Santa Claus’s flying reindeer help to pull Santa’s sleigh so he can deliver his Christmas gifts.
The traditional story says that Santa has 8 reindeer. They are called:
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen.
Santa with his 8 reindeer
Reindeer is a noun like ‘fish’ and ‘sheep’:
1 fish, 2 fish, 3 fish
1 sheep, 2 sheep, 3 sheep
1 reindeer, 2 reindeer, 3 reindeer.
The most famous reindeer, Rudolph, wasn’t one of the original reindeer. Rudolph was first invented in 1939 in a children’s story written by Robert May.
Rudolph
According to the story, Rudolph had a bright red glowing nose, which the other reindeer thought was funny, so they didn’t like Rudolph. However, one Christmas Eve Santa was having problems delivering his gifts around the world because it was very foggy. When Santa went to Rudolph’s house to deliver his presents he noticed his glowing red nose, and thought it would be very helpful to guide his sleigh.
Santa asked Rudolph to be the lead reindeer to make sure all the Christmas gifts got delivered safely and on time. Rudolph accepted the offer and became a hero! All the other reindeer now loved Rudolph and realized that his glowing red nose was special.
Rudolph leading all the other reindeer
The story about ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ became really popular and was made into a song in 1949.
Here are the lyrics of the song:
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1949) – written by Johnny Marks
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 would 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.
Watch the video and sing-along!
‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ – 1949 (Sung by Gene Autry)
