HICKSTER BRIDGING THE URBAN-RURAL DIVIDE
WINTER 2021 VOL. 1 ISSUE 1
GIFT GUIDE | FESTIVE DRINKS | CHRISTMAS TREE CARE
HICKSTER’S OFFICIAL HOLIDAY PLAYLIST
SCAN OR CLICK TO PLAY!
To get us all in the hickster holiday spirit, we’ve cultivated our own 2021 holiday playlist filled with staff favourites and Canadian classics. Play on!
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HICKSTER Winter 2021
WINTER 2021 VOL. 1 ISSUE 1
CONTENTS 2
OFFICIAL HICKSTER HOLIDAY PLAYLIST A seasonal soundtrack of staff favourites & Canadian classics
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WHEREFORE ART THOU HICKSTER Meet our new project
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12 DAYS OF HICKSTER A very specific holiday gift guide
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MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT
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Moonshine cocktails perfect for entertaining
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O REAL CHRISTMAS TREE Tips for keeping your real tree fresh for the holidays
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Hick er
CELEBRATE TOGETHER, WHEREVER
HICKSTER BRIDGING THE URBAN-RURAL DIVIDE
WINTER 2021 VOL. 1 ISSUE 1 PUBLISHER Rob Tanner rob@tanneryoung.com
EDITOR Tamara Aschenbrenner tamara@tanneryoung.com ART DIRECTOR Shannon Swanson shannon@tanneryoung.com SALES MANAGER Kristine Wickheim kristine@tanneryoung.com
holiday guide you didn’t know you needed. While most presume to find the hipster in stereotypical urban settings, the rise of the rural hipster—aka hickster—bridges the divide between city and country life. This person may work in one area and live in
ADMINISTRATION & CIRCULATION Marie Tanner marie@tanneryoung.com
CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS Tamara Aschenbrenner, Terri Mason, Jeanette Petriko, Shannon Swanson, Rob Tanner, Kristine Wickheim, Margarita Wilson With special thanks to our honorary hickster, Kilian Schalk
Tanner Young Publishing Group Box 13, 22106 South Cooking Lake Road Cooking Lake, AB T8E 1J1 Tel: 780-465-3362 Toll Free: 1-800-943-7336
FOLLOW US FOR MORE HICKSTER
@HicksterMagazine
@HicksterMag EMAIL frontdesk@tanneryoung.com
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WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! What started as a quick, amusing standalone project has the potential to grow into something bigger! Never before have our two teams been able to come together as we have for Hickster, and we would love your feedback so we can continue. Do you want more from Hickster? What is it about the hickster life/identity that speaks to YOU? Share with us!
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he holidays mean family and togetherness for many, and it certainly means it for us too. For the first time, sister publications Canadian Cowboy Country and Info Edmonton have teamed up to bring you the crossover
the other, have important ancestral ties, or just love a multi-faceted aesthetic. They may frequent craft breweries, artisanal doughnut and coffee shops, and hip barber shops, or are searching for a home life more attuned with nature. You might have a hickster in your life and not even know it—or maybe a loved one’s image has already jumped immediately to mind. This special issue includes incredible gift ideas from shops across Western Canada, tips for keeping your real Christmas tree pristine indoors, and craft cocktail recipes for holiday entertaining. For us, the hickster represents a bit of both our worlds and was a fun project to work on together to bring light and levity to this otherwise difficult year. Happy holidays from all of us, and we look forward to seeing you in the new year!
DAYS OF
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We’ve made our list and have checked it twice. Read on for our top 12 gift picks for the special hickster in your life.
EUCALYPTUS STEAM JAR SET Red Ribbon The shower steamer “bombs” combine cleansing eucalyptus with concentrated cooling peppermint for an awakening and refreshing shower or facial steam. This gift set includes 9–10 pieces handmade by No Tox Life. redribbon.ca
TAIGA BEARD OIL Barber Ha Locally made in Edmonton, this 2-oz beard oil comes in either Forest variety (with notes of rosemary, sandalwood, cedar, and patchouli) or Vacation variety (with notes of lime, grapefruit, and black pepper). barberha.com
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SALMON JERKY-OFTHE-MONTH CLUB Hardy Buoys All their candied smoked salmon jerky is glutenfree, high in protein, and all-naturally made on Vancouver Island. The subscription packs include garlic pepper, original, maple, and a surprise flavour—delivered right to your door. shop.hardybuoys.com
HANDSOME ALBERTAN LIGHT ROAST High Horse Coffee Co. This light roast has hints of floral and berries, using beans from Ethiopian and South American smallholder farms. It’s just one of many small-batch blends from the Edmonton-based roaster. highhorse.ca
BRO BRICK SCENTED SOAP Bro Brick These natural, environmentally friendly soaps come in a variety of scents, including Mountain Man, Rum & Coke, Old Fashioned, and Campground Spruce. thebrobrick.com
JUGGERNAUT HUB DUO E-BIKE Biktrix Juggernaut eBikes work well on city streets, hills, and off-road terrain, featuring hydraulic disc brakes, powerful hub-drive motor, optional battery range-extender, and more. biktrix.ca THE ORIGINAL MEATER MEATER & Apption Labs This wireless meat thermometer connects via Bluetooth with the MEATER app to help you cook any meat perfectly every time. Made with stainless steel and heat-resistant ceramic and includes a bamboo charging dock. store-ca.meater.com 6
HICKSTER Winter 2021
CHRISTMAS GIN Eau Claire Distillery This special seasonal gin from Alberta’s first craft distiller includes 24k edible gold and is flavoured with frankincense and myrrh.
PEARWOOD MULTIHAIR COMB Rocky Mountain Barber Company The classic anti-static pearwood comb features a single-teeth width that’s good for both beard and hair styling. rockymountainbarber.ca
eauclairedistillery.ca
LUCKY LAGER BEER SOAP Vancouver Island Soapworks The company’s most famous soap combines Lucky Lager Beer with an olive oil soap base and essential oil blend. vancouverisland soapworks.com
DOVO STRAIGHT RAZOR WITH IMITATION TORTOISESHELL HANDLE Kent of Inglewood This synthetic throwback to a popular Victorian-era trend features a shaveready 5/8” Swedish Carbon Steel blade. kentofinglewood.com
4-PACK FROM BLINDMAN BREWING The central Alberta brewery uses local ingredients to craft session ales, IPAs, pilsners, sours, and more. Available in many Alberta liquor stores and via limited delivery. blindmanbrewing. square.site 7
The Christmas Cranberry also makes great martinis or mixes well with soda water.
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MOONSHINE COSMO ▸4 oz Christmas Cranberry Moonshine ▸ ½ oz Cointreau ▸ ½ oz Fresh lime juice Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and double strain into a large cocktail glass. Garnish with lime wheel and cranberries from the moonshine jar. 8
HICKSTER Winter 2021
MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT An easy way to impress your guests or just treat yourself this holiday season is with small-craft beverages and holidayinspired cocktails. We asked Booze Brothers Moonshine Co., a craft distillery based in Red Deer, Alberta, for suggestions inspired by their holiday lineup. Cheers, friends!
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Apple Pie and Christmas Cranberry Moonshine from Booze Brothers. boozebroshine.com
If you’re not into eggnog, the Spiced Shine is quite festive even on its own or as a hot toddy! SPICED APPLE CIDER ▸4 oz Apple Pie Moonshine ▸ 4 oz Apple juice ▸ 1 oz Cinnamon simple syrup ▸ 1 oz Fresh lemon juice Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and double strain into a large cocktail glass.
SPICED EGGNOG ▸ 1 oz Spiced Moonshine ▸ 8 oz Eggnog Just add moonshine to eggnog and it’s a party! 9
You’ve hauled it home—now what?
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HICKSTER Winter 2021
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Supporting your local tree farms supports your local economy, so look for ones in your area! And many local clubs offer post-holiday tree recycling services to keep the process accessible.
O REAL CHRISTMAS TREE Putting up a real tree this year? Keep those branches verdant with these helpful tips! ERE & WHEN TIPS WH
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nce you get your tree home, saw an extra half-inch to an inch off the bottom of the trunk. When trees are cut, the pitch oozes out and seals the pores. By sawing off the base, you will open up the pores and the tree will be able to absorb water. Place the tree in a stable tree stand away from heating vents and fireplaces. If you’re using lights to decorate, make sure they give off as little heat as possible. When you fill up the tree stand with water, make sure that the cut is submerged—look for a stand that can hold about four litres of water. A funnel-type watering can makes watering your tree very easy. Check water levels daily and top up as needed. Trees are very thirsty and will use up to a gallon of water a day! A fresh tree, like a sponge, contains
Top left: By sawing off the base, the tree will be able to absorb more water. Bottom left: Check water levels daily and top up as needed. Trees are very thirsty!
more weight in water than the tree itself weighs when dry, so you shouldn’t let the tree dry out. If you have a live tree, make sure the soil remains damp but not soaking wet. Check your water level both morning and night for that first week especially.
Cut down your own Christmas tree or buy a freshly cut one from your local tree farm. Avoid any trees that were cut weeks prior or any place where you see lots of needles on the ground. Live trees can stay inside for about ten days only, while cut trees can stay green for two to three weeks with proper care. Setting up your tree too early could mean a dry, brittle plant come Christmas morning. 11
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HICKSTER Winter 2021