we strive to be merry and bright. There is an empathy and compassion to the insights given by Kristoffer, who uses the festive art of storytelling throughout. The major arcana is fascinating and covers everything from Krampus to good old Father Christmas, The Mari Llwydd of course as the High Priestess, and many other fascinating representations from both the traditional and Pre Christian pantheon of midwinter deities and traditions. They are all woven together beautifully in a sparkly ball of wonder.
The spreads are really interesting too including The Darkest night, the List, and the Three Ghosts spreads . All are very revealing and nurturing in their design, and give a sense and understanding of how we are part of the season and it is a part of us.
I sincerely look forward to using this set year after year , it is set to become part of Mid winter traditions in my house.
Suitable for intermediate to adept tarot readers Yuletide tarot makes a perfect gift . Nadolig Llawen , happy Christmas.
N.Richards aka Mortasha
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