WA Advent Calendar 2025 - Monday 22nd December

byGail-UK

3.8K followers

1 day ago

We're into the final week, folks and in our Advent calendar today, we have a reindeer.

This one is clearly not Rudolph, but I think he's clearly got attitude! Despite not being indigenous to where I live, I absolutely love these majestic, and I think, quite magical, animals.

Reindeer and the Magic of Christmas

Reindeer are so firmly woven into Christmas now that it’s hard to imagine Santa travelling any other way, unless you watch the animated movie Arthur Christmas, where they travel in a huge spaceship! But they weren’t always part of the story. Their journey into festive folklore is a wonderful mix of tradition, imagination and a good bit of clever storytelling, which we all know can change our perception of almost anything!

How reindeer became linked to Christmas

Reindeer have long been central to the cultures of Arctic and sub-Arctic peoples, including the Sámi, Nenets and Inuit communities, who used them for transport, clothing and survival in long winters. When early European and American writers imagined how Saint Nicholas might travel across snowy landscapes, reindeer became the perfect companions because they are hardy, swift and wonderfully suited to northern climates.

Their first major appearance in Christmas literature came in 1821, in a small poem called Old Santeclaus with Much Delight. This poem introduced the idea of Santa riding in a sleigh pulled by a single reindeer. It was published with eight coloured, engraved illustrations and was published in New York by William B. Gilley as a small paperback book entitled The Children's Friend: A New-Year's Present, to the Little Ones from Five to Twelve. You can see book and the illustrations at: https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/2014510

But everything changed two years later…

The poem that created the legend

In 1823, Clement Clarke Moore (though scholars debate the authorship) published A Visit from St. Nicholas — better known as ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.
This is where we get:

• The now well-known eight flying reindeer
• Their names - Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen (but originally, “Dunder” and “Blixem”)
• The idea of Santa’s airborne sleigh

So with one poem and a lot of imagination, flying reindeer became Christmas icons.

And then came Rudolph…

Rudolph is a much more modern addition. He first appeared in 1939 in a booklet written by Robert L. May for the Montgomery Ward department store in Chicago. His story was simple but timeless — a young reindeer who felt different but discovers his unique gift (that glowing red nose) leads to acceptance and purpose.

The real explosion in popularity came with the 1949 song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", recorded by Gene Autry, which became a worldwide Christmas classic. Since then, Rudolph has become the ninth and perhaps most beloved reindeer of all.

A few festive reindeer facts

• Both male and female reindeer grow antlers, unlike most deer species, where it is only the males who do.
• Their hooves adapt seasonally — soft in summer, sharp and ice-gripping in winter.
• Reindeer eyes actually change colour with the seasons, turning golden in summer and deep blue in winter to help them see in darkness.
• In Lapland, Christmas reindeer herding is still an important part of Sámi culture.
• And yes… actual reindeer cannot fly, though many children remain delightfully convinced they can - and so do I!

Why reindeer matter to the magic of Christmas

Reindeer symbolise endurance, warmth in winter, and a sense of adventure. They evoke images of snow, Northern Lights, cosy fires and the hopeful excitement of Christmas Eve. Whether pulling an imaginary sleigh or standing proudly in a snowy field, they remind us of a world where wonder still exists and where magic (at least for one night a year) feels entirely possible.

What are your thoughts on these wonderful animals? Let me know in the comments below.

Counting down now...

Gail