How did reindeer get connected to Christmas?
Pagan mythology loves the reindeer and during the Middle Ages (when Pagans converted to Christianity), their ancient customs became a part of Christmas celebrations. The reindeer came to symbolise creativity, resourcefulness and knowledge, whilst also representing safe journeying and endurance through travels.
What is the story of Santa's reindeer?
According to traditional festive legend in some parts of the world, Santa Claus's reindeer are said to pull a sleigh through the night sky to help Santa Claus deliver gifts to children on Christmas Eve. “The Night Before Christmas” originally identified eight reindeer that lead Santa Claus' sleigh every holiday.
What genders are Santa reindeer?
The first written account of Santa Claus having reindeer was in 1821, and since then most people have assumed the reindeer were male – but a scientist says those people would be wrong.
How did reindeer get the name reindeer?
Reindeer is the European name for the species while in North America, the species is known as Caribou." The word rein is of Norse origin. The word deer was originally broader in meaning, but became more specific over time. In Middle English, der meant a wild animal of any kind, in contrast to cattle.
Who are the 12 reindeers of Santa?
All eight reindeer were named, the first six being Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet and Cupid, and the final two "Dunder" and "Blixem" (meaning thunder and lightning in colloquial New York Dutch).
What is Santa's real name?
Saint NicholasSanta Claus—otherwise known as Saint Nicholas or Kris Kringle—has a long history steeped in Christmas traditions.
Who is Rudolph's dad?
DonnerIn the Rankin/Bass holiday special, his father is Donner and his mother is a tan doe who is called Mrs. Donner. In the GoodTimes retelling, Rudolph's father is Blitzen, and his mother is named Mitzi, although many believe the true mother should be Vixen.
Who is Rudolph's girlfriend?
ClariceRudolph's sweetheart was named "Clarice" in honor of the bride-to-be of another close friend.
Does Rudolph have a girlfriend?
Clarice is the love interest and later girlfriend of Rudolph (Rankin/Bass) and one of the tritagonists of the 1964 Rankin/Bass TV film Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the deuteragonist in it's 2001 sequel Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and The Island Of Misfit Toys.
What does Rudolph's name mean?
Rudolph or Rudolf (French: Rodolphe, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish: Rodolfo) or Rodolphe is a male first name, and, less commonly, a surname. It is an ancient Germanic name deriving from two stems: Hrōþi, Hruod, Hróðr or Hrōð, meaning "fame", "glory" "honour", "renown", and olf meaning "wolf"(Hrōþiwulfaz).
Who came up with Santa Claus reindeer?
The usual eight, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen, were the invention of a poet Clement Clarke Moore in 'Twas the Night before Christmas (1823). Rudolph, the red-nosed misfit, was added by Robert L. May for a colouring-in book (1939).
Which reindeer is Clarice's dad?
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (TV Movie 1964) - Paul Kligman as Donner, Clarice's Father, Comet the Coach - IMDb.
Why did Santa choose reindeer?
Santa has to cross many international boundaries – reindeer are relatively disease-free and that means Santa can cross international boundaries without restriction. Reindeer have many advantages over other domesticated livestock to make them the perfect choice for pulling Santa Claus's sleigh.
Why is it reindeer that pull Santa's sleigh?
Reindeer are the only domesticated species of deer, and people have been using them to get around since the stone age. People ride on their backs like horses, and use small herds of them to drive sleds, just like Santa.
What are 5 facts about reindeers?
10 amazing facts you probably didn't know about reindeerThey might be survivors from the last Ice Age, but modern-day climate change could wipe them out. ... They have incredible shrinking hooves. ... They're masters of migration. ... They swim like pros. ... The entire body of a reindeer was once found INSIDE a Greenland shark.More items...•
What is the purpose of reindeer?
Reindeer are the only deer species to be widely domesticated. They are used as beasts of burden and farmed for their milk, meat, and hides.
What is the name of the red nosed reindeer?
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer**. *Santa's original 8 reindeer were first introduced in 'A Visit from St. Nicholas', more commonly know as 'The Night Before Christmas' in 1823. In this original printing the last two reindeer names are Dunder and Blixem, which in Dutch mean 'thunder and lightning'.
What are the names of Santa's reindeer?
Santa's Reindeer Names. The history behind Santa's sleigh and reindeer. Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen! ...but there's more to the story. *Santa's original 8 reindeer were first introduced in 'A Visit from St. Nicholas', more commonly know as 'The Night Before Christmas' in 1823.
How many reindeer names are there in Rudolph?
This is now the most common referral to the original 8 reindeer names in modern times. Rudolph was introduced to the original 8 over 100 years later. There's much more to the poem's true authorship, too much to go into here. But if you're into it...
When was Donder and Blitzen published?
When Clement Clark Moore, the credited author, printed the poem in 1844 these names were changed to Donder and Blitzen.
What is the name of the poem that first introduced the concept of the modern day Santa and his reindeer?
The Troy Sentinel . The 1823 poem "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" first introduced the concept of the modern-day Santa and his reindeer. Today, the poem is better known as "Twas the Night Before Christmas.". That poem originally appeared anonymously in the Troy Sentinel -- a daily paper in Troy, N.Y., a town near Albany.
What is the meaning of the poem "Dunder and Blixem"?
"Dunder and Blixem" is a Dutch expression that means "thunder and lightning.". While Livingston spoke Dutch, Moore spoke German. The 1844 reprint changes "Blixem" to "Blitzen.".
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How did the Grinch steal Christmas?
Max -- In the Dr. Seuss classic, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," the title character straps an antler and a red nose on his dog Max during his late-night caper into Whoville. Tundra -- Last, but certainly not least, is former Syracuse reindeer, Tundra (who now lives with a herd at the Buffalo Zoo).
When did reindeer graze on the roof of the California Academy of Sciences?
A reindeer grazes on the living roof of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2010.
When was Rudolph introduced?
Rudolph was first introduced in 1939 in a children's book by Robert L. May.
Where did Santa's flying chauffeurs originate?
The roots of Santa's mystical flying chauffeurs date back nearly two centuries, to a poem that first appeared in Upstate New York. Their names have evolved, as have some of their attributes. Here's a brief history of Santa's eight reindeer (and dozens of others):
What are the names of Santa's reindeer?
Though originally called 'Dunder and Blixem' in the 1823 publication, Santa's seventh and eighth reindeer are commonly known as 'Donner and Blitzen' today. Dunder and Blixem are Dutch words that translate to thunder and lightning. Some 19th and 20th century publications of the poem substituted the names 'Donder and Blitzen', which are German for thunder and lightning, and in other articles during the 20th century, 'Donner' replaced the name 'Donder'. After Johnny Marks penned the song Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1949, based on the story by Robert L. May, the name 'Donner' became the most popular spelling for the seventh reindeer originally named 'Dunder' in the poem A Visit From St. Nicholas. May's story and Marks' song were both well received and Rudolph is without doubt the most famous addition to Santa's team.
What is Santa Claus based on?
The character of Santa Claus is largely based on St. Nicholas of Myra and Sinterklaas of Dutch lore. Both of those figures traveled via a noble, white steed. Yet in some Western cultures, particularly America, Santa Claus travels the world on Christmas Eve delivering gifts in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer.
What animals propel Santa's sleigh?
Taking these bits of knowledge into account, one can see how reindeer might have come to be used in early writings as the wondrous, flying creatures propelling Santa's sleigh.
Where did reindeer originate?
Reindeer were once viewed as mysterious creatures linked to lands in the northern part of the world. Their population was widespread in Scandinavian and Eastern European countries where, during the 18th century, they were domesticated. They were often used in transportation, pulling sleds and sleighs, and are still an important aspect of some indigenous northern European cultures, particularly to the Sámi people (commonly known as Laplanders to non-Europeans).
Who was the editor of the Troy Sentinel?
During an 1822 interview, New York's Troy Sentinel editor Orville L. Holley questioned Mr. Gilley regarding the booklet's author and the topic of reindeer. Though he did not identify the author, Mr. Gilley responded:
