A STORY ABOUT REINDEER AND CHRISTMAS

By Louise Whiteside

“You know Dasher and Dancer,
Prancer and Vixen,
Comet and Cupid
and Donner and Blitzen.
But, do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?”

Why, it’s our friend, Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, of course!

But, how did a reindeer take the position of honor in the midst of our traditional holiday celebrations? And, for that matter, how did he become the subject of a popular song?

What is a reindeer, anyway?

SOME FACTS ABOUT REINDEER

As the name suggests, reindeer are a species of deer. They are the only deer species in which both the male and female can grow antlers.

 Reindeer live in the Arctic tundra and deep forests of Greenland, Scandinavia, Russia, Alaska and Canada. In North America, reindeer are known as caribou. When grazing, a reindeer’s preferred food is a lichen – a fungi moss-like plant that is found in high, open space. Male reindeer can grow up to four feet tall at the shoulder and weigh up to 550 pounds – about three times the weight of an average person. Females are a little smaller than males. Reindeer spend up to 40 % of their lives in snow, so they have developed special adaptations to help them survive these conditions: Their cloven hooves spread their weight, helping them to stand on snow and soft ground, and their hollow fur helps to trap heat. Reindeer travel, feed and rest together in herds of 10 to a few hundred. In spring, they may form super herds of 50,000 to 500,000 animals. The herds generally follow food sources, traveling south up to 1,000 miles when food is hard to find in winter.

HOW DID REINDEER BECOME ASSOCIATED WITH CHRISTMAS?

The first known written account of reindeer in connection with the legend of Santa Claus occurred in 1821. That year New York printer William Gilley published a 16-page booklet titled “A New Year’s Present to the Little Ones From Five to Twelve, Part III: The Children’s Friend,” by an anonymous author. In the book, reindeer are introduced into the Santa Claus narrative:

“Old Santeclaus with much delight
His reindeer drives this frosty night
O’er chimney tops and tracks of snow
To bring his yearly gifts to you.”

In 1823, the Troy Sentinel published the poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” commonly known as “The Night Before Christmas.” The poem features eight flying reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh and, for the first time, they are identified by name:

“When what, to my wondering eyes should appear
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver
So lively and quick,
I knew in a moment
It must be St. Nick.”

“More rapid than eagles
His coursers they came.
And he whistled and shouted
And called them by name:
‘Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer!
Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On Cupid!
On, Dunder and Blixem!“

“To the top of the porch,
To the top of the wall!
Now, dash away, dash away,
Dash away all!”

Although originally called “Dunder and Blixem” in the 1823 publication, Santa’s seventh and eighth reindeer are now commonly known as “Donder and Blitzen.”

THE SONG

“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” first appeared in 1939, when Robert L. May wrote the story of “The Most Famous Reindeer of All” as a Christmas coloring book for his employer, the department store Montgomery Ward. The company gave away the coloring books as holiday gifts to children, to entice parents to visit and shop at the store.

In 1948, May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made the story into a song. It was first featured in a cartoon shown in movie theaters, but was released as a stand-alone recording in 1949, when “The Singing Cowboy,” Gene Autry, recorded the song, and its popularity soared. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is one of the biggest-selling Christmas songs of all time.

RUDOLPH’S STORY

The story chronicles the experiences of Rudolph, a young reindeer buck who possesses an unusual luminous red nose. Mocked and excluded by his peers, Rudolph proves himself one misty Christmas Eve: After Santa Claus catches sight of the reindeer’s nose, and asks Rudolph to lead his sleigh through the fog, Rudolph agrees and is finally favored by his fellow reindeer for his heroic accomplishment.

Ronald D. Lankford, Jr., author of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: An American Hero,” describes Rudolph’s story as, “The fantasy story made to order for American children: Each child has the need to express and receive approval for his or her individuality and special qualities.”

Given the preceding history, you can see how reindeer might have come to be used in early writings as the wondrous, flying creatures propelling Santa’s sleigh. Indeed, the reindeer has rightfully become an essential element, in song and story, of the holiday season.

Happy Holidays to All!

Louise Whiteside, a longtime resident of D.C. and Maryland, now resides in the Colorado Rockies where she loves memoir writing, bargain hunting, cooking, country music, theater and travel.