¡Lotería!
Yesterday I decided it was finally time to check out the little Mexican dollar store in town. My little lambs "umblella" was broken, and I remembered that his Daddy-O had once gotten him a cute one at the Dollar Store and More, so off we went. Somehow I knew before I got to the door that it would smell like laundry soap inside, and I was right. I like that clean scent. I also knew that, being a dollar store, there was going to be a bunch of wierd crap. Of course I was right again.
But.
Amongst the agglomeration of unrecognizable kitchen gadgets, gag "flashlights" that shock the hell out of your hand, and an impressive selection of scented Sweet Love brand douches (in double packs), I found a new, sweet love of my own.
It's a little game called Loteria. I didn't really know what it was when I picked it up, but I was drawn to the cute pictures shown on the box. I figured for $2.99 it would be worth looking at the rest of the "54 playing-cards" inside.
When we got home, I noticed it said "Mexican Bingo" on the side of the box, so I opened it up hoping to read the instructions. There weren't any, but I figured out how to play it anyway. I love the pictures so much that I had to know more about this little game.
It's just like American Bingo, but instead of using little balls with numbers, a deck of illustrated cards are used. And instead of just calling out what's on the card, you're supposed to make up a little rhyme, story, or riddle about it. The players then have to figure out which card was drawn, and mark their boards accordingly. Each card also has a number on it, and the game is so popular is some areas, that people actually use the figures on the cards for numbers. Like, if someone asked me how old I was, I could answer El Nopal, the cactus card.
Loteria originated in Italy, where it was used to make money for the poor. In the 19th century the game had migrated to Mexico, where gambling was illegal. Due to the innocent appearance of the game, bettors could play without being suspect.
I'm totally in love with these game cards. I'm going to collect every set I can find!
But.
Amongst the agglomeration of unrecognizable kitchen gadgets, gag "flashlights" that shock the hell out of your hand, and an impressive selection of scented Sweet Love brand douches (in double packs), I found a new, sweet love of my own.
It's a little game called Loteria. I didn't really know what it was when I picked it up, but I was drawn to the cute pictures shown on the box. I figured for $2.99 it would be worth looking at the rest of the "54 playing-cards" inside.
When we got home, I noticed it said "Mexican Bingo" on the side of the box, so I opened it up hoping to read the instructions. There weren't any, but I figured out how to play it anyway. I love the pictures so much that I had to know more about this little game.
It's just like American Bingo, but instead of using little balls with numbers, a deck of illustrated cards are used. And instead of just calling out what's on the card, you're supposed to make up a little rhyme, story, or riddle about it. The players then have to figure out which card was drawn, and mark their boards accordingly. Each card also has a number on it, and the game is so popular is some areas, that people actually use the figures on the cards for numbers. Like, if someone asked me how old I was, I could answer El Nopal, the cactus card.
Loteria originated in Italy, where it was used to make money for the poor. In the 19th century the game had migrated to Mexico, where gambling was illegal. Due to the innocent appearance of the game, bettors could play without being suspect.
I'm totally in love with these game cards. I'm going to collect every set I can find!
2 comments:
Gah, where have you been the past year I have been collecting these? Duh. I like to make them into placemats or fridge magnets. My friend makes them into necklace pendants with paints and shellac. I love the frog and luna best. Is El Baracho in there? I bet you like that one dontcha?
Another thing that cracks me up is that World Market sells these same things for 20 bucks! As if.
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