Every family has one: the person whose phone case, socks, mug and blanket all have a shaggy ginger cow on them. Highland cows are having a moment, and searches for Highland cow Christmas decor, squishies and advent calendars climb every fall. If you are shopping for a Highland cow lover this year, here are our favorite ideas, starting with the one they cannot buy for themselves at the store.
The most memorable Highland cow gift is a visit to meet real ones. At Mini Moo Land in Kissimmee, the VIP bottle feeding experience ($65 per guest, including admission) lets them feed a baby mini Highland calf. General admission ($29.99) includes petting, hand-feeding and cuddling the herd. Book a date and wrap the reservation.
1. Bottle-Feed A Real Baby Highland Calf
For a true Highland cow fan, nothing beats the real thing. Our mini Highland calves were born this fall, and at the VIP bottle feeding experience your gift recipient gets to hold the bottle while a fluffy calf drinks it down. Feedings run daily at 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM, spots are limited, and the $65 price includes Mini Moo Land admission, so they can stay and meet the rest of the herd afterward.
Reserve a feeding for a specific date and turn it into a surprise outing. Tip: check their calendar first, or plan it as a family day over the holidays so everyone can come along.
2. A Day With The Herd
General admission to Mini Moo Land is $29.99 and includes time to pet, hand-feed and cuddle our Highland cows under the oaks. It is a great gift for grandparents to give a whole family, and it pairs perfectly with a Highland cow plush to unwrap on the day.
3. Airboat Plus Cows For The Adventurer
Know someone who wants a little more adventure? The airboat and Mini Moo Land combo pairs a ride through the headwaters of the Everglades with a visit to the herd, and costs less than booking them separately. For couples, a sunset or night airboat tour followed by a visit with the cows makes an easy date. See our Kissimmee ideas for adults.
How To Wrap An Experience Gift
An experience is harder to put under the tree, so make the reveal part of the fun:
- Pair it with a plush. Tie the printed reservation to a Highland cow stuffed animal.
- Make a "ticket." Print a photo of a baby Highland with the date and time of their visit.
- Hide it in an advent calendar. Save the experience for the last door.
- Add a bottle. A toy baby bottle in the box is a fun clue for the bottle feeding.
Highland Cow Gifts To Unwrap
For a stocking or a gift to open on the day, these are the Highland cow gifts people search for most:
- Plush and stuffed animals. Classic, cuddly and available in every size, including weighted and microwavable warmers.
- Squishies. Slow-rise Highland cow squishies are one of the hottest Highland cow searches of the year, especially with kids.
- Advent calendars. Highland cow advent calendars, often with 24 small surprises, are a big holiday trend.
- Ornaments and decor. Ornaments, tree toppers, stockings and even inflatable yard Highlands.
- Cozy things. Highland cow pajamas, socks, slippers and blankets.
- Kitchen and home. Mugs, aprons and wall art.
- For crafty kids. Highland cow coloring pages and how-to-draw books.
One tip: a plush is cute, but a photo of them nose to nose with a real Highland calf goes on the fridge for years. Our Highland cow photo tips help you get the shot.
Gifts By Age
| Who | Gift idea |
|---|---|
| Toddlers | A soft plush plus general admission to pet and hand-feed the herd |
| Kids | A squishy or advent calendar, plus the VIP bottle feeding |
| Teens | The VIP bottle feeding and a phone full of photos |
| Adults and couples | A sunset or night airboat tour plus a visit with the cows |
| Whole family | The airboat and Mini Moo Land combo |
Visiting Over The Holidays
December is one of the nicest times to visit Central Florida, with highs in the 70s and cooler mornings, and our calves will still be little. Bring a jacket if you add an airboat ride, since it can feel chilly on the water. Read more in Orlando in December.
Make It A Boggy Creek Day
Mini Moo Land is inside Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures, so a gift visit can easily turn into a whole day:
- Ride an airboat through the headwaters of the Everglades and look for wild alligators, bald eagles and wading birds. Choose a 30-minute or one-hour tour, a sunset tour, or a night tour that guarantees gators.
- Dig for gems at the 70-foot Prospector Gem Mine, where kids sift for semi-precious stones, fossils and crystals.
- Walk through Lily's Butterfly Garden and its native butterflies and plants.
- Visit the Gator Pond.
- Eat lakeside at Boggy Bottom BBQ.
The easiest way to do it all is the 1-hour airboat ride and Mini Moo Land combo, which costs $10 less than booking both separately.
