The Effect: Show the audience three cards—each with a different Hanukkah symbol on it. Have an audience member select a card. Tell him or her that you knew which card he or she was going to pick. Prove it!

Materials:
• Hanukkah-symbol cards (found in the Hanukkah cards magic trick PDF)
• The “I knew you’d pick the menorah” card (also found in the Hanukkah cards magic trick PDF)
• A small manila envelope (or any envelope that you cannot see through)
• A pen with a pen cap
• Tape
• A thin strip of paper saying: “I knew you’d pick the gift” (also found in the Hanukkah cards magic trick PDF)

Preparation:
1. Cut out the Hanukkah-symbol cards and glue them on cardboard. On the back of the dreidel card write: “I knew you’d pick the dreidel!” Place the three symbol cards inside the envelope.
2. Cut out the card that says: “I knew you’d pick the menorah!” Mount it on cardboard. Place it inside the envelope, too. (Try to keep it separate from the symbol cards.)
3. Cut out the thin strip of paper that says: “I knew you’d pick the gift!” (Do not mount it on cardboard.) Remove the pen cap from the pen. Tape the left side of the strip face-down to thepen tip. Wrap the rest of the strip around the pen tip. Cover it completely with the pen cap.

Presentation:

Perform the trick on a table in front of a small audience.

1. Pull out the three Hanukkah symbol cards from the envelope, leaving the “I knew you’d pick the menorah” card inside.
2. Put the "empty envelope aside (but still on the table, in view of the audience).
3. Place the three cards face up on the table. (Make sure the audience does not see the backs of the cards.)
4. Hand one audience member the pen you’ve prepared, and instruct him/her to tap each card.
5. Next, tell him to choose one of the symbols (e.g., the dreidel), but not to tell you which one. When he’s done, tell him that you predicted which symbol he was going to pick, and that you’ll prove it.
6. Have him tap on the symbol he chose, with the pen.
7. IF HE CHOSE THE DREIDEL, flip over the dreidel card, revealing the words: “I knew you’d pick the dreidel!” He’ll assume that all the cards have something written on their backs. Have him turn them over, revealing blank backs!
8. IF HE CHOSE THE MENORAH, hand him the envelope. Tell him to look inside. He’ll pull out the card that says: “I knew you’d pick the menorah!”
9. IF HE CHOSE THE GIFT, tell him to pull the pen cap off. He’ll unravel the slip of paper saying: “I knew you’d pick the gift!”

The audience will be shocked and amazed by your prediction!

Note: You can perform this trick only once. Otherwise, the audience will figure out how it’s done.