Hey clowns. I need to start thinking about a Christmas-themed magic show that I'm doing for 3rd graders in December. I've done Christmas shows before, but not for years.

I know that I will be having them make a snowman in my dove pan. I have a change bag that looks like a Christmas stocking, so I'll be doing something with that -- don't know what though -- Ideas?? I have another trick where the handkerchief disappears into a magic bag, which, in turn, transforms into a kids' Santa costume. I might use that -- if the costume is big enough for an 8-year-old.

I will probably make balloon reindeer hats for everybody in advance.

Any other ideas?

I've taken candycanes with a brown pipe cleaner (cut in half) an glued 2 eyes (from craft store) on to make reindeers that kids seem to really like.

Larocks has a neat Christmas Silk set that I've got my eye on. Its a series of silks featuring a discouraged santa an his sleigh...

You can tell the story of how some elves forgot to pack a couple of presents so Santa had to make a special trip... since it was just a few presents he didn't need all of the reindeer so He called for his elves to hitch up Dasher...

(You place the first santa/sleigh silk in a change bag or whatever and it changes to one with A cartoony reindeer heading up the sleigh...)

Just as Santa and Dasher were about to take flight it suddenly got very foggy... "Oh No ... What can santa do?? I've heard that Santa has a Special Reindeer... but I can't remember his name" ...

(The kids should shout out rudolph, at this point you could sing the song to buy some more time)

Then change the second silk into the silk with the red nosed reindeer heading up the sleigh.

If you have any red Dlights you could touch the reindeers nose and pull out some of his red light... etc.

My Dlights are blue though so that might not work for the reindeer ... However I use mine as I explain that sometimes clowns have so much magic they just don't know what to do with it all... So we keep our extra magic behind our ears... (I reach up behind my ear and "pull" out the blue light representing magic) ... OOh Look heres a little extra right here... Can i put some behind your ear?? Could work with elves and Christmas Magic.

I've been looking at the Christmas Stocking Change bag... Before you start your routine saying ...

"Twas the Night Before Christmas and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...
The stockings were hung by the chimmney with care...
I had just worn them ... and they needed the air!

I'm wanting to find a bit of christmas magic aswell since I'm volunteering to do a Story Hour in December as my elf character.

I'll read "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and If I can find a copy of Mark Lowery's "Pipers Night Before Christmas" I'll read it too... The story is about Piper the Hyper Mouse and his Christmas Eve shenanigans which lead him to discovering whats Christmas is really about. It is a wonderful Christian based story.

has anyone ever thought of useing x-mas mouth coils?

pickles,
could you make (using red striped rope) your own professors nightmare trick.

has anyone ever thought of useing x-mas mouth coils?

Jeff, I actually have some of those. What would you do with them?

pickles,
could you make (using red striped rope) your own professors nightmare trick.

Where can you find red-striped rope? That's a good idea -- I could come up with some story about how Santa's reindeer have to be fed special magic candycanes, but the candycanes all have to be the same size or the magic doesn't work.

You could say that Santa was helping Mrs. Claus with the Christmas Cookies and he made a special one just for you ... Act like you're eating a cookie then pull the coil out of your mouth... Uh-oh... Somethings wrong with these cookies... Maybe Santa should stay in the Toy Shop and Let Mrs. C stick to the cookie baking!!

I think I am going to get the reindeer silks I mentioned above... It hink it would be really cute to act like I can't remember the name of that red nosed reindeer and ask the kids what his name is...

Kids: Rudolph...
Me: .... No its not Randolph
Kids: Rudolph....
Me... No its not Rufus... thats not it...
Kids: RUDOLPH!!!!!
Me:... No its not Rodney... What is his name???
Kids: RUDOLPH!!!!!!!!!!
Me: That it!!! His name is Rudolph!!! Why didn't you say so??!!
If the kids say "We Did" then I'd play it off sayin... Oh Well I must have some snow left in my ears!

Where can you find red-striped rope? That's a good idea -- I could come up with some story about how Santa's reindeer have to be fed special magic candycanes, but the candycanes all have to be the same size or the magic doesn't work.
at a hardware store? maybe! i have seen some but i dont remember where. oh a marine store that sells boats or sailing/camping equitment.8-)

Wintertime in China. That is the original name of an effect that can be called snowstorm, snow flakes or any other variation of snow. The beauty of it though is that it captures that childlike innocence and love we all have of being in a snowstorm.

NOTE: Requires basic sleight of hand.

Below is the basic working, though not the best I have seen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CuAkcpikfE

Below, is an expensive version of the effect done by the magician Kevin James

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8aFvv5QBgI&feature=related

Noname,

You know what? I did that one about five years ago! Thanks for triggering my memory! It's very cool, and if I remember correctly, the kids loved it. I just ran across the fan I used for that routine -- I had painted pickles all over it.

The only thing is, it's kinda messy for a classroom. Last time I did it, I got permission from the janitor first.

I also had some of that "instant snow" that's kinda like slush powder, but it turns into fluffy "snow." I will probably use that when we make the snow man in the dove pan.

If you got the trick "Run Rabbit Run", or one of those, get some carton, draw Santa Claus figures and colour them to fit onto bunny figures, now you have "Run Santa Run". "Hippity Hop Rabbit" is another easy trick to make from cardboard but make different colour Santa's or Elfs instead. Try find the hard cardboard painters use to paint on in maybe some art or stationary shop. Use it to make the boxes for the Hippity Hop.

There is a trick were a rolled up paper is cut 2/3 down on four sides and strech out, to make a paper tree. Make a roll of green wrapping paper about 40 cm wide and 4.5 to 5 meter in length.
Unroll about 1 m and cut tube down at four places (like devide it in quarters) about 30 cm down. Bend four pieces down and taper / snip down from the inside one to outside four to six layers where the inside one is the shortest and get longer the more you reach yhe outside layers : It gives the tree a tapered effect when opened. Bring all together, close / roll extra piece around and keep together with elastic bands.

With a Magic Milk pitcher you can pour milk down the centre. Tear outside paper (as if tear all layers), pull middle out as long as you can make it strech, and you got a Christmas Tree.

I have never seen the stocking change bag you where talking about but just had an ideal of buying a cheap red stocking big enough to go around thr rim of my change bag and hold it on with velcro that way after christmas i can change it back. one christmas trick is using the abc trick concept but with santa trying to remember how to go down the chimney with three blocks representing santa body head, stomach, and legs by having an extra head making him end up with head at the bottom finally making it turn out right.

I think these ideas are great! I'm still working on my Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer paper tear idea. So far, it's been great!
Punkin

Anybody know of any fun interactive Christmas songs or games I can do with the 3rd graders at their holiday party?

Hey Pickles, the Square Circle is a longtime production routine I'm sure you know about. It may take some time and creative thinking but the effect could be made out of cardboard boxes and wrapping paper.

Think about it....2 tubes (a colored tube and a smaller black tube) and 1 box. Paint the inside of the box and the smaller tube black (or use black poster board to make the tube). Cut holes in the box so that the colorful tube can be seen.
Wrap the outside box with your favorite Christmas wrapping paper and Wahlah.

You could even go so far as to make a lid for the outter box and wrap it with the same wrapping paper as the outter box and finish it off with a big bow. Now you can explain that you found a present that must have fallen from Santa's sleigh.

"Let's open it and see what's inside"

Remove the lid and perform the illusion. Show the box empty, Show the colorful tube empty, then proceed to produce beautiful silks ending with one that reads Merry Christmas.

"It must have fallen from Santa's sleigh 'cause everything Santa is Magical"

feel free to PM me if you have any questions

~Sam 8-)

Suitcase Sam: Your post reminded me of a prop I already have that I could perhaps use with a Christmas twist. I have a nice Square Square that I haven't used in years. I'm thinking that I could have it all wrapped up in Christmas paper and very excitedly tell all the kids that I found this gift -- it must have fallen off Santa's sleigh. I'll wildly rip off the paper and then be very disappointed to see that there's nothing in the square square. I'll show the kids it's empty. Then they can help me do a little magic to create something Christmassy in it. (not before I mess up the trick and pull out something very UNChristmassy -- perhaps a rubber chicken or Halloween silk.)

Whats do you think?

Suitcase Sam: Your post reminded me of a prop I already have that I could perhaps use with a Christmas twist. I have a nice Square Square that I haven't used in years. I'm thinking that I could have it all wrapped up in Christmas paper and very excitedly tell all the kids that I found this gift -- it must have fallen off Santa's sleigh. I'll wildly rip off the paper and then be very disappointed to see that there's nothing in the square square. I'll show the kids it's empty. Then they can help me do a little magic to create something Christmassy in it. (not before I mess up the trick and pull out something very UNChristmassy -- perhaps a rubber chicken or Halloween silk.)

Whats do you think?

There ya go Pick, now ya got it. It only takes a little creative thinking (and some wrapping paper) to adapt your act to a holiday theme.

I like the idea you have of a Halloween silk. Make it a misfit effect and the end result will be that much more MAGICAL. Kids love that.
Kids love it when you, the performer, screws up and they help make it right.

I think y'er onto sum'pin gal, Good Luck with it.

~Sam 8-)

I've got five tricks nailed down for this. I need two more... Clowns, put on your thinking reindeer antlers and HELP ME!!!!

I've got five tricks nailed down for this. I need two more... Clowns, put on your thinking reindeer antlers and HELP ME!!!!

Does it have to be magic? What about a "fake" trick or juggling snow balls. I have spongeballs which are called "snowballs" they are not worth purchasing, they are a stiffer version of the spongeball, but what if you do a "snowball" routine using your spongeballs. Make up some reason for them being another color, they fell in santa's wash and that is why they are red, this way you can do a normal SB routine, without changing anything, just make them believe it's is a "Christmas" trick.

Or, if you were going to do the snowstorm effect, you could "borrow" Kevin James' intro by making a snowflake, and then going into the normal routine. It will make your one effect longer and then give you less time for another trick.

Or use the change bag or dove pan, depending on what you have, mix mints, maybe get a pipe cleaner and shape it like a candy cane, and mix some sugar in there, do your magic, and you have candy canes. Kids love candy and any excuse you have to give them some they will love.

Those are just a few ideas off the top of my head.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Does it have to be magic? What about a "fake" trick or juggling snow balls. I have spongeballs which are called "snowballs" they are not worth purchasing, they are a stiffer version of the spongeball, but what if you do a "snowball" routine using your spongeballs. Make up some reason for them being another color, they fell in santa's wash and that is why they are red, this way you can do a normal SB routine, without changing anything, just make them believe it's is a "Christmas" trick.

Or, if you were going to do the snowstorm effect, you could "borrow" Kevin James' intro by making a snowflake, and then going into the normal routine. It will make your one effect longer and then give you less time for another trick.

Or use the change bag or dove pan, depending on what you have, mix mints, maybe get a pipe cleaner and shape it like a candy cane, and mix some sugar in there, do your magic, and you have candy canes. Kids love candy and any excuse you have to give them some they will love.

Those are just a few ideas off the top of my head.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

BTW, how did it go?

Hey, Noname!

The Christmas party with the 3rd grade class went well (except for when I dropped the green and red mouth coil. Ooops.) Thanks for asking!

I ended up not doing the snow routine. I felt like I wasn't concealing the load very well in my hand and that it looked awkward. I'm not sure how I pulled off that one five years ago when I did it. Maybe I just did it badly -- who knows! Anyway, with everyone's help, I came up with seven Christmassy magic tricks and they all went over pretty well. I think the kids' favorite was when we made candy canes with the dove pan (thanks, Nettie Belle).

Below is a photo of Pickles and the class posing in their balloon reindeer hats.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/3197323396_ffa707ce2a_m.jpg

will you do the same show this year?? anything you would change??

will you do the same show this year?? anything you would change??

Doubtful. To be honest with you, I haven't done any magic shows for AGES. I had some corporate picnics during the summer, but my business is all but dead.

sad i hope things perk up for ya!!