Magic Theme: Celebration Reception

By Dave Arch on December 19, 2025

Recently we had reason to hold a celebration. Teller (of Penn and Teller) had lent us money to purchase the home of a famous magician David P. Abbott and then after 15 months unexpectedly and generously forgave the loan. We had much to celebrate and many people to honor and thank.

Since we were already changing our monthly event location to the historic Joslyn Carriage House, we decided to hold the reception there.

We had a team plan the magic-themed decorations and refreshments for the event – anticipating around forty to fifty people.

We wanted the program to be both celebratory and inspiring as described in this poster/invitation.

With some people coming from an optional tour of the Joslyn Castle and some coming straight to the Carriage House, we wanted the guests to enter to the soothing sounds of George Winston’s music.

As they found their seat at a table, they saw in the center of the table facedown Human Bingo cards and a commemorative Abbott House pen at each place setting.

At the center of the table on top of the facedown Bingo cards was a banded Discussion Card Deck.

After I give a brief welcome, the instructions to Human Bingo were explained before turning everyone loose to roam the room to the strains of Doc Severinsen’s big band sounds.

The first person who gets five initials in a row on their bingo card wins a copy of the Taschen’s book of magic posters (a book coveted by both magicians and non-magicians alike).

In anticipation of the evening, we created a nostalgic video – taking us back to September of 2024, when Teller first gifted us the house.

You can watch the seventeen minute video HERE.

The video now starts and stops at various places so I can acknowledge and even interview some of the people who were particularly instrumental in that section of the video.

At the conclusion of the video, a group “Thank You Teller” video is made for Teller and refreshments are served to the background of George Winston again prior to the “Mortgage Shredding Ceremony” (which is exactly as it sounds) and the installation of our 2026 club officers.

Our 2026 President Adam Schacht then leads the group in one final chance to win a prize – using a more traditional Bingo (Zingo Bingo) to select the winner.

Everyone goes home with a commemorative gift (see below) – leaving to the strains of Doc Severinsen’s Big Band sounds.