Gifting a Deck

[brianahelen]

I've been getting a strong urge to purchase a deck for one of my cousins lately. Whenever I do a personal reading, whenever I'm browsing new decks for myself, sometimes just randomly. I think the universe is prompting me to get her started on her journey.

 

Any suggestions of affordable decks for a young female (early 20s)? I want to get her a visually appealing deck, but I also don't have a ton of money to spend. Preferably a deck under $40. I would also be open to oracle decks.

 

And any other tips for gifting a deck, as I've never done it before? Should I cleanse it for her beforehand? Or just leave it be.

 

Thanks!

 

Bee

[EmpyreanKnight]

There are lots of decks that cater to people of diverse interests. What kind of stuff does your friend like? Is she an animal lover? There are lots of animal-themed decks out there. Does she like cats specifically? Yup, there are a ton of feline decks too. Does she love art? There are decks that specifically feature the works of Klimt, Dali, Bottticelli, Bosch, the Impressionists, etc. There are many girly decks too like the Ceccoli, Vanessa, Paulina, etc. Your best bet would be a deck that would pique her interest so do tell us a bit about the things she likes if you want more accurate recommendations.

[EmpyreanKnight]

But to be honest, the safest, almost default recommendation for a new reader (at least for me) would be the Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot + the Holistic Tarot book by Benebell Wen. It would cost you around $43.94 right now in Amazon tho - it's a bit over your budget but they're oh so worth it. If your friend doesn't like reading thick books there are other simpler introductory tomes. OR you can just buy her the deck and show her the loads of wonderfully educational Tarot tutorial videos that you can find in YouTube.

[brianahelen]

She likes rather girly things. Pastel colors are her favorite. But she's also outdoorsy and loves the beach and mermaid themed things. The Starchild tarot is the closest deck I think I've found to what she would like, but it's a bit too pricey (mainly because I don't know for sure if she'll actually end up using it). So if anyone knows of any cheaper alternatives to that, that would be great.

 

I was also considering the Linestrider Tarot, which is what I use as my secondary deck, but it just didn't feel exactly right for her. I might end up going with it though if I can't find anything else.

[EmpyreanKnight]

Hmmm if she likes pastel decks, the Fountain Tarot and the Shadowscales Tarot Deck and Book Set may be up her alley. There are also a lot of decks that feature mermaids, like the Tarot of Mermaids, the Oracle of the Mermaids, and the Myths and Mermaids Oracle of the Water. The Dame Darcy might be a bit expensive, but there are other Nautical-themed decks out there. I'm sure the other members here can recommend decks that may be more to your friend's taste. :)

[dancing_moon]

Has she actually shown interest in learning/reading Tarot? If yes, and if the gift isn't going to be a surprise, I'd actually let her choose. If yes, but the gift is supposed to be a surprise, I'd probably show off some of your diverse decks to her and observe how she reacts, if she expresses preference to any particular deck/style etc. If she hasn't shown any interest, I'd go with something classic, like a good RWS edition as suggested above, but without a book.

 

ETA: If the deck is new, I see no need for cleansing. If the deck is second-hand, I still see no need for cleansing, though.  :-*

 

Choosing someone's first deck is a tricky task, so I wish you luck! ;)

[Lantana]

She likes rather girly things. Pastel colors are her favorite. But she's also outdoorsy and loves the beach and mermaid themed things. The Starchild tarot is the closest deck I think I've found to what she would like, but it's a bit too pricey (mainly because I don't know for sure if she'll actually end up using it). So if anyone knows of any cheaper alternatives to that, that would be great.

 

I was also considering the Linestrider Tarot, which is what I use as my secondary deck, but it just didn't feel exactly right for her. I might end up going with it though if I can't find anything else.

 

Empyrean gave some good suggestions, but the first deck that popped into my mind was the Crystal Visions Tarot published by US Games.

[Trogon]

I don't think I could add any other deck suggestions, but would say that the RWS is a good deck as there are so many books available that discuss it directly. The idea that dancing_moon had of letting her look though your decks and seeing what piques her interest is really good. I have given away several copies of the Universal-Waite Tarot over the past few years and the people I've given it to seem to like it.

 

But gifting a Tarot deck is something I really like to do. As I've said, I've given away a few copies of the Universal-Waite, and, more recently, I gave the money to a friend overseas (via paypal) so they could purchase the deck they wanted directly. But with a brand-new deck, I see no need for any cleansing since your friend will be the first owner, it'll start with her energy.

[EmpyreanKnight]

I hope that you were able to choose a good deck, brianahelen. :)

[Jewel]

If she likes girly and pastels I would add the Fey Tarot deck/book set (though I am not sure if that is still available at a reasonable price) and the Joie de Vivre to the list.

[sandrang123]

I echo Lantana, in that Crystal Visions came to mind. I also love The Enchanted Tarot (pretty pastels!), though the cards might be a little too big if she's not used to working with cards at all. I'll just throw this in, too, as it's such a fun deck and the book is practical and accessible (with space to journal): The Everyday Witch. I really like the whimsy of this deck, but the card stock is thin and really poor quality.

 

She likes rather girly things. Pastel colors are her favorite. But she's also outdoorsy and loves the beach and mermaid themed things. The Starchild tarot is the closest deck I think I've found to what she would like, but it's a bit too pricey (mainly because I don't know for sure if she'll actually end up using it). So if anyone knows of any cheaper alternatives to that, that would be great.

 

I was also considering the Linestrider Tarot, which is what I use as my secondary deck, but it just didn't feel exactly right for her. I might end up going with it though if I can't find anything else.

 

Empyrean gave some good suggestions, but the first deck that popped into my mind was the Crystal Visions Tarot published by US Games.

[FLizarraga]

To all the good suggestions here, I’d like to add the Dreaming Way. It’s girly, beach-y, pastel-y —and it packs a punch. Plus it’s easy to find and affordable.

 

 

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[Hedera]

How about the new mass market edition of the Fountain tarot?

It's a beautiful kit, with a small but very useful guidebook; the cardstock and printing quality is great, and the images are RWS in meaning, gorgeous and very readable!

 

If you really want to round out the gift, you could add something like the Tarot Playbook, by Lynda Cowles; that way, even if she doesn't want to start doing readings or studying card meanings, she'll have something fun to do with the deck.

[CharlotteK]

Thelema is a very pretty RWS clone deck. I don't personally think it has quite enough substance to satisfy more experienced readers but as a first deck it could be a nice choice.

 

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