Master the art of cigar gift hinting

Let’s face it, guys are not known for being subtle. Most times, if you want something, you’re apt to just come out and say “I want this.” So why do so many men wind up with ugly ties for Father’s Day instead of the cigar gift they really want?

We asked a number of female gift-givers around the office here at Thompson cigar what gives. They filled us in on what really happens and suggested ways you can get what you want this Father’s Day.

There were three common scenarios our ladies reported. Either they:

1. Don’t buy him a gift at all
2. Ask what he wants, but are left choosing something on their own, or
3. Buy something without even asking what he wants

Only the first one will result in you getting exactly the cigar gift you want every time. That’s because it will be up to you to buy your own gift.

As Carolyn said, “After all these years, we don’t buy each other gifts. If he wants something, he goes out and buys it.” For those of you in this happy circumstance, we suggest adding a “thanks Carolyn” as you light up, kick back and prepare to enjoy.

If you’re not in that kind of a long-term relationship, chances are you risking another oh-so-wrong cologne gift set. And if our second circumstance fits you, you have no one to blame but yourself.

Lyndsay summed up her frustration well when she said, “I’ll ask what he wants but all he’ll say is ‘nothing’ or ‘whatever.” The unfortunate result of this lack of guidance is that early in their relationship she wound up buying her boyfriend “generic” gifts. Later, when she knew him well, she would get him something he needed.

Ugh. Do you really need more dress socks? Or worse, ones with cute little designs or hearts on them?

The only thing that could be worse is our third scenario which involves no exchange of information at all. While several of Thompson ladies agreed that they know their man well enough to have a good idea of what he’d like, they could still be off the mark.

“If he says something like ‘my drill is in really bad shape,’ I’ll make a mental note of that,” Marilyn explained. “Then I’ll buy him a new one at Christmas or for Father’s Day even if that’s months away.” The other reason Marilyn said she never asks is because she wants her gift to be a surprise. Others on our team expressed the same desire.

But you aren’t helpless even in this situation. Here are a few subtle – and not so subtle – ways you can influence your gift giver.

Be direct

Recover from that awkward “whatever” moment by sharing the link to your Thompson Cigar “Wish List” page. Simply tell her that on thinking it over, you’d love any one of these.

Step one: Navigate to the product page and click the “Add to Wish List” button. You’ll be prompted to log in to your account if you haven’t already.

Step two: Click the “Share Wish List” button and enter her email.

Give her choices

If you happen to have a catalog in the house, circling a favorite and leaving the book opened to that page might be all the hint that’s needed.

If you’re an online buyer your task may be a little more difficult. Leaving your shared laptop open to the Cigar Gifts section page on the Thompson website might not be enough. Here’s a case where too many choices may lead to none at all. Navigating to the “Staff Favorites” category instead might help her feel more confident that she’s buying a proven winner. Of course, navigating directly to that humidor and cigar combo gift couldn’t hurt either.

Plant the seeds of an idea

You can be sneaky with this one or very sneaky, it’s your call. Step one is the pull up a product you would like on the Thompson website and in a casual tone ask her if she thinks so-and-so would like it for Father’s Day. Tell her you enjoyed its rich, smooth taste but you aren’t sure if he would. Make sure she gets a good long look at the screen and plenty of time to make that all-important mental note of the cigar’s name. To drive the point home further, you could also say something like “I know I’d like a full box, but do you think a 5-pack would be more practical?”

No matter which approach you use, the bottom line is clear. If you don’t tell her that you want a high-quality cigar gift, you run the risk of not getting one. We hate the idea of any cigar lover being disappointed on such a special day, so we’re only a phone call away as well.

Have these hints worked for you in the past? Or do you have a suggestion or two to add?