Highland cows why are they on everything? And I mean everything..

[-]

Cheese-n-Opinion@reddit

These things come in waves. Are you old enough to remember the unicorn plague, or all the llamas?

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im definitely old enough (48) but I do not remember those at all lol. Maybe I just wasn't aware of trends and internet stuff. my wife wants me to print her one of these things and I just look at her confused....but I am doing it for her anyway lol.

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CasualGlam87@reddit

It was dolphins when I was a kid. EVERYTHING had dolphins on!

[-]

Cheese-n-Opinion@reddit

Shrews for us. I remember being so embarrassed that mum got me a vole lunchbox instead of a shrew one.

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BeatificBanana@reddit

Surely you're making this up

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GuanlongX@reddit

"You really think people would do that? Just go on the internet and tell lies?"

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Cheese-n-Opinion@reddit

This is the internet, BeatificBanana - People don't just make stuff up on the internet.

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Fine-State8014@reddit

Did you go to school in the mighty boosh?

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YanikOlsen@reddit

THIS is the answer! :)

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Careless_Squirrel728@reddit

And owls circa 2012

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kate_skywalker@reddit

my dad still loves owl stuff

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Itchy-Wrongdoer-9912@reddit

Dolphins definitely come in waves

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Cheese-n-Opinion@reddit

Or tins of tuna.

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Still-BangingYourMum@reddit

That explains why tuna is so salty then

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tiptoe_only@reddit

Dolphins will come in anything if you let them

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Farty_McPartypants@reddit

is that where the foam comes from?

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catmatix@reddit

Steady on

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ALFABOT2000@reddit

Can we bring that back? I fuckin love dolphins!

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wolfhelp@reddit

What's the porpoise of that?

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Winston_Carbuncle@reddit

We used to have a dolphin biscuit tin that made the noise of a dolphin when you opened it.

Thankfully if you opened it at just the right speed you could avoid setting it off and a dressing down from mother

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whyhellotharpie@reddit

My parents still keep their biscuits in one of these and it's still going after what must be almost 30 years.

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Winston_Carbuncle@reddit

You could have your own for just £90 + £55pp.

According to that link it's a slither under 30 but great shout.

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AdaandFred@reddit

It's possible the 90s has a lot to answer for my hatred of dolphins (evil, their skin is too tight, look like aliens) and giant pandas (lazy, shit parents, want to die out).

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BuzzAllWin@reddit

And we were better for it! 🐬

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AlGunner@reddit

Sloths was the last one I remember. Everyone had to get shit with sloths on.

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Palindrome000@reddit

Owls! I had so many indie/millennial owl necklaces and scarves.

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jackbrux@reddit

Keep Calm And Carry On

[-]

BestMattT@reddit (OP)

I am indeed but I must say the highland cows is a surprising one

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BeatificBanana@reddit

I'm not sure why! It's not as if there's anything special about a highland cow that makes it stand out as an unusual choice for an animal-related trend. When you look at how ugly llamas are, which was a big one for a while, I think Highland cows are cuter tbh.

The recent axolotl obsession is what I would consider the strangest one, if anything. At least the other trends have all been furry or feathered animals. Axolotl look like weird transparent skinned aliens.

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pullingteeths@reddit

I think because most of the other animal ones have been more colourful and cartoonish. The highland cow stuff is more of a classic look

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BuzzAllWin@reddit

It was all Pictish Beasts when i was little

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pullingteeths@reddit

Strawberries has been another one this year but I'm a fan of that

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InfiniteAstronaut432@reddit

Wasn't too long ago it was owls, and even more recently, sausage dogs.

The highland cow's time will shortly cease, to be replaced with something else.

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newbracelet@reddit

For some reason my gran thinks I love owls and buys me every owl thing she sees, that was a really rough few years of present opening.

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bacon_cake@reddit

We have some llama products at work and every November / December have to increase our stocks five-fold presumably for this reason.

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allthingsarewords@reddit

I was a barista for a mere 6 months as a teenager, and got almost exclusively coffee related gifts from my parents until I finally put my foot down at about 22. Mugs, multiple cafetières, a milk frother, beans, grounds, coffee related books, even an actual nightdress that says ‘coffee on my mind’, which was the final straw. I drink maybe 2 cups of coffee a month.

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Winston_Carbuncle@reddit

You're lucky they didn't buy you coffee scented sprays thinking you wanted to come home from every shift stinking of coffee

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porksandrecreation@reddit

I had that with my nana and chickens. I have no idea where she got that I loved chickens from. She got me a chicken shaped handbag.

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Critical_Studio_2327@reddit

That made me laugh so hard - I ended up Googling to see if it was still a thing... some of them are nightmare fuel!

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TobblyWobbly@reddit

I wish you hadn't done that. Because it made me do it too. Holy crap!

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BeatificBanana@reddit

Hahaha I had this same thing happen! It all started I think because my mum gave me an owl mug randomly as a gift, and around the same time, I moved into a furnished flat that came with an owl shaped cushion on the couch. I was then pelted with owl-related presents for a number of years. Fortunately it seems to have ceased now.

[-]

ResolveEmergency863@reddit

Capybaras are on the rise. We're getting more exotic.... Although they are just giant guinea pigs.

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Fingers_9@reddit

I think lemons are beginning to take over.

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Myc__Hunt@reddit

its been a while since i looked over at my lemon tree.

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budget-lampshade@reddit

I've seen a lot of axolotl the last year or two!

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fothergillfuckup@reddit

Meerkats!

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banedlol@reddit

Imagine a wave of highland cows

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Cross_examination@reddit

The mind the gap? The Union Jack on absolutely everything before the Olympics? Diana’s face 1996 until 2000?

[-]

BeanOnAJourney@reddit

And the Flamingoes!

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skratakh@reddit

I think capybaras are the new trend, they're everywhere

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heilhortler420@reddit

all the llamas

Did maxis leak out for a bit?

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Sergeant_Fred_Colon@reddit

"Or all the llamas"

I for one am fed up to thr back teeth of all these men walking around in orange and red robes.

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Immediate-Escalator@reddit

Absolutely. I remember it being owls about 10/15 years ago

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Outgrabe@reddit

Did you also get the plague of Axolotls?

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BaBaFiCo@reddit

Don't forget owls.

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verykindzebra@reddit

Sloths!

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No-Pen-2311@reddit

Who doesn’t love a highland 😂 featuring me and bessy ❤️

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iphone13mini0905@reddit

Random trends

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SparklyRainbowAngel@reddit

They're gorgeous. Plus I loved the penny dainties. Yummy toffee with a pic of a heilan coo on the wrapper.

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billieebossa@reddit

idk but im so about it

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Pristine_Lion48@reddit

You are right, I went into Next to buy Pjs for a gift and everything had them on, everything. The homeward section was highland cow everything possible, mugs, tea towels, cushions, ornaments. It was just too much. I also went to Chritmas markets and they jad those carnival type prize stalls. Every single plush prize was a Highland cow, thought I was going mad!

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rynic@reddit

Hereford Cows for the win 2026!!!

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deleted_by_reddit@reddit

[removed]

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AutoModerator@reddit

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[-]

Misfire6@reddit

that was weird

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BestMattT@reddit (OP)

Oh what! That is bloody strange

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Goldenboy451@reddit

Dedicated section in NEXT. Insanity.

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No_Ground3303@reddit

Guilty. I’m obsessed with it all 🤣🙈🙈🙈🙈

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IAmDyspeptic@reddit

What the hell is that thing on the top left?

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AdaandFred@reddit

To the left of the salt and pepper? I would guess it's a kitchen roll holder. Though I'd also bet good money it'll fall over at the slightest yank.

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IAmDyspeptic@reddit

Ohh. I just couldn't fathom what it was.

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IAmDyspeptic@reddit

Ohh. I just couldn't fathom what it was.

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Tsukidaisy@reddit

Tbf to Next they've had that line since I was in school so like a decade ago.

I know bc my mum went through a phase with them

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CanWeNapPlease@reddit

Next's highland cow is called "Hamish". It's been a whole line of products for years. I was never a fan but my MIL likes them.

I know this because I enjoy their "Barnaby" range which is the bear!

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blackcurrantcat@reddit

There’s one in Asda too.

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Sopzeh@reddit

Highland cow salt and pepper shaker! Must be well hidden

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Ok_Variation2090@reddit

Next are going hard for the HC this year

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Throwaway91847817@reddit

Theyre cute, and they symbolise Scotland.

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Upset-Elderberry3723@reddit

Every year, the Secret Society Of Animals In Consumer Products (SOAP) holds a meeting to decide which animal will be the new cute animal to be printed onto consumer products across the UK for the following year.

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FionaRulesTheWorld@reddit

I need to join this society and make sure it's Fennec Foxes next year.

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ReySpacefighter@reddit

Shouldn't that be SSoACP?

[-]

Upset-Elderberry3723@reddit

Initalisms don't really have strict rules, and organisations will sometimes forego their literal initialisms to become acronyms (initialisms that can be spoken as words themselves).

From this, we get the concept of 'backronyms', where the acronymic word was clearly desired and the individual words comprising it were written to fit it (leading to some odd organisation names). An example would be STARS from Resident Evil, which stands for Special Tactics And Rescue Service.

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ReySpacefighter@reddit

Yeah, but your example has two words beginning with 'S' and one with 'C'. Your acronym leaves one of the former and the latter out.

[-]

pervertsage@reddit

That just proves how evil SOAP is. They overwhelm us with the animal of the year and their acronym is designed to piss you off too.

You personally, apparently. 😅

[-]

ReySpacefighter@reddit

Truly diabolical.

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Upset-Elderberry3723@reddit

Indeed, but initialisms will often leave whole words from the actual title out if it makes the initialism itself easier to remember or reproduce.

[-]

Figueroa_Chill@reddit

I remember going to Manchester once years ago, there were cow statues all over the place.

[-]

Middle-agedCynic@reddit

I thought capybaras were the in thing

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rshslake@reddit

Next as well. I say, wearing my Next Highland Cow Pyjamas. Next actually made him into a character they call Hamish the Highland Cow. They have a colossal homeware range of cow as well.

[-]

BestMattT@reddit (OP)

Can’t wait to see this when I go to next home in a couple of weeks 😂

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Rr0gu3_5uture@reddit

I partially blame the artist Steven Brown from Kilmarnock. Up my neck of the woods, he had a shop and factory in Ayr, and one in Glasgow, churning out woefully mediocre, multi-coloured Highland Cow art printed on absolutely bloody everything - it is utter tat. He’s some bloke who worked in KFC, took unwell in 2012, and then took up “art.” God knows how he managed to sell anything; I’ve seen better work from 12-year-olds. Later, he spun some cock-and-bull story about how his art teachers had greatly encouraged him at school - nonsense. The bloke is a chancer and went into liquidation in 2019.

I had to bite my tongue on several occasions as his McCoo artwork was everywhere, lauded locally and in the media. It was amateurish garbage; I actually felt embarrassed that people were wasting their money on it.

[-]

rshslake@reddit

God I remember these being in every pub and hotel round me. Never was a big fan

[-]

Imlostandconfused@reddit

Wow, imagine being so bitter towards someone who became a success after shock horror...working at KFC and then being ill for a while. I just looked on his website, and the dude had two heart attacks and then went into a deep depression...

The art isn't my cup of tea, but I genuinely can not understand your attitude towards him. If he's painted the works, he can print them on whatever he wants, and clearly, a lot of people like his stuff. My grandma's favourite artist is David Hockney, and I think most of his work looks like a primary school student with a half-formed passion for art made it. He makes millions on his original work and thousands on just a single print. But my opinion is irrelevant as his work brings joy to so many! And I'm certainly happy he's been so successful.

Being happy for others is a very good attribute to have. Unless this guy personally wronged you, I can see no reason for your attitude. Loser behaviour.

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Rr0gu3_5uture@reddit

His business collapsed due to semi-fraudulent behaviour, and after that he ripped off a bunch of businesses and locals in an area already dealing with serious deprivation- then carried on as if nothing had happened. He later sold the rights to the company before weaselling his way into a senior position in the new firm. If you knew the whole sordid affair, I doubt you’d be particularly supportive of him.
I’m quite happy to support genuinely good businesses and wonderful creative people who bring others joy, but I’m not the type to be blinded by toxic positivity or by fly-by-nights peddling slop.

[-]

bendibus400@reddit

You should focus more on your own happiness

[-]

General_Ignoranse@reddit

I mean, I am not a huge fan either, but clearly people do like his artwork as it’s everywhere.

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Nice_Back_9977@reddit

Someone sounds jealous

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in-Mybubble@reddit

Why does it bother you so much That some guy drew highland cows

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Flapparachi@reddit

The best thing is, they’re total bastards even when they are being nice. Far too easy to get poked in the eye or somewhere worse…

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Forte69@reddit

They’re cute and surging in popularity. Last year it was capybaras and bees.

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rufferina@reddit

I have a little keychain with a capybara AND a bee on it!

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Solabound-the-2nd@reddit

It's my mums fault she keeps buying the highland cow tat...

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ouzo84@reddit

Heelan Coos are cute.

At least that is what my wife says

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Willsagain2@reddit

Well they stand still for photos and are less elusive than Haggis.

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blazej84@reddit

Been a thing for a few years now because they are cute so people will buy stuff with them on .

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tinymoominmama@reddit

They're having a moment

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DeifniteProfessional@reddit

I always thought it was cheap knock offs of Steven Brown who has been doing cows for donkeys

But even he might have taken the idea of smashing out cows from others

I don't know art

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moreglumthanplum@reddit

Because AI figured out how to draw highland cows, so they can now be slapped on anything

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DeifniteProfessional@reddit

I actually saw a few obviously AI generated canvas arts in The Range a few months ago and I was genuinely disappointed

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Mental_Emu4856@reddit

proof ai is evil: it can make even highland cows seem soulless an cheap

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3Cogs@reddit

I thought this was going to be about cows eating magic mushrooms 😂

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CutePoison10@reddit

You have not gone mad. I was looking for pyjamas and saw tons of highland cow pj's.

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Terrible_Biscotti_14@reddit

I am sat wearing festive cow pjs from Next.

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CutePoison10@reddit

Enjoy them. I do love next though. I am looking for front opening pj's for heart operation. Its difficult.

[-]

Barbiegirl1605@reddit

Victoria’s Secret do a lot of button up PJs and have a surgery approved range. I think with breast cancer- but I would assume any chest surgery would safely apply. Also good luck with your op x

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CutePoison10@reddit

Thanks for helpful info and the good luck wishes. X

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Martinonfire@reddit

I didn’t know highland cows wore pj’s

Every days a school day.

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BestMattT@reddit (OP)

Thank you for confirming my sanity! Truly they are everywhere but I’ve yet to see the pyjamas

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CutePoison10@reddit

Look on next

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Mumlife8628@reddit

Guesses for the next wave

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Guilty-Jellyfish-855@reddit

They are a traffic hazard where I live, for the amount of tourists that stop dead in the middle of the road to take a picture of them

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minxorcist@reddit

It's a bit like those sharpie brows, and ultra long fake eyelashes - a trend that hopefully will soon disappear!

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bahumat42@reddit

Different animals just get moments in pop culture.

Not so long ago it was Llamas.

They will fade back to their generally liked but not everywhere state soon enough.

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teaisformugs82@reddit

Irish person here and i always associate them with Scotland and was baffled when I started seeing them everywhere here at home recently. But yeah like you said seems to be the new fad atm. They are cute as fuck so I can't blame people for buying into it!

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SpamLandy@reddit

I live in Scotland and I think that’s why I hadn’t properly noticed this was a fad, they were already kind of present

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teaisformugs82@reddit

I was only just home from Edinburgh a few days and was out shopping with the other half and she was pointing them out. It took me a few minutes myself to click that it was unual to see them here!

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I_ALWAYS_UPVOTE_CATS@reddit

It's just the latest fad for people who have a rose gold 'live laugh love' sign on their mantlepiece, have a clock that says 'time for prosecco' in the middle, and think that British comedy peaked when they saw 'Gym?? I thought you said GIN!' on a birthday card.

You don't even need to go to someone's house to find out if they're one of these people. Just look them up on Facebook - if their profile picture is a dog or a small child, you've found one.

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puffandpill@reddit

I hate to be pedantic, but you don’t mean everything.

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herwiththepurplehair@reddit

They are just the vanguard. Next year we are sending in the haggis.....

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Nrysis@reddit

As far as Scotland goes, it seems to pretty much be life as usual - Highland Cows having been a tourist staple alongside Scottie dogs and Nessie pretty much forever.

In the rest of the country it will likely just be a trend for a while, and will die off to be replaced with the next 'cute' choice - maybe it's time for a return of the Owl or Ladybirds, who can tell...

[-]

wallpapermate@reddit

I say bring on the tardigrade trend.

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nkdont@reddit

Because "Keep Calm and Carry On" posters required reading.

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pervertsage@reddit

Buy Coo and Carry On.

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Isgortio@reddit

I suppose it's better than the moustache trend from years ago.

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pervertsage@reddit

Aye! I'd love to see the state of some of those moustache tattoos some people got on the side of their fingers so they could hold it up above their upper lip.

They really must have thought they'd got in early on an eternal trend.

[-]

dh1805@reddit

Just went to check the roof. There wasn’t one on there

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That_Northern_bloke@reddit

Not yet

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dh1805@reddit

Don’t worry I’ll soon mooove it

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BestMattT@reddit (OP)

The Christmas inflatable highland cow is coming to a supermarket near you

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paisleydarling@reddit

Pheasants and deer recently too I recall. Possibly for the gentry shopping in Asda and so on

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ResplendentBear@reddit

Correctly pronounced coo.

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BlackStarDream@reddit

You mean "Heelan' Coo".

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melonaders@reddit

That was an incredible phonetic spelling

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Henno212@reddit

Just need them on tent boxes an dry robes

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BeanOnAJourney@reddit

It was the same with cartoon owls about ten years ago, they were bloody everywhere.

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ReySpacefighter@reddit

Tourists love tat.

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tom-goddamn-bombadil@reddit

It's because they are the best cows

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Foundation_Wrong@reddit

I prefer the Coos, to the Pierotts.

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upsidedownlikeabat@reddit

Cuuuuuuuuuuuw

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Electronic-Trade-504@reddit

They're for the "live, laugh, love" mums

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BuncleCar@reddit

Highland cows have their fringes over their eyes? Just like teenage boys, then.

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Erivandi@reddit

My gf's mum is obsessed with them and has highland cow paraphernalia all over her house, so it's basically her fault.

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zenithica@reddit

omg does she run a hotel by any chance ? i lost my keys and phone about a month ago when i was out so booked a night at a local hotel and the room they gave me was highland cow themed 😭

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Erivandi@reddit

No but she would have loved that room.

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Nannyhirer@reddit

T’was chickens in late 2000’s

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Specialist-Web7854@reddit

Yeah it’s all highland cows and capybaras at the moment. Good to see the back of the unicorns and llamas though.

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bibonacci2@reddit

They have great agents.

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talligan@reddit

Oh no, the cute hairy coos have taken over. At least for me there's a couple kept on a golf course near me and my toddler loves them.

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Extension_Sun_377@reddit

Suits me, I make chainmail jewellery and my Coo bookmarks are very popular!

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IsyABM@reddit

Only native wildlife we have left in the UK. Everything else is wiped out or on the way out.

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Clear_Mode_4199@reddit

They're domestic animals like any other cow

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IsyABM@reddit

I stand corrected. Always assumed they were just roaming the Highlands, chilling.

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Sharktistic@reddit

I live in the Highlands and 90 percent of all the shite tourist merchandise features AI generated Highland cows. Cushions, wall art, shirts, the lot. The last couple of years have been awful for AI generated merchandise here. It's always been crap tat but the AI boom has made it exponentially worse.

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AnonymousTimewaster@reddit

I have to say I don't think I've seen them on anything. I think your algorithms just think you really love them or something

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InternationalRich150@reddit

Umm theyre everywhere in the shops. Its the new trend. There's even a picture on this post from the range in Next.

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arenaross@reddit

You've gone completely mad.

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Cranberry64@reddit

Cow print!

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Public-Amphibian4698@reddit

They are tasty but just take too damn long to grow. However you basically leave them in the field all year round and they eventually get there with fairly low input.

[-]

FrostySquirrel820@reddit

Have you ever tried photographing the elusive haggis ? Exactly !

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b-ees@reddit

i was wondering the same, did all the companies have a secret meeting to roll these (and gingerbread flavoured everything) out and hope they catch on?

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KingKhram@reddit

Because cows are great

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Grimdotdotdot@reddit

Especially Highland Cows.

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in-the-cloud6679@reddit

It’s the year of the Highland Cow in the English Zodiac

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firthy@reddit

I just took this picture yesterday….! Mind you, I’m travelling around New Zealand atm.

[-]

Veenkoira00@reddit

How could you resist a heilan coo ?! They should be everywhere !

[-]

dinkidoo7693@reddit

Llamas, unicorns, capybaras, stitch now highland cattle I love them all but its overkill

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TWLemonadeBanana@reddit

I bought my dog a highland cow toy because he was a very good boy and now it's his favourite toy.

I had no opinion on highland cows beforehand but now I think they make very good dog toys.

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MikeForVentura@reddit

Oh man living on Skye you can’t avoid the Coo kitsch, it’s the worst.

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KingForceHundred@reddit

Except when they (usually) aren’t.

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SubjectAd9940@reddit

Highland ‘cows’ dont really exist, they are really a Haggis in disguise Wearing stilts!

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LaurenNotABot@reddit

There are always animal “fads” we’ve had flamingos, capybaras, pandas .. it’ll pass

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Victorius_Meldrus@reddit

AI.

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Ok_Teacher6490@reddit

They were starting to appear before AI was a thing

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Victorius_Meldrus@reddit

Aye, but it's fucking unreal now.

Cows taking a shite on the toilet.
Cows reading the paper on the train. Cows doing their shopping in Moorisons.
Cows in kilts tossing the caber.

Fucking etc etc.

I didn't mind the legitimate Highland Cow tat, but this procedurally generated bollocks is taking the utter pish.

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