Receiving cigars as gifts

havanaal

I manage a medium sized office (20-22 staff, mostly female) Every birthday or Christmas time, they are thoughtful enough to take up a collection and buy me what they know I’ll like--cigars. But they never seem to get it right. For example, this year the designated buyer was a secretary who claimed to know cigars, because she buys them for her boyfriend, who’s a real cigar connisseur. (His favorite? Garcia y Vega!). So I ended up with a box of low end cigars that I mostly smoked on the golf course. How does one handle this situation? or should I just shut up and be grateful for whatever I can get? After all, beggars can’t be choosers.

Rob1110

Hire someone who actually knows cigars for next year. Or leave a box of really nice cigars on your desk for all to see. Maybe someone will notice and take the hint.

bigharpoon

Drop a subtle hint, females are all tuned in on that kinda stuff. Then be grateful for whatever you get.

betasynn

gmill880

Buy a cigar jar humi to keep on your desk and only put in it what you would like to have. This should be sufficient provided they are smart enough to hold down a job and get there every day on their own ...

rwheelwright

I agree with every suggestion here!

phobicsquirrel

Or you could mail it back with a note....

Matt Marvel

A real connoisseur who's favorite stick is a Garcia y Vega? Your first order of business is to set this guy down and have a chat. One thing you could do is mention smoking a (insert favorite smoke here) and say how good it was, the next time your smoking cigars comes up or something. Also, putting a cigar jar on your desk filled with some good sticks would be a good idea.

Fourtotheflush

kuzi16

ask for nothing or ask for a non cigar related gift.

phobicsquirrel

kuzi16

wear a camacho shirt every day.

jihiggs

get a few of your fav cigar bands, put them on your pen cup or somthing. say your kid/niece made it for you using bands from your fav cigars and show it off to a few of the women.

samijx

Ask for a cigar.com gift card next year.

gmill880

That is a good idea ...especially with their prices and deals

phobicsquirrel

Or you could show up to work smoking a favorite and sit down in your desk...

undulac

Regift them as their Christmas Bonus. Maybe they'll get the point.

zoom6zoom

Just leave a few CCOM catalogs sitting on your desk and in the break room. Anything they order will be better than G&V's! You could also leave certain items circled and such. I think the gift cards work best!

havanaal

Many great ideas here. So, Garcia y Vega boy came by to pick up his girlfriend yesterday, and I said “I hear Kim likes to buy you Garcia y Vegas. Do you ever smoke a real cigar?” He says, “Like what? I had a Macanudo once. I didn’t like it.” I said “I’ll bring you one of my Gurkhas to try, you may never go back to those cheap ones.” So what does he say? “Hey, my cigars aren’t cheap man. I’m spending over $1 a piece!!!!!” Beyond hope. I give up. And now I have to waste a Gurkha on him to boot.

zoom6zoom

Even a 5V Classic or Gold would probably rock his world. Tell him, "I was gonna bring you a Ghurka but since you've been smoking those things I'd better start you off slow". His pride won't let him not try it.

betasynn

Or pull a Black Band Project on his ass.

nsezell

Garen B

Smoky the Bear

Al, I agree with Zoom. I'm all for converting the uneducated, hell I'm one of them most of the time, but don't waste a primo stick on this guy. He sounds like one of those guys who gets their cologne in bar bathrooms and buys his girlfriend plastic jewelry (no offense meant if anyone in the forum does that). I'm not saying, I'm just saying.

DanWyskochil

The easiest solution is to invite kaspera79 over for a BBQ on your birthday. He shows up with around 15 or so sticks for you and has a beer with you on the patio. Awesome.

havanaal

I had to update this thread. The best suggestion was dropping C.com catalogues around the office. People would look at them and it would start a discussion, like "My husband would love some of these, what do you recommend?" or "I never realized there were so many different brands of cigars. What's the difference?" Anyway it worked. For my birthday this year I got a pair of Opus X's and a pair of Padron 1926 Anniversaries. (compared to last year, when I got a box of low end crap) I knew going to this forum would pay off!

Hays

havanaal:

Anyway it worked. For my birthday this year I got a pair of Opus X's and a pair of Padron 1926 Anniversaries.

Hell freakin yeah man!

ejenne87

Hays:

havanaal:

Anyway it worked. For my birthday this year I got a pair of Opus X's and a pair of Padron 1926 Anniversaries.

Hell freakin yeah man!

It doesn't get much better than that! Nice score bro!

clearlysuspect

This has been one of the best threads I've read here lately.

JZ

Are they hot? If so, I would take the low end cigars with a smile!

havanaal

Come on JZ, one always takes a cigar gift with a smile, even if the giver is overweight, 72 years old, and toothless! Right?