Cigar Tip: Give the Gift of Cigars this Christmas

With only 13 shopping days left before Christmas, consumers across the country are traipsing through crowded malls to find the perfect gifts. Many have cigar enthusiasts on their lists but find shopping for cigars either intimidating or confusing.

Never fear. Cigar smokers need not be a difficult crowd for which to buy presents. Their dedication and passion for the hobby of cigars makes it easy to narrow down gift choices. This holiday season, you can be virtually assured of gift-giving success if you follow some simple rules of thumb.

Only give a box if you’re sure. Some cigar enthusiasts are completely loyal to one brand or one specific blend. If this is the case, you can’t do wrong by buying a box he or she is sure to love. Maybe this isn’t the most original idea—and maybe the box won’t be much of a surprise—but any cigar smoker will tell you that you can never have enough of your favorite smokes.

Samplers offer variety. Many cigar enthusiasts don’t have just one favorite cigar. For these folks, I can’t recommend buying a whole box. Instead, samplers can be terrific presents. When you give a sampler of ten different cigars, it’s like giving ten different gifts. The recipient might not love all ten, but chances are he or she will really enjoy at least a few, and you might even be responsible for turning someone on to his or her new favorite smoke.

Consider cigar accessories. Every cigar enthusiast needs a great table lighter, a travel lighter, a nice cutter, a good ashtray, etc. Instead of buying cigars, think about giving the gift of a cigar accessory. Many accessories can be personalized and, unlike cigars themselves, are likely to last for years to come. My wife gave me a wonderful alligator skin cigar case years ago and I’ve cherished it ever since.

Cigar knowledge is power. Aside from the tremendous knowledge offered by the online cigar community, many books have been written on the subject, and most of these would make an excellent gift. My favorite has to be The Gourmet Guide to Cigars by Paul Garmirian, a solid work that was published in 1990 and is now considered a classic. Other interesting reads include Playboy: The Book of Cigars, The Cigar Lover’s Compendium, and The Cigar Maker (by our very own Mark M).

Don’t forget cigar rights. Most cigar smokers have a fervent passion for defending cigar rights and opposing tobacco taxes and smoking bans. For these folks, a membership to Cigar Rights of America is an excellent gift. Benefits of membership include supporting professional lobbyists who fight for cigar freedoms, discounts at cigar shops, free cigars, and more.

I hope these tips are helpful as you shop for that cigar smoker on your list. Feel free to leave a comment if you have a tip of your own that you’d like to share. And happy holidays.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr