The Reindeer

At one stage it was thought that Father Christmas (Santa Claus) lives in the North Pole. In 1925 it was discovered that there are no reindeer in the North Pole. But there are lots in Lapland, Finland. So today we know that the reindeer live around the secret village of Father Christmas and the elves somewhere on the Korvatunturi mountain in the Savukoski county of Lapland, Finland, which is on the Finnish-Russian border.

Long ago, Father Christmas and the elves discovered the special formula of Magical Reindeer Dust which make them fly. This dust is sprinkled on each of the reindeer shortly before they leave on Christmas eve. It gives them enough magic to fly right around the world. They can fly very fast: at about the speed of a Christmas light.

Rudolph is the most famous reindeer. He is the leader of the other 8, whose names are Blitzen, Comet, Cupid, Dancer, Dasher, Donder, Prancer, and Vixen.

The names of the 8 reindeer were published by Clement Clark Moore, an American poet and professor of theology, in his 1822 poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas." Rudolph was first written about only in 1939 by Robert May, who included him in a story for the Montgomery Ward Christmas catalogue. (Of course, the elves knew their names long, long before Moore and May did.)

Father Xmas and two of the reindeer

On Christmas eve the reindeer are sprinkled with the magic dust that gives them enough magic to fly right around the world. They can fly at the speed of a Christmas light.

Wunorse Openslae and Rudolph

The reindeer are cared for by Wunorse Openslae. He also designed Father Christmas's sleigh and maintains it for top performance.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
Had a very shiny nose,
And if you ever saw him,
You would even say it glows.

All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names,
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games.

Then one foggy Christmas
eve Santa came to say:
"Rudolph with your nose so bright,
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"

Then all the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee,
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,
You'll go down in history!

Christmas factoids

There are 34 "Reindeer" place names in the US; 27 are located in Alaska.

Long ago, when Rudolph was just a young deer, his nose was touched by Christmas Magic, and since this day his nose has glowed bright red!

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