The reindeer droppings in the driveway gave me a pretty good idea that something was afoot, but when I saw the box my wife had hefted into the house while I was at work, I knew Santa had arrived.
I'd have been pleased as punch to open a box to find a small tin of tobacco and a nice Christmas Card, so to come home to this was a real delight!
The pipe was crafted by our very own
Ozark Wizard (which shouldn't necessarily imply that he was the sender :silent: ). It is very comfortable in the hand and is VERY nice to look at. It is unsmoked, but that will change within minutes of my typing this post.
Also included are a number of blends which I believe to be all (or mostly all) home-brew concoctions from the good Wizard (which, again, shouldn't imply...), and plenty of other goodies.
Tobacco
50g Pebble Castle
50g Grandpa's Sweater (which smells a lot more appealing than any sweater I've met)
50g BBQ Blend
51g ATGE
57g Calliope's Choice
Perique Leaf (no weight listed, but it's more than a little)
Goodies
A nice pair of chopsticks (which were likely hand-made by Santa)
2 boxes of loose leaf tea
2 tins of Kippers
2 jars of Champagne Mustard (because Kippers always taste better with mustard)
Pipe Cleaners
A bag of chestnuts
A bag of assorted candy (not pictured)
A nice Christmas Card and handling instructions for the new pipe were also included, and the contents of the box were wrapped up in three nice little pelts. One of those pelts is what I've laid the rest of the gifts out on in the first picture; I'm not much of a woodsman, so I don't really know for sure, but I were pressed to guess I'd venture that they're rabbit.
Seriously, guys...I've been around this board for five years or so, and the generosity of spirit here never fails to amaze me.
To Ozark Wizard: whether or not you were actively in cahoots with Santa, you did make the pipe and blend the tobaccos that he brought me. Just from looking at and holding the pipe and playing around with the tobacco a little, you've done some really amazing things. If either of us ever finds ourselves in the other's neck of the woods, it'd be one heck of an honor to meet you!