Reindeer are the only deer where both males and females grow antlers. Join Our Email List. Learn more about our commitment to safety. The Franklin Institute is a C 3 nonprofit registered in the U. The Franklin Institute. Here are some more reindeer facts to pull out at Christmas Eve dinner: Reindeer have color-changing eyes.
When winter rolls around and brings near constant darkness, their eyes turn blue, which increases the scatter of reflected light and helps them see better. They are also the only mammals that can see ultraviolet light, which helps them pick out objects in the dim Arctic winter. Reindeer can float. One of their two coat layers is made up of hollow hairs that trap air, holding in body heat and giving them some buoyancy.
In North America, some reindeer undertake a massive migration of more than 3, miles in a year—the longest migration of any land mammal. Connect With Us. Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube Linkedin. Folklore has it that during a particularly foggy Christmas Eve one year, Santa was unable to fly his sleigh due to poor visibility.
We've posited that Rudolph helped guide Santa's sleigh through the bad weather with his bioluminescent nose radiating a red light. Learn more about why Rudolph's nose is red. In the next section, we'll look at the possibility of a secret training facility in the North Pole, where reindeer get ready for the big day. Reindeer, found mainly in Scandinavia, the Arctic tundra and some parts of Russia and China, are closely related to the North American caribou. In many of these areas, reindeer still factor into economy and transportation — a pretty impressive feat since people began taming them more than 2, years ago.
Strong and energetic, they're ideal for pulling sleighs in cold seasons [source: Galloway ]. Based on what we know about reindeer and science, we think that Santa would have to have a state-of-art training facility in order to get reindeer ready for the rigors of flight.
A simple, idyllic barn in the middle of the Arctic would be ideal for such activities. A comfortably large stable would have enough room to provide fatigued reindeer with a place to sleep as well as contain equipment such as flight simulators , treadmills and steering practice platforms.
Specially trained elves would be on-site to take care of the reindeer and guide them through their training exercises. This is also where the elves would make any repairs or additions to Santa's sleigh when he needs a little something extra.
The runners on the bottom of the sleigh, for example, would need to be examined thoroughly before Santa takes off on Christmas Eve. The runners are rumored to use an adaptive suspension system similar to those found in high-end off-road SUVs, which enable the sleigh to adjust to different types of terrain. Not only would that help Santa's sleigh land on different types of roofs all over the world, in all types of weather, the self-adjusting suspension would also help cushion the sleigh to make landings a little more pleasant.
And if Santa should need an immediate Christmas Eve repair, the head elf technician could climb through the transdimensional present compartment and fix the sleigh in mid-flight. How do Santa's elves power this high-tech facility? Well, solar power and wind power, of course. The North Pole gets sunlight nearly round the clock, all summer long [source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ], and the workshop's state-of-the-art solar array is able to store enough power to run through the winter, when the sun all but disappears.
Wind turbines help supplement the stored power so there's no danger of running out. This environmentally friendly setup is also how the elves charge the electric motor in Santa's sleigh. Without his sleigh, Santa would have a tough time getting airborne the night before Christmas.
Fortunately, elves, reindeer and technology could all be available for help, keeping St. Nick as jolly as possible. Early stories of Santa Claus from other nations, when he was better known as St. Nicholas or Sinterklaas, associated the big guy with sailors, navigators and horses instead of sleighs. During the 19th century, for instance, Washington Irving — author of the famous short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle" — told the tale of a small, elf-like creature who rode a magic horse around New York City and delivered presents by climbing down chimneys.
Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. How Santa's Sleigh Works. Now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen! North Pole Hideaway: Reindeer Training. Sleigh Technology " ". Santa's sleigh is a state-of-the-art marvel of modern engineering.
One Cozy Cockpit We've already talked a little about how Santa stays in touch with his North Pole command center during his trip. Now Dasher! Physiologist Paolo Viscardi estimates that reindeer would need a foot-long wing span in order to take flight.
The secret to the entire operation was that Santa and his reindeer were impossibly small. This allowed the entire group to basically just catch a strong winter breeze and float through the sky. The gifts they delivered arrived in microscopic miniature as well and then magically grew to their appropriate size by morning. This also easily explained why Santa and his reindeer had never actually been spotted and photographed.
I was thrilled at my discovery back then, but today it seems rather silly to be sure. Now, of course, I realize all those wondrous things happened, simply because I believed that they could. Sometimes, I miss those days when even my most skeptical questions had magical answers.
Back in that amazing time when I used to know for certain just how reindeer were able to fly. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world! See author's posts. When I was growing up there was candy sitting around everywhere this time of year. Like most little kids, my first bike came with three wheels. I tend to imagine all of my childhood Halloween has arrived and with it, a host of spooky things and creepy costumes are wandering the night.
I thought the magic of flight was hidden in that famous red nose…. Thanks so much Jodi! Such a handsome reindeer, Charlie! That was enough for my young brain. I saw it on TV so it had to be true, right? Christmas magic is a wonderful thing!
Thanks so much, Carol!! Hehe… Yep… Magic corn is such wonderful explanation. Love Christmas Magic!!! Hope yours was magical this year! A wonderful explanation of Santa and reindeer secrets! Warmest of wishes for the holiday season to you and yours! Thanks so much, Sharon!!
I used to think the antlers had hidden webbing, like the flying fox, that they opened after they took off. And they moved their legs too, like when you swim, to give that extra push. After all, they were carrying a lot of cargo and a long way to go all around the world, in one night no less! I still believe that happens! Thanks, Janina! I love it… I could belive that too! Santa and his reindeer had to be small.
How else could science ever reconcile with the idea of a flying gift-bearer. Fantastic reindeer, Charlie!! Thanks, Jill! Let us hope for magic and love for this season, no matter what holiday we celebrate — it is certainly needed. Thanks so much, Sharon! And yes to magic and love, whatever the season! The child is certainly father to the man in your case — thankfully for all of us who follow your blog.
Happy Christmas to you both!
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