I was so excited! My first German smoker, or incense burner, was supposed to arrive today. I could not wait to check the mailbox. I had ordered a mini German mushroom house smoker a few days ago from an online website and I had just the perfect spot in my living room to put it. I eagerly ran down the lane to my solid black mailbox. Holding my breath, I slowly pulled open the door and, voilá, a small box lay inside. I grabbed it and walked quickly back to the house. Rubbing my hands together in anticipation, I pulled on the tab at the front and then opened the top of the small box. Safely cocooned inside the tissue paper was my small mushroom German smoker. I found the incense box at the very bottom. The incense burner was incredibly cute! It was a mini mushroom smoker that stood on a small, circular, and green round. At the bottom of the round, a round identification sticker was attached. It had the picture of an angel blowing a horn with the initials RG to the left. In small print, you can read "Made in Germany" right below the initials. It also has the region where the German smoker was made: Erzgebirge. Atop the round base is a large mushroom in natural colors. There was a small mushroom chimney off the center where the incense burns through. In the middle of the mushroom, a ladybug sits on the roof above the door. The door is open and welcoming and on either side of it, two miniature mushrooms are growing.

As for actually burning the incense, you first have to take off the large mushroom. It comes apart from the round, green base. Inside, you will find a small circular half-inch wooden disk. On top of it, lies an even smaller flat metal disk. This is where you put the incense. If you open the incense box, you will find a few small, black incenses that are in the shape of a cone. Take one of these and place it, flat side down, on top of the metal disk. Light the top of the incense cone with a match and then replace the top of the German smoker. The incense will burn through the top of the larger mushroom, through the small chimney, providing your room with the tone and atmosphere of a warm and inviting home.

I slowly and carefully carried the smoker to my living room side table and placed it atop my white laced runner. It looked adorable sitting there above the table, pouring its wonderful smelling aroma from the top. As I sat there watching it burn, I realized that this was going to become a hobby, a very addictive hobby. I was already planning on when I was going to order the next one.

I began looking on the internet. There were so many varieties; I did not know where to begin. There were peddler smokers, businessmen smokers, chimney sweepers, shepherds with sheep, rabbits, and many more. I finally decided on a larger lumberjack. I ordered him the week after my German mushroom smoker and within a week of that, the new lumberjack arrived. He was even more extraordinary in person than online. He is about twice the size of the mushroom German smoker. The lumberjack has graying hair and a moustache. He wears a small cap on top of his head. He is holding a pipe in his right hand and a jagged saw in his left. Below him lie a short pine tree and a tree stump with an ax stuck in it. He wears a buttoned down shirt with a red polka-dotted bow tie. He also carries a water canteen on his right side. This smoker burns incense differently from the other. You have to remove his head/neck and then insert the incense cone upside down in the circular metal holder. Then light the cone with a match and replace the head on the body. The incense will burn through his open mouth. After I lit the incense cone, I placed the German smoker on my other side table.

The two incense burners provided such a wonderful aroma that permeated throughout the house. I chose jasmine incense and thus, the house seemed like it was filled with many flowers. Of course, there are many other aromas to choose from: autumn leaves, Caribbean Island, coconut, coffee, and orange are all among the many varieties of incense. After purchasing two, I can now understand why people say that they are addicted to buying the smokers. There are so many to choose from that you could buy fifty and still not have any duplicates. It is the perfect hobby! All you need to do now is start buying your own smoker and then you can be the one anxiously awaiting the arrival of a special package.