SECRET SANTA 2011

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Carlos

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Gentlemen, Its time!!!!

For the 'New Guys' (anyone that wasn't a Knoxer) this is BOB's fourth Secret Santa but it has a long lineage stemming from Knox Cigars old BB. It's always been a blast and sometimes been quite surprising, as some of the worst 'Grinchs' have turned out to be some of the best Santa's.

The same rules will apply this year but I will give a run down for all of you that doesn't know how it works.


1. As a gift, you may send any pipe-related item and/or cigar related item. With respect to pipe tobacco, the minimum is 150 grams of tinned tobacco or eight ounces of bulk tobacco or a pre-packed sampler that many B&M smoke shops and online vendors are offering for the holidays. (Personally, one year I received several of those 2oz size Mason jars of well aged tobaccos. Packed very well. But I cannot recommend glass containers for shipping.) If you give an estate pipe, be kind enough to clean it up and sanitize the bit. Any other items, such as, lighters, pouches, racks, tampers, new pipes, or even T-shirts & hats, are good ideas. With respect to cigars, the minimum will be 3/5 quality handmade cigars or any 5 or more cigar sampler that many B&M smoke shops and online vendors are offering. Cigar related accessories such as cigar carriers, humidors, lighters, ashtrays and so on are also acceptable. Yes, you can mix and match tins and stogies if that is what you wish to give. Bear in mind this isn't a maximum, most give more than this, but from past experience I can honestly say its not what you get but what you give.

2. With respect to tobaccos, please try to stay within the preferred category that will be provided in the e-mail you will be receiving from me. There's no sense sending a sweet aromatic to someone that usually smokes heavy latakia mixtures and vice versa. With respect to cigars, the qualifiers might be size and strength. Check the Tobacco section for reviews, or the "What are you smoking?" threads for ideas.

3. Please mail your package in time, so your recipient will receive it by Christmas. I suggest December 10th as a good target date. Factor in the heightened security that may be in place for parcels. It's best to put the real return address on the box, but you could use "Santa" as the sender's name.

4. Please do not ask me to assign someone in particular to be your recipient.

5. Please use Priority mail with delivery confirmation, or UPS, fedex,dhl so the package can be traced if needed. It is okay to have your gift drop-shipped, to your recipient, from an online vendor, such as www.smokingpipes.com or your local smoke shop.

5.5 I should mention here, that the difficulties in shipping overseas make this type of activity difficult. But that does not mean that members cannot play in their own country. Take South Africa for instance. Seems to be a number of Brothers there that might be interested and know their way around the shipping problems in country. Or may wish to meet and do an exchange. I don't mind making a list and drawing names and sending that info back to you. Same for Brothers in Canada or elsewhere. But you would be entirely on your own to make it all work.

6. PLEASE, if you don't truly want to send a gift or you feel that it will be a burden on you, DO NOT SIGN UP AS A PARTICIPANT! Your name and handle may get posted on the bulletin boards as being a Grinch!

7. If you do not receive anything from your appointed Santa by January 4, 2011, contact me and I will email you their name and email address, so that you can work it out with them. I Make No Guarantees and I Will Not Get Into The Middle Of Any Dispute. Sorry, but I'm just putting this event together. If you want to post their identity and that you didn't get anything from him/her, I can't stop you. This is another reason for not signing up as a participant, if you don't want to play fairly.

8.) I will close registrations on November 13th. The cut-off date will allow for more time to secure your gift and to get it in the mail by December 10th. Secret Santa Events have always worked because of the trust we have in our fellow Stokers (pipe smokers). You should know that, If you become a participant, there is a chance, a very slim chance but it’s possible, that you might not receive a gift. I reserve the right to refuse to allow certain people to participate. If someone had to cover your butt in the past or you are a well known arsehat its a good chance I'm telling you NO. Merry Christmas

9. The assignments will be totally random. To set the assignments, I will put the names and addresses on pieces of paper, put them in a hat, shake them up and have someone with no interest draw them one by one. I know it's low-tech, but it works.




If you'd like to join up now feel free to shoot me a pm containing your Real Name, addy, phone number, and wish list.
Merry Christmas y'all.



(Thanks to PB for the use of his rules. Modified slightly by me.)

Here is a link to last year's thread. Read and enjoy.

Secret Santa 2010 Link

:santa:
 
Keep checking here to make sure you are on the list. I check PM's and email often. Well usually. Will add as quickly as I can. :santa:


The List:

Carlos
sand18f
Kyle Weiss
DrT999
Puff Daddy
Doc Manhattan
UberHuberMan
DoverPipes
Lesath
Centurian 803
jhuggett
PipeLeisure
Milan
ten_fiver
Rob_In_MO
clueless
billmess
taharris
Frost
Buddy Springman
 
Also, if anyone knows the whereabouts of some of the fellows that have been missing for a time, wish them a Happy Holidays for all of us please. I was kind of hoping Winslow and Regor might make an appearance again some day. I know there are some others whose usernames elude me. I was always bad with names. :santa:
 
Carlos":644tu604 said:
November 13th will be here before y'all know it! :santa:
Based on glancing at last year's thread, it should be interesting!
 
billmess":h6jd2h9n said:
Can new members join the secret santa list?

Thanks,
Bill
Hi Bill,

Yes. New members can join. It makes tougher for fellows to dig though your posts looking for ideas that can surprise you. And they will dig though the past posts. Some of these guys have memories like elephants. The thing to do is to spend time on the board. Post what you are smoking in the appropriate threads. Make some comments. Be neighborly. Get to know them and they will get to know you.

I have to add that I was a member just a short time before participating in my first Secret Santa. Be sure to read though the past threads to see what it's all about. Read the rules here and send me a PM with the necessary info. You can think about it. You have until some time on the 13th to get a wish list to me.

Ok, wish lists. I like bent pipes. Fairly light weight. But with a generous bowl. I am partial to Sandblasts. I really have more pipes than I need. I smoke stronger blends often. Any of the Gawith's. My favorite is GL Pease Renaissance. But any stout Latakia blend like Dunhill Nightcap. Virginia's or Kentucky's, some burley. I am not a big fan of most American style aromatics.

That would be an example. Customize it. Do you like smoking ummm......what was that word Doc used? Fancy word for "Stuff". Books and magazines. Collectable smokers items. Y'all know what I mean. Zippo's etc.

Any questions, just ask.

:santa:
 
Being new to the board, this sounds fun. Maybe I'll need to sit this one out to see how it goes though. I don't know if there's a max $ amount on this, or if there's an unwritten standard for these.
 
This is really an awsome event from what has been said about it! this site never stops amazing me. As much as i would like to be a Secret Santa i am flat broke and none of my pipes are even worth trying to give somone it would be rude. i guess i will have to be a Grinch. :( the sad fact is i dont even have a tamper zippo or cleaners to give because i dont have any myself. but i will be participating next year if i find anouther job.
 
I think the "Grinch" title is reserved for those that participate and receive but do not send anything in return...
 
oh i guess i was confused on the title i thought it was for those who didnt participate. im just a broke little who then haha :rendeer: :santa:
 
...just as a thought, I ain't super well-off this year myself, but there's plenty of pipe stuff at second hand, antique and junk stores for very little money. For example, if you can find some nice accessories, a can of tobacco and some pipe cleaners, (just to mix it up a bit), I'm sure anyone can participate. Heck, try and make something! If someone worked hard and made a neat pipe rack for next to nothing and gave it to me, I'd be stoked!

This isn't a required-to-spend thing, I mean, it's Christmas for pete's sake. 8) Thought and ingenuity can go just as far as a dollar if you do it right! :santa: :rendeer: :santa: :rendeer:

 
Don't worry about being broke...it ain't the money...it's the heart.

Heck, I like old stuff the best anyway.

Even a hand drawn picture, pen and ink etc.

I'm good with an "I will when I can"...it does not have to be within the official time frame for me.

A man's word is sufficient for me.
 
I am amazed at how fast this week is flying by. Also, if you didn't include a basic likes and dislikes in your PM, please send me another with a starting point. I know some of youse guys really do smoke aromatics. Some just latakia. Most sent me the info, but not all. And we seem to be missing a few regulars. But we still have a few more days yet.


Anyone else had a hankering for figurados lately? I have had my eye on some salomons in a 7.1" x 56 or 58 ring gauge. Must be this 8oz tin of Robusto I have been smoking on for the past few weeks making me want more cigar leaf.

:santa:
 
ten_fiver":ykmc23oo said:
Well, ok. I'm throwing my hat in the ring. This sounds too fun to pass up.
Yeah, a good excuse to indulge in some TAD or even PAD without having to feel guilty about the spending :rendeer: In fact, since it's Christmas, we can even feel good about it! :santa:
 
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