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A few years ago, I received my very first Christmas pipe. Was it an expensive or artisan-grade briar? Well, no, but it was a gift from a friend, and it was given from the heart. You see, very few people outside of the pipe smoking community really understand our hobby, what drives us to keep picking up our briars and adding new ones to our collection, especially around the holiday season. So something about that thoughtful gesture stuck with me, I think, because ever since, I've really come to look forward to this time of year just to see the vast array of limited edition finishes and shapes, rendered by my favorite makers and marques.
Though it's not always from the same brand, I've created something of a personal holiday tradition out of these seasonal briars — either receiving one as a gift, giving one away to a friend, or simply picking up at least one Christmas offering for myself every year. Sure this part of my collection may still be in its early beginnings, but I look forward to one day looking back at all those pipes and recounting the fond moments that particular year brought.
Eric stated this morning that if there's no snow, Christmas is canceled — but I can't say I'm going to go along with that. Even here in the mild climate of South Carolina, Christmas will never be canceled, just as long as there are Christmas pipes to browse, and of course, to subtly hint to friends and family. Fortunately, this year presents quite the selection of holiday briars: from Caminetto's chubby Apples, to Mark Tinsky's Pot-like Dublins, to the Radices' two-capped Calabashes, to the seasonal themed lines from Peterson and Savinelli. Suffice to say, I've done quite a bit of "hinting" this year.
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Comments
I, like many, cheated a little bit with the Christmas pipe and gave my lovely wife a few options to select from. While I have complete confidence in her ability to select a beautiful briar that suits my tastes, she is convinced that she would mistakenly pick something of inferior quality. Even though she is getting a bit of help on this, the fact that she is still the one choosing it will make it a very special pipe.
Special Blend
Love the Holidays