"See Him In There Watching Football, Drinking Beer & Playing Cards With Cousin Mel."

There are certain things, you don’t know how they got started, but once they do, you are glad they did.

#27 of the 31 Things I Love About Christmas: Deuces Wild.

Playing cards on Christmas? Real nice eh?

Let me explain. At some point, maybe around 6….or maybe it was 9, who knows, my grandpa and dad taught me the simplest form of poker I know and the only kind I am truly comfortable playing. I have tried Texas Hold ‘Em and straight poker, but they don’t seem as fun or hold my attention as well as Deuces Wild. Simple rules. The four 2 cards aka deuces are wild, meaning they can be made into any card the holder wants them to be. First hand dealt is five cards. After assessing your cards, you may grab up to 4 new cards and after that it is normal poker rankings as to what hand beats what hand. Everyone shows their cards. Winner is declared. Repeat process. This is a mere exercise in spending time and passing time with my grandpa. This can go on for up to an hour at a time.

Hardly a holiday would pass without breaking out the cards. In the end table in the living room right now I have 4 decks of cards, not to mention all the ones I have at home. Some decks I have had upwards of 10 years. Grandpa hated the new cards I usually found in my stocking on Christmas morning and would bring over for Christmas and break out again for New Year’s but we played on.

I can vaguely remember seeing my dad, grandpa and much older cousins Tony & Leo playing a couple times on Christmas and New Year’s Eve (’92 for sure) and it sure seemed like they were having a blast, though I had no idea what was going on. Then there are the Italian cards (not sure of their proper name) that have been on the middle shelf in a cabinet in my grandparents kitchen for as long as I can remember. On a few occasions I have tried learning the games, but it is very very difficult to grasp. Pretty certain Grandpa and his brothers Russ and Sam, made up the rules as they went.

This is a prized memory for me. It really is the little things you remember the most and treasure the dearest. Thoughts of Christmas and New Year’s past always include these card games. This is something I will miss when it is no longer possible, which I hope isn’t for a very very long time.

We are a simple folk. This is what they did on holidays and at get-togethers to pass time and spend time with each other. Men would play cards, for hours on end, ladies would play bingo and chat. Rest assured, I don’t know how much time I will have to spend on Christmas with my grandparents, but I promise a deck of cards will be in my back pocket.

Not to mention Deuces Wild won me $350 in Niagara Falls. Stay tuned for the story.