Happy Holiday(s Pens)
Cause I’m a sucker for painted snow n stuff
First things first, if y’all thought I’d ever rest for holidays, think again. I decided to get sick apparently1 and there is nothing better to do than bother everyone with my opinions on pens. Also, I honestly really love holidays. My favorite holiday used to be Christmas Eve (not celebrated on 12/24, mind you) before I moved to the States, but nowadays I live for driving around the city and watching the lights.
Good times.
Other good times include getting oneself a bunch of Christmas themed pens, of course. Or pens that look like winter, at least. Why? Cause they’re super fun, and after almost four years in Florida, even 50F seems too cold, so I got my snow pens out to keep me company in these icy times.
Here are some of my favorites!
PENBBS 308 in Snow
This has to be one of my most coveted pens. A few years back, I was on a huge PENBBS kick, and when I say huge, I mean I had every single model up until 500, when I abruptly stopped getting them. I’ll make a little post about their filling systems at one point, naturally. I have several that I will never, ever part with, and one of them is the 308 in Snow. Why?
It has SNOWFLAKES on the nib. Come on. Look at them.
The pen is super cute, and if the nib were a bit different or easier to disassemble from the unit, I’d call this one of the best starter pens out there (after the Metropolitan, of course). This cartridge converter pen is a joy to use, easy to fill, and what I like to do is to pair it with a holiday themed ink. Maybe an Inkvent one? Maybe just something sparkly (not yellow, do grey).
Bonus points: PENBBS 469 in Snow
Not really a runner up but a good alternative if you don’t want a regular C/C pen. The double reservoir and two different sized nibs are the two selling points on this one. Just be mindful, the caps don’t seal as well as I’d hope, and there will be some evaporation of inks, but this has to be one of the most fun pens in my collection. And I am glad I got it in this finish, because, come on, SNOWFLAKES ON THE NIB?!
Moonman C1: Christmas edition
The C1 comes with exactly one type of grip section: the one you can’t pick. That’s the worst downside. Whatever you get, you’re stuck with it. Otherwise, it’s a solid pen, with a very good #6 nib that you might want to switch out (potentially with a Nahvalur nib? No idea, I haven’t tried), but what’s awesome about this pen is that you don’t need to use a converter; you can apply some silicone grease to the threads and turn it into an eye dropper. It’s gonna hold hella ink. Do you need that much ink in a Christmas pen? Probably not. Winter is coming and going away quicker than my interest in Season 8 of Game of Thrones (spoiler alert, was crap, will never rewatch).
BENU Euphoria White Christmas
This was a numbered and limited edition exclusive to the BENU store. Backstory: I used to dislike BENU pens just because of how excessive and almost gaudy they looked. At one point, though, I got hooked; I now have four of them, and one of my most cherished ones is this one.
Not only because I scored the 1/50 (I’m so special), but also because the cozy little cottage really fills my cold dead heart with warmth and holiday spirit. The pen is hand painted — kudos to the artist — and evokes all of them nice feelings you get if you’re surrounded by family you love, be it blood or chosen family, and it’s big enough in the hand to not let you forget it. Literally, if you’re feeling blue (lol), pick up this pen and you’ll feel better.
Drewnem Pisane Orion — Zlatibor
Aight story time.
Once upon a time, I met my wife at this mountain. We got engaged on this mountain (no, not on the same day, come on). This mountain is special to me. So I casually (lol) mentioned this to Drewnem Pisane team while we were talking about a special Magic Garden finish — they do a LOT of them, you should check them out on Instagram if you don’t follow them already — and they added a small albeit super important detail to the pen that ended in my hands: a little brown patch of flowers that emulate the cottage2 my wife and I met in. There is no other pen like this. Sure, they made several other ones from the same type of resin and flower combo, but none of them share the detail and the name with mine. Hence it being unique. It writes pretty darn well, and you bet I paired it with Diamine Snow Storm.
Sailor Pro Gear Slim First Snow
Okay, technically, this shouldn’t count as I don’t have it, but I’ve preordered it and paid for it, so it’s basically mine, right?
Yes… I did do it for the nib. I couldn’t pass on it. And the snowflakes. For someone who hates the cold as much as I do (I am part lizard, after all), I do enjoy me some winter themed stuff.
I assume it writes as well as any other MF 14k Sailor nib, feedbacky and dry before being broken in, and after that, so satisfying. Pretend I have actually used it, okay?
Stock photo because I don’t have it, of course:
Lookit nib omg
This week’s post wasn’t going to be super long as no one has time to read stuff when they’re wondering about their life choices after a decadent feast and broken promises to themselves. Heck, I might even partake in the “No buy 2024” and break that promise on Jan. 1st, if I don’t get too busy opening presents and wondering why the heck I got no fountain pens from my family (maybe because I really need other things, apparently. Bo-riiiiing).
Anyway, happy holidays everyone, and thank you for coming on this journey with me this year. I didn’t think anyone would ever read this blog, but I sure am happy y’all are here with me.
Until next time, stay warm if you’re somewhere up north, and make sure no raindeer eat your pens. Us southern people will just protect them from our cats, I hope.
Of course it wasn’t on purpose. “On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me — a fever and coughing up a lung” kind of deal.
Yes, my life is a Hallmark movie, I met the love of my life in a cottage. It wasn’t winter though; it was summer but to be honest, even summers tend to be cool at night if you’re in the mountains. So the pen tracks.
Hope you're feeling better soon!