Every Day is International Pipe Smoking Day
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Kevin Godbee - Feb 6, 2010
- 4 min read
February 20th is International Pipe Smoking Day. This month will mark the 3rd annual event, or holiday if you will. So mark your calendars now as it is right around the corner. International Pipe Smoking Day was started by Smoker’s Forums in 2008. In 2009 it was embraced by Comite International des Pipe Clubs and The United Pipe Clubs of America (UPCA), and much of the pipe smoking world. The call goes out to all pipe smokers to organize pipe smoker events held at 9:00 p.m. and announce them in the national, regional and local press to draw as much attention to pipe smoking in general as possible.
I would like to take International Pipe Smoking Day a step further.
International Pipe Smoking Day is obviously important as an event to create more awareness about the joys of pipe smoking, and it is a fun time for pipe smokers to have their own little pseudo-holiday. Maybe some of us men can even tell the wives that the “honey-do” list gets put on hold that Saturday because it is an international holiday for us pipe smokers. Hey, they had Valentine’s Day the week before anyway.
Every day should be International Pipe Smoking Day.
We should celebrate this immensely enjoyable pastime, and evangelize its pleasures and benefits every day of the year. For decades pipe smoking has been a declining hobby. However, in recent years there is evidence of a small increase in pipe smoking. It is no longer relegated to old men sitting on a bench. The younger crowd is starting to take up the pipe again. In our article “Pipes Are for Everyone“, we describe how the demographics of pipe smokers include all age ranges, both genders and even couples. This is a good thing! There’s no way around the fact that eventually we all die. If pipe smoking isn’t partaken of by the younger generation, it will die off with the older generation.
Us more experienced pipe smokers should encourage and help teach the newer pipe smokers the “tricks” of getting the most out of their pipes.
Pipe Smokers enjoy a strong camaraderie.
International Pipe Smoking Day is a great opportunity to experience the camaraderie we pipe smokers enjoy. Normally, most people wouldn’t walk up to a stranger on the street and just start talking to them. You might not even get a good reception. However, if one pipe smoker sees another pipe smoker he doesn’t know, it feels completely normal and comfortable to just walk up to him or her and just start talking.
Other great opportunities to experience pipe smoker camaraderie is to go to a pipe show. Thinking back on the pipe shows I attended last year, they were such a joyous experience that after I returned home, I was still longing to be back at the pipe show for two weeks thereafter. It reminds me of when I was a kid and Summer vacation ended. I remember the feeling I had when we went on a family vacation as a teenager. There was sun and fun, not a care in the world, and the icing on the cake was a “Summer Love”. That innocent, exhilarating, heart-skips-a-beat, butterflies in your stomach feeling of pure happiness. Then coming home and wanting to be back there, and getting a little of the feeling again when you thought about it. That is actually how I felt after returning from pipe shows. I heartily recommend budgeting some time to attend a pipe show.
Here is our list of Pipe Shows in 2010.
Every Day is International Pipe Smoking Day
Another way we can make every day International Pipe Smoking Day is to proudly smoke our pipes in public. It seems some of us are closet pipe smokers. No one should be embarrassed, ashamed or afraid to smoke their pipe in public. Chances are you will get more positive reactions than negative. You can read more on this in our article, “Don’t eave Home Without It … Your Pipe“.
The official International Pipe Smoking Day website says; “Today’s hectic environment almost dictates that we run on full efficiency, have total involvement in our work, our families and in every aspect of what we do to survive and achieve in a world set at high speed. With ever-changing values it is the intent that The International Pipe-Smoking Day will allow us, the Brothers and Sisters of the Briar to step back and appreciate our rich historical value. For pipe-smokers and pipe-smoking everywhere the day will be emblematic of our shared values, history, traditions, and aspirations.”
In the song “Sweetest Taboo” by Sade, she sings; “Every day is Christmas, and every night is New Year’s Eve”.
I say, Every Day is International Pipe Smoking Day!
Written by Kevin Godbee
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This will be the 1st I celebrate. I am calling the LA times.
The The official International Pipe Smoking Day website doesn’t appear maintained. I left a message in their guest book, then noticed that the last message approved was on Sat, 21 February 2009 07:00:38 — that’s almost a year ago.
But, as I said there, I shall hoist a bowl at the appointed time thinking of all the others sharing a bowl with me. Any peaceful, life-enhancing endeavor that unites us across borders and cultures is a good thing in my book.
Great article Kevin!
If anyone would like to celebrate, the St.Louis pipe show is the 20th with smoking allowed! Great article.
If you are in NJ why not join us for the celebration? We will be meeting at JR Cigars, Route 10, Whippany, NJ. Everyone is welcome! Here is our website:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NJFPS/
Sincerely,
Crystal Cahill, President New Jersey Fellowship of Pipe Smokers
Nice article indeed!
Thank you.