PHOTO: ©BLUE LANTERN STUDIO/CORBIS
Santa Claus’s reindeer, depicted here in a late-nineteenth-century illustration, have been a beloved part of the story of Santa ever since they were introduced to the world in “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” a poem first published in 1823.
Why Flying Reindeer? M
For the most part, these animals are not team players. If eight reindeer got together and tried to pull a sleigh, they would probably head off in eight different directions.
OST PEOPLE KNOW about Santa Claus—that he is a jolly old soul who lives at the North Pole and flies around the world on Christmas Eve delivering presents in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer. But where did the idea of flying reindeer come from? Some believe that the idea of Santa having a flying reindeer that he uses to pull a sleigh full of gifts for children originated in America with an anonymous poem published in 1821 called “The Children’s Friend.” This image of Santa Claus was reinforced two years later when Clement C. Moore gave Santa seven additional reindeer in his poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” A look at pre-Christian mythology in northern Europe, how- ever, suggests that the origins of Santa’s flying reindeer may be much older than either of these two nineteenth-century poetical works. In the context of Norse mythology, it seems possible that Santa and Santa’s reindeer are remnants of northern European pagan stories that were absorbed into the Christian celebration of St. Nicholas during the Christianization of northern Europe. In Scandinavia, for example, the winter festival of Thor, the Norse god of thunder, may have been the basis for what became Christmas in that region, and it is interesting to note that according to Norse narratives, Thor rode a chariot drawn by two flying goats named Tanngrisni and Tanngnost. Another Norse god who may have influenced the development of the Santa story was Odin, who was believed to be the god of war, death, poetry, and wisdom.
According to some theories, Santa’s long, white beard was derived from traditional descriptions of Odin, who, like Santa, was said to have a flying animal to carry him from place to place. Odin’s flying animal was an eight- legged horse named Sleipnir, and during the time of the pagan year that eventually became the Christmas holiday season, Odin was said to ride Sleipnir through the night sky. Much as today’s children leave Santa’s reindeer things to eat on Christmas Eve, such as carrots, pre-Christian Norsemen, in anticipation of Odin’s presence, left bundles of grain in the fields as offerings for his magical horse. —JS
American way of life during the final month of the year.
Reindeer, like those shown here grazing outside the woodlands, can grow up to four feet tall at the shoulder and can weigh as much as four hundred pounds.
PHOTO: ©JOHANNES LAHTI/PLAINPICTURE/CORBIS T H E E L K S M A G A Z I N E 29
Now, as a rule of thumb, in Lap- land, one reindeer pulls one sleigh. For the most part, these animals are not team players. If eight reindeer got together and tried to pull a sleigh, they would probably head off in eight different directions. (Obviously, St. Nick maintains firm control over the reins of his sleigh.) And to keep the purists happy, it should be noted that the plural of reindeer is just that— “reindeer”—although from time to time, nonpurists will try to sneak “reindeers” in. But “reindeerses” is absolutely out of the question. Back to Lapland, where reindeer outnumber the Sami by about seven- to-one. Herds of reindeer are raised on farms, but the bulk of them spend most of their time during the winter nibbling on lichen, a tasty type of plant they dig through the snow to
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