Full disclaimer, most of my decks are “serious” ones, but sometimes, for a more light-hearted reading, I like the idea of using a silly novelty Tarot deck. Does anyone have suggestions for a good one? Ideally something that’s still usable for readings, but something that might give the querent a laugh in the process.
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Oooh, interesting one! Because what some will consider modern, others would call novelty. I think there’s probably a lot of personal choice to this.
I would maybe take a look at the unique/cool Tarot deck list. I remember one of the first ones there being a gummy bear Tarot.
If that isn’t novelty, I don’t know what is.
Personally, I like the same idea as you do. I like a novelty deck that’s just a bit of fun to use sometimes. I won’t use it for serious readings into something deep, but if I’m just having a bit of fun with friends, then this is my latest deck:
Aside from some of the collest packaging of any deck I have (and that’s a long list) it has this old retro cartoon theme and (for whatever reason) you see how the lines are just not quite straight and then rounded edges?
It’s a very casual deck. A lot of fun. Still completely usable for readings.
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@Sploots probably wins for “funny”, I really like that style and I’m tempted buuut for just novelty…
I’m a huge Stranger Things fan so when they came out with a Tarot deck… (note: the cards are not actually damaged, it is just the style of the cards that look that way. I’m good to my decks!)
You can get a lot of fan decks for shows, books and hobbies (fan-made or official like this) and I like that more than just the novelty of something weird for the sake of it.
I feel like I have a connection to the story and characters so while it is technically a novelty deck I actually wouldn’t have a problem using this for “serious” readings.
This is my main deck if I’m doing readings for myself or friends. If I’m charging I wouldn’t use it, but only because the asthetic might confuse the querant (unless I know that they’re a Stranger Things fan).
I’ve been following deck review accounts on Instagram and found some funny novelty decks that work with chakras, like this pizza deck, where The Empress is a chef, which kinda fits the sacral chakra stuff. Some of the indie Tarot decks try really hard to be serious, but there are also some cool novelty ones.
Personally, I don’t like complete joke decks like that gummy bear one, and a lot of “novelty” decks just seem like cheap cash grabs. If you’re going to go novelty, I would at least go for something that puts some actual effort into the cards as well. As a huge Disney fan, I take the same approach as your Stranger Things deck with my Disney one:
I really like the Alice and Wonderland theme and I will use it for real readings but it’s a bit of fun without taking away from the Tarot or disrespecting the practice.
I’ve got a Golden Girls deck I really like. My tarot teacher says, ‘honor your joy in the cards,’ and this one does that for me.
Found it cheap on eBay - about five bucks - and it reads well. The art is funny and the meanings are clear. I know some people don’t like themed novelty decks and I did have one client see it in my bag and get offended for some weird reason but most people don’t care.
For people not familiar with the Tarot, I’ll always use a serious looking RWS or Oracle deck but for the more open minded ones you can use decks like this no problem.
I’ve been rotating a few quirky decks.
Trippin’ Waite gets a lot of laughs from sitters, and accuracy felt the same for me.
Kawaii Tarot is pleasant to shuffle, and people flinch less at the ‘scary’ cards, which helps nervous folks. If you like meta humor, Tarot of the Silicon Dawn breaks the fourth wall and includes extra cards. I get clear messages from it. The official Dungeons & Dragons Tarot is more thematic than silly. The class/arcana parallels make spreads feel like character sheets, and in my notes, role-players opened up faster.
For novelty decks, I look for clear RWS bones and expressive minors. Laughter helps people talk, and structure keeps the reading grounded.
I’ve been using the Mystical Cats Tarot lately. Yeah, it’s all cats, but the artwork is actually really good. I have a thing for cat themed Tarot decks and I regret nothing.
Sure, it’s not serious but I’ll tell you, sometimes that’s a good thing when you’re doing a darker spread. I think it can change the tone and sometimes soften the blow if the cards are giving you bad news.
Each card shows cats doing what the card represents, like the Hermit is this old cat sitting alone with a candle, and the Sun card has kittens playing outside. It’s pretty cute. I know some people think lighter decks aren’t as serious, but I’ve gotten good readings from it. Sometimes the cat imagery makes the card meanings easier to understand.
I got my cousin The Audacity Deck as a gift and she really likes it. It’s basically tarot but with sassy modern interpretations that are pretty funny. The art is really bold and the guidebook is written like a blunt friend telling you how it is.
I think the only thing that matters for the cards you use is that you resonate with them. So if everyone else thinks they’re funny or a novelty, it doesn’t really matter.
The cool thing is that people who normally wouldn’t touch tarot cards are actually into it because the humor makes it less intimidating. You still get real insights from the readings, they’re just delivered in a funnier way. Has anyone else worked with decks that balance humor with genuine guidance? I’d love to hear how comedy affects the energy of your readings.
The Housewives Tarot works well for fun readings that still give you something real to think about. It has this 1950s housewife theme where the Death card is a woman vacuuming up the old to make way for the new, and the Tower is a collapsing gelatin mold. The pictures are funny, but the meanings still work, so you can do actual readings while everyone’s laughing at the vintage ads and retro situations. The guidebook has recipes too.
The best funny novelty decks come from creators who actually get how to match humor with card meanings. Like when The Hierophant in a dad joke deck is this wise elder giving advice through awful puns, it works because it fits the card.
Some decks just stick random memes on cards without thinking about readings. When I test new spreads with novelty decks, I check if the humor helps or just makes things confusing. Nothing worse than trying to explain why some random cat photo is supposed to mean Death in your spread.
I really like decks that use humor but still keep the deeper meanings. The Magical Forest deck has these cute wide-eyed animals, but the High Priestess still has that mysterious vibe. The Fool is this awkward little creature hopping around, pretty funny but still works.
If you’re into circus themes, the Zirkus Magi deck is good. It sticks to the traditional structure but dresses everything up in circus costumes. I find the playful artwork sometimes helps people relax when getting readings, especially if they’re nervous about what the cards might say.
For moon phase stuff, I’ve been using the Trash Pandas Tarot (raccoons doing human things) and the Modern Witch Tarot. The Modern Witch has diverse characters with modern twists, though nobody else seems to think of this one as a novelty deck for some reason. I can’t take it seriously with that artwork.
I keep a journal where I write down which deck I’m drawn to each day. Started seeing patterns after a while about when I want something lighter vs more serious.
Been using the funny decks for shadow work too. The humor helps when you’re dealing with heavy stuff. Pulled some cards about fears with the raccoon deck last week and it was way easier than using my regular decks.
I’m obsessed with pop culture tarot decks! The oddest ones I have are probably the Garbage Pail Kids deck and Metazoo. Both are fun for casual readings and actually work pretty well.
I have mixed feelings about Insight Editions decks. Their Minor Arcana cards are disappointing, but I keep buying them anyway because the art is too good to pass up.
Marshmallow Marseille is a cute deck that’s still easy to read. I don’t know if that counts as funny or novelty and maybe just crosses the line into pure weird. I feel like most readers don’t use Marseille at the best of times before you make it marshmallow so it’s weird by default.
Good for when The Fool comes up and you want something lighter. I’ve been pulling The Sun at the end to wrap things up on a lighter note.
Is it just me but I think pop-culture decks, like TV-themed ones, can be surprisingly accurate. The characters lean on the same archetypes you see in the sephiroth, so the ideas land easier when they’re tied to familiar faces and inside jokes.
And I do also think there’s something to be said for working with the deck that you are comfortable with. Even if other people find it funny.
The Housewives Tarot is pretty campy, they use retro recipes as the suits which is fun. Makes the cards easy to read.
You might also like the Gummy Bear deck.