Let’s face it: shopping for Christmas gifts can be an absolute minefield. But with our Christmas cigars gift guide, you have the best chance to get it right for the aficionado.

We’ve picked out five of the best cigars for Christmas gift shoppers (although they’d also make perfect festive treats for yourself) and some of the reasons why we think it makes such good sense to give cigars for Christmas.

So, what makes Christmas cigars such a good idea? The list is almost as long as Santa’s, but here are just a few of the top reasons to give cigars for Christmas.

Celebration and relaxation

Smoking a cigar is often associated with celebratory moments. You may be waiting for your guests to arrive—maybe they’ve already left—or perhaps you’re celebrating a special occasion by lighting up together.

Whatever the reason, cigars give us a chance to slow down and enjoy the moment. Reach for your favorite whiskey and one of our shortlisted Christmas cigars, and you know nothing else will matter for the next hour or so.

In the end, that’s what the holidays are all about. Christmas only comes around once a year, so take a deep breath and savor it while it lasts.

Quality and value

Our shortlist includes some of the best cigars for Christmas gift recipients. We know you have many different options when you’re buying for your partner, friend, or family member. However, top-shelf handmade cigars are hard to beat in terms of quality and value.

Hand-rolled cigars have that human touch many of us associate with the holidays. Up to 500 hands have touched the tobacco in each stick, which is a whole Santa’s workshop of experts and artisans coming together to create a masterpiece.

That’s why it’s worth choosing a premium cigar rather than a mass-produced, machine-made stogie. You’re providing your giftee with an experience and enabling them to make memories that last a lifetime.

Convenient and consumable

Lastly, giving cigars for Christmas is the perfect option for that friend or relative who seems to have everything. Cigar boxes are easy to gift-wrap, the sticks only need a little space in a humidor, and they leave no clutter behind once smoked.

If you’re buying for a beginner, choose one of our Christmas cigars in a cedar box. The wood helps to develop the flavors in the tobacco, and smoking a cedar-stored cigar for the first time can be an eye-opening experience.

If you want to give an even more generous gift, get the aficionado in your life their own cigar humidor so they can store their smokes at the perfect temperature and humidity.

Each of our five favorite Christmas cigars has a blend of aromas and flavors that perfectly complements the time of year. If you’re searching for the ideal cigars for Christmas festivities, look no further.

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Cameroon

Binder: Dominican Republic

Filler: Dominican Republic

Length: 4

Ring: 49

Strength: Mellow-Medium

Smoke Time: 30-40 minutes

The American writer Ernest Hemingway was famed for his short stories, some of which were just six words long. Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story will last you a little longer, but at 4×49 and available in a cedar chest of 25, it’s a bijou beauty for when you want a quick treat. Despite its size, it delivers velvety smoke and peppery warmth that will be more than welcome on a midwinter day.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Length: 6.14

Ring: 52

Strength: Medium-Full

Smoke Time: 60-70 minutes

Nothing says indulgence like a Nicaraguan puro, and Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua No.2 is the first of four from the Central American country to make our list of the best cigars for Christmas gifts.

We’ve gone for the 6.14×52 vitola, which should give an average smoker an hour or more of wood, earth, coffee, and spice; a delightfully warming flavor profile for the chilly weather of the holiday season. With hand-selected fillers and hand-rolled cigars, you can be sure you’re getting a truly artisan product in this one.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Length: 6

Ring: 52

Strength: Medium

Smoke Time: 60-70 minutes

An earthy flavor profile with oak and espresso notes gives Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Maestro the kind of depth you’d expect from AJ Fernandez. This puro is handmade in Esteli and has unbeatable construction quality. At 10 to a box, it’s a great-value smoke if you just want to top up your humidor with something new for the holidays.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Length: 6

Ring: 54

Strength: Medium

Smoke Time: 60-70 minutes

We’ve chosen the 6 x 54 Romeo y Julieta Reserve Real Nicaragua Toro as a shining example of AJ Fernandez and Rafael Nodal’s masterful collaboration. Expect festive flavors including cedar, cinnamon, and spice, with a fuller body than the Dominican Republic version.

Choose a pack of 10 as a little treat, or go for a box of 25, and you’ll have one a day from December 1st until Christmas.

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Length: 5.5

Ring: 50

Strength: Medium

Smoke Time: 55-60 minutes

The last in our quartet of Nicaraguan puros is the Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Maduro Exclusivo, a dark and delicious Maduro-wrapped premium cigar that makes an ideal festive treat. Flavors of cocoa and coffee with a sprinkling of spice will have you thinking of that first hot drink on Christmas morning.

Box-pressed in cedar, these are real showstopper cigars that should see you into the new year with a smile.