One Colorado ranch has learned how to make the most of the holiday season. Not only are they keeping things merry and bright, but they are keeping things lucrative as well. This ranch is raking in some major cash by renting reindeer for the holiday.
Colorado Ranch Is Renting Reindeer For The Holiday
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Raising any type of animal is not cheap; however, raising reindeer might just take the top spot. Luckily, the Jessen Reindeer Ranch often gets its money back during the holiday season. During that time, the Colorado ranch is busy renting out its reindeer for various events. This process often earns them a six-figure income! Who knew Santa's sleigh pullers would pull in so much cash?
Cowboy State Daily shares that these reindeer are very busy during the holiday season. The Colorado ranch is busy "transporting its small herd of reindeer to holiday events, delighting children and families everywhere they go." However, the Jessen family is sure to keep the magic of Christmas alive. They tell all the kids that their reindeer are "Santa's backup reindeer."
After all, how could Santa's reindeer be at a holiday event when they are needed to pull his sleigh? Chris Jessen shared what he tells the children with Cowboy State Daily. He said, "If Donner or Blitzen gets sick, Santa will fly to our property and pick up our reindeer. He'll let them fly his sleigh for a little bit while we care for Donner and Blitzen, and then he'll come back to pick them up."
Reindeer Rental Is A Lucrative Business
Unsurprisingly, renting out reindeer is a rather niche business. Therefore, this Colorado ranch makes quite a bit of money from its services. While the family excitedly shared that they can easily earn over six figures in a month, they need that income to care for the animals. Jessen shared that most reindeer rental businesses fail before they even begin. That is mainly due to the insane cost of acquiring and caring for the reindeer. Additionally, he shared "reindeer can cost between $16,000 and $22,000, meaning the initial investment must be at least $30,000." That is, excluding caring for the animals after you purchase them.
Afterward, you need to care for the reindeer, a task that Jessen admitted costs "around $5,000 per reindeer, per year." "Reindeer are a daily commitment," he said. "They're free roaming on our 50 acres for 11 months out of the year, but they're not something you can put in the pasture and leave be. They're a full-time commitment."
However, that commitment is worth it because Jessen and his family get so many requests for renting reindeer that they have to turn people down each season. He gets booed for "lighting festivals for cities" or as "promotional days" for privately-owned businesses. The Colorado ranch even gets people who "want a reindeer at their home on Christmas Eve." The bottom line is that no matter your holiday festivity, it will be better with a reindeer.
