The first mention we can find of a reindeer with Santa Claus was in a 1821 children’s story booklet titled “Old Santeclaus with Much Delight”.  It featured a single rearing reindeer with a Santa in a sleigh with ‘Rewards’.  It shows that even over 200 years ago Santa was rewarding children with gifts for being good.

The reindeer were depicted again in 1893 in Clement Clarke Moore’s famous poem “A visit from St. Nicholas” also known as “Twas the Night Before Christmas” which introduced the eight flying reindeer.  This poem is still a favorite with children especially around Christmas time.  This poem gave the reindeer names Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Dunder and Blixem.  Several of the reindeer names have since been updated, Dunder to Donner and Blixem to Blitzen.  Here is the first verse from “Twas the Night Before Christmas”:

When what to my wondering eyes should appear                                                             But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer                                                                   With a little old driver, so lively and quick                                                                               I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick

It was not until 1939 that Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created by Robert May in a promotional coloring book for the department store Montgomery Ward.  10 years later in 1949 Gene Autry’s hit song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” reached no. 1 in the US charts.  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer continues to be a favorite every Christmas.

When Europeans came to America, they brought with them many of their own traditions.  In Norse and German mythology, Thor is the God of Thunder.  Thor flies through the sky in a sleigh pulled by two magical horned goats.  This image of Thor flying through the sky may have influenced Santa flying through the sky in his sleigh pulled by antlered reindeer.

Children today listen for the Sleigh bells and the arrival of Santa with his sleigh and reindeer the night before Christmas.  If they have been good, they will be expecting gifts.  They will have put out a stocking or pillowcase, for Santa to fill and usually a glass of milk and some cookies.  The children will wake up early on Christmas morning to rush downstairs to find what Santa has left them.

At www.christmasnightinc.com you can find a variety of life size Reindeer and giant Reindeer.  You can even add a Sleigh and Santa.