Secret Santa 2012

[Deleted member 2386]

Oooooooh, suspenseful--the office at my complex, where all the packages are automatically forwarded, will be closed from tomorrow afternoon until next Wednesday...either I'll get it tomorrow and have an early x-mas present, or have something to look forward to on Boxing Day! Will be mostly offline 'til then anyway with travel and family stuff, so if I'm not on here again before then:

MERRY CHRISTMAS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS!!!!

 

[Blackhorse]

Gramps - I can't believe that the place packages are sent is to be closed for that long at Christmas. Who runs that place...the Grinch?

 

[puros_bran]

Hey Now!

 

[Deleted member 2386]

Gramps - I can't believe that the place packages are sent is to be closed for that long at Christmas. Who runs that place...the Grinch?

Yeah, lets not disparage the green guy too much--I'd like to think even a yuletide reprobate like him would let me pop in to grab a box on the weekend!

The place I rent got taken over by new management recently, and so far I've been a bit less than impressed...but there's still time for an x-mas miracle! Heck, even if I have to wait until Boxing Day, so long as my Secret Santa didn't send a spring-loaded boxing glove I'm pretty much guaranteed to get more than I deserve!

 

[Mozjo33]

Just got home to find my Secret Santa has dropped off his package. I will reply with a list and pics later tonight or tomorrow.

All I can say is that Santa's generosity is unbelievable. It actually made me blush.

Thank you so much Santa!

More on this later... :santa: :santa: :santa: :santa: :santa:

 

[Doc Manhattan]

Been meaning to post pics of what Santa left me, but circumstances have not allowed, so I will attempt to justify my MFA by "painting a picture with words."

Inside the package that greeted me on the porch, swaddled snugly as the eponymous Reason for the Season, was a beautiful billiard pipe. The note acknowledged that a glance at the maker's mark would quickly de-secret my Santa, as he had handcrafted the piece just for me!

Besides being a general testament to good pipecraft, Santa very clearly did his research on my particular leanings for briars. The size and proportions are of the old school English marque style, a straight smooth billiard, medium bowl... it's hard to explain, but I've always found Brit billiards to show most clearly their kinship with the pot shape. This gifted pipe does that beautifully.

The stem is also as I like, with a fishtail worthy of the name, and very comfortable in the jaw, of course. My favorite detail lives in the mouthpiece... a sure sign that the maker knows my love of a bold or flamboyant detail: the stem is blue cumberland. It's both loud and subtle and classy for sure.

I trust you assume at this point that the briar smokes like a charm, and are only awaiting confirmation. Well, it does.

Thanks from the heart to Santa. I have gotten a gift from someone who really gets me. Let the same be said of us, and of all of us, and in the words of Tiny Tim, "Dad, why is your creepy boss here for Christmas dinner?"

 

[Blackhorse]

Doc...BLUE Cumberland! WOW. I hope you paste a bunch of photos of that baby for us to drool over. It sounds amazing.

 

[Mozjo33]

Here's what Santa brought me:

SG Scotch Cut Mixture Limited Edition (#11/500) 2009 Chicago Pipe Club (100 g)

Iwan Reis Gourmet English Blend (50 g)

MC Frog Morton on the Town (50 g)

C & D Captain Earles Stimulus Package (50 g)

Grand Orientals Classic Samsum (50 g)

VIP Pipe Tobacco (100 g)

(Antique?) Spinnaker International Yactman's Mixture (On the card, Santa stated he did not have the heart to open this tin. I can see why. The tin itself is awesome. Vaccum Sealed with Handy Pocket Pouch inside)

Danbark Pipe - excellent condition. I'm not good at identifying shapes, so if anyone can help me out with this one.

Again, thank you very much to Santa for his generosity. I know I haven't been that good of a little boy this year. I have never tried any of these blends, and I look forward to my first real foray into English blends. I will be using my new pipe for strickly English blends.

Thanks to you too Carlos for setting this up!!

Merry Christmas everyone!! :santa: :rendeer: :santa: :rendeer: :santa: :rendeer:

 

[Blackhorse]

Excellent S Bombs. I'm pretty sure that pipe shape is called the 'Danish Lollipop'.

 

[Mozjo33]

Excellent S Bombs. I'm pretty sure that pipe shape is called the 'Danish Lollipop'.

Thanks for the quick response BH.

I'm having a hard time finding anything on the web regarding the brand other than it is a sub-brand for Sub-brand of Søren Refbjerg Rasmussen.

It has a 9mm filter, a stamp of an Anchor on the stem, and "Danish Handmade" with a name I can't quite make out.

I look forward to trying this pipe out.

 

[Blackhorse]

I hope you know I was just wooing you regarding the shape name. But let check my stash later... I think I have a tin with that name on it. If so, I might know a little more.

 

[Blackhorse]

Are there any stampings on the pipe? It looks like an estate...might just be the photo though. And yet the sock is brand new. I'm thinking they might not be a match.

You might check on 'Pipedia' for the anchor stamp.

 

[Blackhorse]

Hmmm.

Moazjo...Is it possible that the name you can't make out very well is, "Svendborg"?

See if you can count the letters on the pipe, or make out any part of it.

 

[Carlos]

Ho Ho Ho! :santa: Ok ladies and gents, by my count, there is four BoB's yet to receive their package. Everyone else has received something. Of those four, one is scheduled for tomorrow delivery. Odd that. Another, arrangements have been made, and I could call that one delivered. Another tracks in an odd way, like it should have been delivered. Or is maybe sitting in a package receiving area, as yet undelivered because no one is there to accept it. :lol: (That's not our fault, of course.) The last one I have asked for tracking info, but I suspect it could have been delivered today, or maybe tomorrow. Just from the timing.

So get out and scrape the ice off the porch and have a look around. Ho Ho Ho!

Carlos :santa:

 

[Centurian 803]

Hi Guys. My package arrived yesterday but internet service at Casa Johnson has left a great deal to be desired. In fact I've lost service while trying to do this post.
Santa was very kind to me (sorta puts the whole naughty and nice thing in doubt). He obviously has been reading my mail because everything I got was straight off my favorites list. Well, one exception and that's because I never heard of it before.
Here's the list:
1 50g tin of my all time favorite S. G. Squadron Leader
1 2 oz tin of G. L. Pease Westminster
1 2 oz tin of C & D Haunted Bookshop (also a favorite as well as the book)
1 tin of Ten Russians. If you love a good cup of coffee and a pipe, this is the tobacco for you. It's like it was specially blended to go with a hot cup of joe.
1 heavy plastic baggie of Chief Catoonah Princess St. Mixture (2012 Chicago Winner) This is the new one to me.
And finaly an F & T Canadian pipe.

I couldn't be more pleased. I'm smoking the Princess St Mixture in the new pipe right now. Excellent!

Will try to post a pic here in a few.

 

[Centurian 803]

Ok, I think I got this. Once again Secret Santa You are Da Man!!!!

 

[Carlos]

Fine job Santa. Something I remember from my first Secret Santa. The Knox Board forum, 2003. I received a tin of Squadron Leader. Along with several other items. That tin hit me at the right time as I was improving my technique, and introduced me to the wondrous world of English style blends. :santa:

 

[Mozjo33]

I hope you know I was just wooing you regarding the shape name. But let check my stash later... I think I have a tin with that name on it. If so, I might know a little more.

Nicely done BH!! I fell for it!

It didn't occur to me that the bag and pipe don't match. The only other markings in the pipe are Danish Handmade and a first and last name. I can't make out the first name, but the last is either Ulsted or Tlsted. I will get a pic of the markings asap. Thanks for the help.

 

[Blackhorse]

Mozjo...the tweeting of 4 Calling Birds, 3 French Hens and 2 Turtle Doves in my Elvish ear has (picture Johnny Carson holding the envelope up to his ear with the Carnak turbin on his head) has whispered...

Tao & Ilstead

Also, a little reading in the Pipedia Danish section of makers provides snippets of information that provide support to that pretty solid suggestion.



(with thanks to another Secret Santa)

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Centurian, great haul. I take it you like Latakia. :lol: Ten Russians I take with me hiking in the woods, really balanced "Lat Bomb" if there ever was one.

Curious about that Chief Catoonah Princess St. Mixture! Thoughts?

8)