Because of the luxury and mystique that comes with cigars, cigars have been given as gifts since the late 1800s. Back then, a rich person could give them as a gift to his driver or as a tip to the doorman. The phrase “Close But No Cigar” actually comes from a time when cigars were given away as prizes at carnivals. If a man won a game, carnival barkers would say “give the man a big cigar”.