Ah yes, it’s that time of year again when the commercials are flowing like eggnog and the credit cards are cowering in fear. You have decided to get a special someone a hookah-themed gift because they expressed an interest in hookah or you are somehow convinced that they would enjoy it.
Well, hookah shopper, I think I have what you need. There’s gifts for the hookah lover of any price range from “I don’t have any money” to “I don’t have a lot of money” to “I’m not really worried about money”.
“I Don’t Have any Money” ($0)
No money at all, eh? A person in your position is rarely one who is shopping for gifts, but I’ll do my best to assist you anyway.
Your options here are to acquire something for free or to make something. If you have artistic ability I highly recommend attempting to make your hookah-smoking friend a present. It wouldn’t take too much effort to engrave or paint an ashtray. So you don’t consider yourself an artist? Try to find decorations with which you can make your friend’s hookah more colorful. A brave gift-giver might even use old Legos to build a stand for a hookah.
Honestly, if your budget is zero you will be incredibly limited on what you are capable of producing, but that’s not to say that someone couldn’t appreciate your gift on the virtue that you got it for them.
“I Don’t Have a Lot of Money” ($5-$25)
I can empathize very strongly with this position because it is a product of my natural habitat; times are tough and stuff is expensive. If you want to get a hookah gift you should probably begin with the supplies that are necessary to smoke. There are tons of worthwhile kinds of hookah tobacco findable for less than ten dollars. It’s really all about where you look and the quality you get. I would recommend going to a head shop for this purchase because recommendations are always helpful.
The people at the store have sampled more tobacco than you and they have seen what other customers buy; they know what they are talking about. Similarly, feel free to talk to them about coals and ashtrays. Another cheap gift that offers a lot of customizability is the butane lighter. Lighters in general are necessary for smoking hookah, but once you begin lighting your coals with a torch you will never go back. I got a torch lighter and a liter of fuel for less than twelve dollars online and I would highly recommend them as gifts for any hookah lover.
“I’m not Really Worried About Money” ($30-$300)
First off, let me apologize for interrupting your gold-flaked ice cream Sunday to speak to you about something as proletariat as hookah. Secondly, I realize that this is a pretty broad price range, but only because the cheapest worthwhile hookahs begin around thirty dollars. There are very few hookah gifts that are outside of the budget here. Hoses, pipes, coals, flavors, and fancy lighters are all very buyable for 30$. As you budget increases I would recommend going with higher quality pipes and if you are really willing to splurge for the sake of this gift you should look into artistic or otherwise custom pipes.
In the end gift giving is about acknowledging to other people how much you care about them. Whatever gift you can give that can deliver that message for a reasonable cost is the one you should give.