The (Un)Official PipesMagazine Secret Santa 2021!

[Michigan_Bill]

Thank you Dan for making this such a success! As a new member I am just blown away by the generosity and thoughtfulness. Thanks again to my SS and to my oh so generous giftEE!

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Thank you Dan for making this such a success! As a new member I am just blown away by the generosity and thoughtfulness. Thanks again to my SS and to my oh so generous giftEE!

God Bless Us Everyone!!

 

[woodsroad]

OK, it looks like we are down to just one outstanding Secret Santa package!
I will be sending out a global email to all Secret Santa participants later today, just to be sure that we are not missing anyone.

This thread will remain open until all gifts are received, and my closing comments are posted!

​

 

[JKoD]

Oh and despite the good vibes, the one mistake NSSS made was leaving return grid coordinates. No rules against return fire, so... when you least expect it....

It was a pleasure putting your package together. The post office does make me nervous - sorry. I’m glad you’ll enjoy and that the tins fall around the right blends for you. The Cringle Flake and Carolina Red Flake makes me giggle…I sent some, I got some and we both have plenty ?

Thank you for your service - you are appreciated.

Regarding the return fire - you must get past my MDS (Mail Defense System).

 

[mikethompson]

I think @jvnshr is the only one yet to receive their package?

 

[mikethompson]

This thread will remain open until all gifts are received, and my closing comments are posted!

WOOHOO! 3 more months!

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

View attachment 117729

OK, it looks like we are down to just one outstanding Secret Santa package!
I will be sending out a global email to all Secret Santa participants later today, just to be sure that we are not missing anyone.

This thread will remain open until all gifts are received, and my closing comments are posted!

View attachment 117731​

Oh, I better get in before the literal lock, lol!

Thanks Dan for doing all that made this a hoot the past couple of months (and making it so successful), thanks to the overly generous @captainsousie, to @Michigan_Bill for being a good sport (I wondered if some of my pre-Santa comments re Michigan football were making him feel targeted, haha, and fearing for his soul) and all who participated for participating! Except for actual family, the most fun of the season watching this unfold!

 

[woodsroad]

I think @jvnshr is the only one yet to receive their package?

It's unreliable miscreant from North of the Border!

 

[PipeIT]

And then there was one...... i think?

I was able to pick up my secret santa package today, after clearing through all the rubble it had left behind. My mailroom was already pissy at me over the last few weeks because of all the packages they had to find for me but today, they completely shunned me. Cant blame them, especially since the MFR I picked up practically leveled the area.
View attachment 117690

The first line of the letter says it all. Way more than I expected and Mr. Not So Secret Santa really outdid himself.

Not So Secret Santa (NSSS) has been great with communicating throughout the package's 20 day travels + 2 more days before i picked it up. And no sender of any type of tobacco has ever been more worried about their recepient getting their package than Mr. NSSS. And Ive dealt with a lot of tobacco, both receiving and sending.

I chalked up the delay due to COVID and the holidays and it was well worth the wait.

First, the cigars:
Herrera estelli
Aging room
601
AVO
RP Edge
Alec Bradley
Cohiba (NC)
Nub
Room 101
And various tats, a padron, an arturo fuente, crowned heads and garcia family stuff which are my top 5 NC brands in no particular order
Plus CC fonseca and montecristo in my preferred small ring guage.

For a total of 22 cigars. Goodness gracious.

On to Pipe tobacco
Penny Farthing - been on my list to try since I love shag cuts
Viprati - also has been on my radar to try.
Cloud hopper - 2 or 3 tins somewhere so now i have an excuse to open one and try it out
CRF w/P 21' - have much but havent tried yet. This gives me an excuse to pop a tin.
Cringle Flake 21' - same as above.

5 freaggin tins. I only sent out 4 so now I feel bad.

A Pipe!
My first Christmas pipe, a gorgeous 2020 Savinelli 626. Ive been wanting to get a white stemmed pipe and I love Savs so this is perfect.

Never forget pipe cleaners.

And last but not least, a heartfelt, handwritten, 3 page letter.

By golly, this was a lot. I dont even know what to say except, thank you very much @JKoD. In the Army, "Jody" typically has a negative connotation, but, after this year, I dont think I'll ever think negatively about Jody.

Happy Early New Year to my NSSS and the rest of the forum. I dont post much but I do read a lot, refreshing at least 5 times throughout the day. This forum is amazing and my life would be boring without it.

Special shoutout to Dan for organizing this whole thing.

Oh and despite the good vibes, the one mistake NSSS made was leaving return grid coordinates. No rules against return fire, so... when you least expect it....

You sir have won the Official Holy Crap Reward! I mean damm! LOL ?

Enjoy!

 

[mikethompson]

 

[scloyd]

This isn't really Secret Santa related, but it's Christmas related. One of the gifts I received from my oldest son (also a pipe smoker) was a T-shirt from Rush Creek Distilling which is about 10 miles from my home. Look what's hanging out of his mouth.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

And then there was one...... i think?

I was able to pick up my secret santa package today, after clearing through all the rubble it had left behind. My mailroom was already pissy at me over the last few weeks because of all the packages they had to find for me but today, they completely shunned me. Cant blame them, especially since the MFR I picked up practically leveled the area.
View attachment 117690

The first line of the letter says it all. Way more than I expected and Mr. Not So Secret Santa really outdid himself.

Not So Secret Santa (NSSS) has been great with communicating throughout the package's 20 day travels + 2 more days before i picked it up. And no sender of any type of tobacco has ever been more worried about their recepient getting their package than Mr. NSSS. And Ive dealt with a lot of tobacco, both receiving and sending.

I chalked up the delay due to COVID and the holidays and it was well worth the wait.

First, the cigars:
Herrera estelli
Aging room
601
AVO
RP Edge
Alec Bradley
Cohiba (NC)
Nub
Room 101
And various tats, a padron, an arturo fuente, crowned heads and garcia family stuff which are my top 5 NC brands in no particular order
Plus CC fonseca and montecristo in my preferred small ring guage.

For a total of 22 cigars. Goodness gracious.

On to Pipe tobacco
Penny Farthing - been on my list to try since I love shag cuts
Viprati - also has been on my radar to try.
Cloud hopper - 2 or 3 tins somewhere so now i have an excuse to open one and try it out
CRF w/P 21' - have much but havent tried yet. This gives me an excuse to pop a tin.
Cringle Flake 21' - same as above.

5 freaggin tins. I only sent out 4 so now I feel bad.

A Pipe!
My first Christmas pipe, a gorgeous 2020 Savinelli 626. Ive been wanting to get a white stemmed pipe and I love Savs so this is perfect.

Never forget pipe cleaners.

And last but not least, a heartfelt, handwritten, 3 page letter.

By golly, this was a lot. I dont even know what to say except, thank you very much @JKoD. In the Army, "Jody" typically has a negative connotation, but, after this year, I dont think I'll ever think negatively about Jody.

Happy Early New Year to my NSSS and the rest of the forum. I dont post much but I do read a lot, refreshing at least 5 times throughout the day. This forum is amazing and my life would be boring without it.

Special shoutout to Dan for organizing this whole thing.

Oh and despite the good vibes, the one mistake NSSS made was leaving return grid coordinates. No rules against return fire, so... when you least expect it....

I don't know if I'm getting sappy in my old age, but, I literally got teary eyed seeing the generosity here.

 

[scloyd]

I don't know if I'm getting sappy in my old age, but, I literally got teary eyed seeing the generosity here.

Yeah, it's amazing since most of us have never met another forum member. Out of all of the members, I've actually met three.

 

[mikethompson]

I don't know if I'm getting sappy in my old age, but, I literally got teary eyed seeing the generosity here.

You've only been here a month! Wait until @ashdigger starts posting again. He's like a real life Santa Claus.

Very cool group of guys here.

 

[Ahi Ka]

You've only been here a month! Wait until @ashdigger starts posting again. He's like a real life Santa Claus.

Very cool group of guys here.

If Santa had accidentally burnt his long white beard off that is.

 

[mikethompson]

If Santa had accidentally burnt his long white beard off that is.

And lived in Las Vegas instead of the North Pole

 

[Ahi Ka]

And lived in Las Vegas instead of the North Pole

Well I guess he still lives near a pole…

 

[PipeIT]

This isn't really Secret Santa related, but it's Christmas related. One of the gifts I received from my oldest son (also a pipe smoker) was a T-shirt from Rush Creek Distilling which is about 10 miles from my home. Look what's hanging out of his mouth.

View attachment 118031

Ohhh another Harvard, I felt smarter just reading it! ?

Even the Cows ? are Harvard Graduates!

 

[jpmcwjr]

There's also a Princeton, IL, but no Yale.

 

[mikethompson]