Why do russian people often gather around the samovar on holidays or when guests come to their places?

Russians always gather around the samovar since the ancient times. It's quite an old, good and a useful habit. The samovar itself is actually a big water container, and it boils water, when you set the fire in a special place at its bottom, where you put the dry tree branches. At the top of the samovar there's a long enough pipe, which takes the steam out of the room or house. As a result there's always warm enough in the room, where the samovar stands. People always gather around it, to drink tea and warm up. The samovars are mostly made from copper, brass, bronze, and sometimes even from silver and gold. Many of them were crafted centuries ago by the outstanding Russian specialists, and thus are covered with medals and signatures. A well-known centre of the samovar crafting in Russia is located in Tula.