Santa Claus's reindeer are a team of flying reindeer traditionally held to pull his sleigh and help him deliver Christmas gifts. The commonly cited names of the reindeer are based on those used in the 1823 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, arguably the basis of reindeer's popularity as Christmas symbols, where they are called Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, and Dunder and Blixem.[1] Dunder was later changed to Donder and — in other works — Donner, and Blixem was later changed to Blitzen.[1] The subsequent popularity of the Christmas song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" has led to another reindeer name joining the popular roll-call.
Contents
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* 1 Origins
o 1.1 The original eight reindeer
o 1.2 Rudolph (the red-nosed reindeer)
* 2 Additional reindeer
* 3 See also
* 4 References
* 5 External links
Origins
The original eight reindeer
The anonymously-published poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (also known as "The Night Before Christmas" or "Twas the Night Before Christmas") is largely credited for the contemporary Christmas lore, including the eight flying reindeer and their names.
In the poem, Santa's transport is a "miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer" and the reindeer are "more rapid than eagles." The poem does not describe them, nor their positions in the sleigh-team, but does say they fly.[2]
The relevant segment of the poem reads:
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, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!
You know Dasher and Dancer, and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, and Donner and Blitzen, But do you recall, the most famous reindeer of all?
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Had a very shiny nose, And if you ever saw it, You could 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 how the reindeer loved him As they shouted out with glee, "Rudolph the red-nosed Reindeer, You’ll go down in history
In An American Anthology, 1787–1900, Edmund Clarence Stedman reprints the 1844 Clement Clarke Moore version of the poem, including the German spelling of "Donder and Blitzen," rather than the original 1823 version using the Dutch spelling, "Dunder and Bliksem."[citation needed] Both phrases translate as "Thunder and Lightning" in English, though German for thunder is now spelled Donner, and the Dutch words would nowadays be spelled Donder and Bliksem.
The Christmas Mountains of New Brunswick, Canada are named after the original eight reindeer.
Since this poem, other books, movies, and music have contributed to the Christmas reindeer lore. The 1994 remake of the 1947 film Miracle on 34th Street, for example, asserts that reindeer can only fly on Christmas Eve.
Rudolph (the red-nosed reindeer)
Main article: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph's story was originally written in verse by Robert L. May for the Montgomery Ward chain of department stores in 1939, and published as a book to be given to children in the store at Christmas time.
According to this story, Rudolph was the son of Donder, and was born with a glowing red nose, which made him a social outcast among the other reindeer. However, one Christmas eve it was too foggy for Santa Claus to make his flight around the world. About to cancel, Santa suddenly noticed Rudolph's nose, and decided it could be a makeshift lamp to guide his sleigh. Since then, Rudolph is said to be a permanent member of Santa's team, who leads them on their journey.
Rudolph's story is a popular Christmas story that has been retold in numerous forms, most notably a popular song, a television special, and a feature film.
Additional reindeer
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Several television, film and music pieces have made references to other reindeer or other animals who substitute for reindeer.
In the song "¿Dónde Está Santa Claus?" recorded by Augie Rios in 1958, two other reindeer are named in the verse that goes: "I hope he won't forget to crack his castanet, and to his reindeer say: On Pancho, on Vixen, on Pedro, on Blitzen, Ole, Ole, Ole!"
Santa needs the help of Dominic the Donkey to cross the hills of Italy according to the 1960 song by Lou Monte.
The 1964 Rudolph special features Fireball as one of several reindeer tryin