By Kristy McCaffrey
Reindeer originally came from Europe and Asia, not the North Pole. The first reindeer in North America were brought over by Icelandic settlers around a thousand years ago, settling in Canada. They were also successfully introduced to Alaska.
Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) are a member of the deer family, which also includes elk, moose, and caribou. Unlike their cousins the white-tailed deer and mule deer, both males and females grow antlers, the only deer in which this is true. The woody part of the antlers is called “velvet” and is covered in tiny blood vessels. These vessels help to supply nutrients to the growing antler. Once the antlers are fully grown, the velvet dies and is shed. Antlers are typically larger on males.
Reindeer is the European name and is an adapatation of an Old Norse word knowns as hreindyri. The word dyr means animal and hreinn references a horned animal. The horns found on both male and female reindeer are important features to the survival of the animal.
Reindeer have gold eyes in the summer and blue in winter, and they can see light within the ultraviolet range. This helps their survival in the Arctic as many objects blend into the snowy landscape. It also improves their vision during continuous darkness and helps spot predators.
Reindeer are the only deer species to have hair
completely covering their nose. Their specialized nose helps to warm incoming
cold air before it enters their lungs, and it's also an excellent sniffer.
Their good sense of smell helps them find food hidden under snow, locate
danger, and recognize direction.
The first mention of Santa’s reindeer is in the 1823 poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore. He lists Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen. Rudolph wasn’t added until 1939.
Since rutting season is in September and October, the males have lost weight and are exhausted by Decemeber so their antlers fall off to save energy during the hard winter months, meaning Santa’s reindeer are all female.
Reindeer symbolize wisdom, resourcefulness, and cleverness.
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If you love reindeer, don’t miss Kristy’s Christmas novella, A Mirthful Wish, along with a prequel short story, The Reindeer That Got Away. Enjoy the holidays with these tales of small-town magic and romance.
The Thatcher-Adler feud goes back generations. Despite this, Ellie Thatcher befriended Liam Adler when she was a girl. She even managed to get a job at the Adler Reindeer Farm while in high school, the very farm that had once belonged to her family. Now, with college and a stint working overseas behind her, she’s returning home to Reindeer Pass to open a photography studio. But the feud has been reignited, and Ellie and Liam are about to get dragged into the middle of it.
Liam Adler has returned to the Colorado town where he grew up to take over the family business after the sudden death of his father. It wasn’t the life path he’d planned, and now he must convince old Eustace Hapgood to sell his land to the Adlers and not the Thatchers. And his opponent is none other than Ellie Thatcher—no longer the sweet and funny little girl he remembers, but all grown-up and strikingly beautiful.
Years ago, Eustace told a young Ellie and Liam about the Legend of Reindeer Pass, where a rare Arctic reindeer herd is rumored to have lived since the first Thatcher and Adler men settled in the valley in the 1800’s. When Ellie and Liam appear before the old man, Eustace tells them he will sell to the first to see the Vaadin, the largest of the elusive female reindeer. But there is more to the legend … only the pure of heart are presented with such a gift. And to a special few, true love is granted.
An excerpt from A Mirthful Wish
Without warning, Ellie kissed Liam, bold and hungry. Wrapping his arms around her, he shifted her out of sight. There was nothing soft and chaste about them finally coming together, the contact escalating quickly to a heat level he was unprepared for.
He’d anticipated this going differently—slower and more private—but nothing with Ellie ever seemed to go to plan.
Ellie broke contact first, her breath fast and hot against his lips. A lingering taste of marinara sauce and sexy Ellie remained.
He didn’t know what to say.
“There was mistletoe,” she whispered, looking as stunned as he felt.
Her eyes flicked upward. A green sprig hung from a hook above their table.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, then left him standing alone in the nook, too shocked to speak, a cold wave engulfing him after the loss of her heat.
Liam scrubbed a hand down his face, waiting for his heartbeat to slow to a reasonable rate.
When Ryan joined him, his brother frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“I think I’ve underestimated Ellie Thatcher.”
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When kiddo was young, the library had a reindeer from a local organization visit. We were able to pet him, though he was shedding at the time. Thanks for sharing, Kristy!
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