On the night of December 24, Santa Claus never travels alone. His sleigh, loaded with gifts, is pulled by his faithful reindeer. But do you know their names, their numbers and the fascinating history that surrounds them?
In the collective imagination, it is impossible to dissociate Santa Claus from his sleigh, pulled by reindeer as legendary as they are intriguing. These faithful companions, with their majestic antlers, are much more than just animals: they embody the magic of Christmas night. Among them, a red-nosed reindeer shines in the fog, guiding the herd.
What is the legend around Santa’s reindeer?
Did you know? L’story of santa’s reindeer is said to be taken from an ancient English poem, entitled A visit before Christmas (understand A Visit Before Christmas), also known as The Night before Christmas and published in the newspaper The Sentinel in 1823. The text depicts the visit of Saint Nicholas on a flying sleigh, pulled by reindeer. It is with this image in mind that the poem inspired many other stories and legends surrounding Santa’s reindeer. Here is an excerpt from the poem which tells the legend about Santa’s reindeer:
“It was Christmas Eve, a little before midnight,
At a time when everything is calm, even the mice.
We hung our stockings in front of the fireplace,
So that Santa Claus will find them as soon as he arrives.
Snuggled up warm in their little beds,
The good children had already fallen asleep.
Mom and I, in our nightgowns,
We had just blown out the candle,
When outside, a sound of bells,
Brought me out from under my duvet.
Shooting like an arrow towards the window,
I was looking up at the starry sky.
Above the snow, the sparkling moon,
Lights up the night as if it were day.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when it appeared in the distance,
A sleigh and eight reindeer no bigger than your fist,
Led by a cheerful little character:
It was Santa Claus, I knew it.
His steeds flew as if they had wings.
And he sang, to encourage them:
‘Go Tornado!, Go Dancer!
Come on, Fury and Fringuant!
Onward Comet and Cupid!
Go Lightning and Thunder!
Straight towards this porch,
Straight towards that wall!
Gallop gallop my friends!
At a triple gallop!’
(…)
Together they flew away like a feather in the wind.
Before disappearing, Santa Claus shouted:
‘Merry Christmas to everyone and a good night to all'”
What are the names of Santa’s reindeer?
“Now! Dasher, now! Dance now! Prancer and Vixen, On! Comet, we! Cupid, we! Dunder and Blixem“Do you recognize them? They are nine reindeer of Santa Claus. Each reindeer has a first name and has its own particularity.
- Tornado (Dasher in English): the fastest
- Dancer (Dance): the most graceful
- Fury (Prancer): the most powerful
- Dashing (Vixen): the strongest
- Comet (Comet): which brings happiness to children
- Cupid (Cupid): who sows love
- Thunder (Dunder): the strongest
- Flash (Blixem): who brings light
- Rudolph (the red-nosed reindeer): who guides the herd
How many reindeer does Santa Claus have?
Santa Claus can count on a team of 9 reindeer to accompany him. According to stories, he initially had only 8, but in 1939, writer Robert Lewis May introduced a newcomer (the ninth) to a story: Rudolph. Legend has it that during his tour, Santa Claus saw a young reindeer with a shiny red nose in a clearing in Norway. Seduced by this particularity, he would have offered to join the team to help it light up the festive nights, which he accepted.
Furthermore, Santa’s reindeer live with him, Mrs. Claus and the elves in Lapland, in the very north of Finland. They also feed mainly on plants and fungi. This is why the children sometimes leave them hay and carrots during the Christmas tour.
