Heavy/Hallmark Tyler Hynes in one of his many Hallmark holiday movies, "On the 12th Date of Christmas"
As if Hallmark Christmas movies weren’t exciting enough, actor Tyler Hynes has just given his fans — affectionately called Hynies — another reason to look forward to the holidays.
On July 8, 2023, Hynes announced via social media that he is bringing back his beloved Boot Shot Tradition for the holiday season. And this time, he’s got a plan to keep from running out by letting fans pre-order their glass boots, which will arrive in new packaging before Christmas. Here’s what you need to know:
How Did Tyler Hynes’ Boot Shot Tradition Start?
In recent years, Hynies have delighted in sharing one of the actor’s favorite new holiday traditions, which he calls the Boot Shot. He originally started the idea with family and friends after filming the 2019 Hallmark movie “Winter in Vail” with Lacey Chabert, and it’s grown from there.
“After we wrapped, we ended up at a German restaurant,” he told HOLR Magazine in 2020. “While we were eating, they brought us these little glass boots. They put a German alcohol in them and explained that it’s their tradition to take the shot at the end of the meal. I thought, ‘This is amazing!'”
The restaurant was likely Almresi Vail, a German restaurant that serves a variety of shots in tiny glass Santa boots in Vail, Colorado.
“I bought everybody a little boot, so everyone who was at the dinner has one, and I brought home a few extras for family and friends,” he explained to HOLR. “Every year at Christmas time, everyone has to take a shot out of the boot, take a photo, send it to me, and hang the boot on their tree.”
As Hynes talked about his new tradition in multiple interviews, fans asked whether they could somehow get in on the act. So in 2021, he told TV Fanatic, he hosted a Facebook Live event during which fans could join him virtually to take a shot and capture photos of themselves onscreen. Many fans created picture collages of the event and expressed hopes of continuing the tradition.
In 2022, Hynes took the tradition to the next level, working with a Los Angeles design firm called The Great Product Company to design his own tiny boot-shaped shot glass and custom packaging that features the story behind the product. Fans scrambled to order them and Hynes’ first-ever Boot Shot Boxes sold out quickly.
The company recently wrote on LinkedIn, “We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to Tyler Hynes for allowing us to be a part of this amazing product. Tyler’s vision and creativity were instrumental in bringing the boot shot to life, and we are honored to have played a role in its success.”
Tyler Hynes Announces Pre-Ordering for New Boot Shot Boxes
Though Hynes’ product launch was a huge success, some fans were disappointed that the supply ran out so quickly. So, in an attempt to ensure everyone who wants Boot Shot Boxes this year can get them, Hynes has just launched a pre-order campaign online.
Fans can order one or more boxes, which each contain five glass boots in gift boxes — one to keep, and the others to give to family or friends — for $79.99. The packages, which are green with red writing in 2023, will then be shipped to customers around the holidays.
During a half-hour Facebook Live session on July 8, Hynes explained, “I made it green and red because it’s different and I thought it looked beautiful. I think it makes it unique and special to this year as well. There will be a little something inside that will also be unique and special to this year. If this continues to happen, maybe I’ll continue to do that.”
Hynes also said that his own mom needed him to explain why he was launching pre-orders so far in advance of the holidays, but she gave his plan two thumbs up once she understood that it will allow the manufacturer to produce enough for those who want Boot Shot Boxes.
“I apologize if some people were confused, my mother was a little bit confused,” Hynes shared. “But once I clarified what I was doing and why I was doing it, she thought it was a thoughtful and worthwhile thing. So, at least I got that seal of approval!”
Hynes’ Boot Shot Tradition Boxes are available exclusively through the product’s web site at BootShotTradition.com.