Every December, we get a version of the same customer. Someone’s wife, daughter, or buddy walks in, says “he smokes cigars, I have no idea what I’m doing,” and hopes for the best.

That’s a normal way to feel. Buying cigars for somebody else is genuinely hard, because taste is personal and the wall is full of options.

Here’s the cheat sheet.

Under $50

A sampler. This is the single best cigar gift and it’s not close. A sampler is four or five different cigars in one box, so you’re not betting the whole gift on one guess. He gets to try things he might not have picked himself, which is the actual fun of it. Any budget, any experience level.

A good cutter or a torch lighter. Here’s the thing people don’t realize: most smokers are using a beat-up cutter and a lighter they got free somewhere. A nice one is a gift they use every single time and think of you.

Humidity packs. Not romantic, but a smoker will be glad to have them, especially heading into winter when humidors dry out.

A gift card. People think this is the lazy option. It isn’t. He gets exactly what he wants, and honestly a lot of smokers prefer it. No shame in it.

$50 to $150

A sampler plus an accessory. A nice sampler and a cutter or lighter together makes a gift that feels like a gift instead of a single item.

A travel humidor. A hard case that holds a few cigars and keeps them right. Great for the guy who golfs, hunts, or spends weekends outside.

A desktop humidor to start him off. If he’s new and keeping cigars in a bag, a starter humidor is a real upgrade.

An ashtray. Underrated. A solid cigar ashtray with a deep rest is something most smokers never buy for themselves.

$150 and up

A quality humidor. Spanish cedar lined, properly sealed, holds a real collection. This is the gift for somebody who’s serious and has outgrown what they’ve got.

Premium boxed cigars. If you know what he smokes, a full box of his brand is a knockout. If you don’t know, don’t guess at this price. Come ask us.

A full gift set. Humidor, lighter, cutter and cigars together. Nothing else to buy.

Three things to avoid

Don’t buy strictly by price. Expensive doesn’t mean he’ll like it. A $40 cigar in a profile he doesn’t enjoy is a worse gift than a $12 one he loves.

Don’t buy cigars that have been sitting dry. Gas station and big-box cigars are usually stored badly. A dried-out cigar is a bad gift no matter what it cost.

Don’t stress about the brand. Nobody opens a sampler and feels let down that it wasn’t a specific name. The thought lands.

The easiest move: just come ask

Walk into any Cigar Box and tell us three things: roughly your budget, whether he’s new or serious, and anything you’ve heard him say he likes. That’s enough. We’ll put something together and we’ll wrap the idea up for you.

This is the part we’re actually good at, and it takes about five minutes.

Six locations

Coal Creek, Shamokin, Laurel Mall, Tilghman, Orwigsburg and Hometown. Come in before the December rush and you’ll get more of our time.