Reindeer Round-Up: 6 Fascinating Facts About Santa’s Sleigh Team

These hardy deer do much more than pull Santa’s sleigh. Discover the details of reindeer vision and migration and their storied history with Arctic indigenous people.

By Gabe Allen
Dec 12, 2023 4:00 PM
Santa Claus soars through the sky on a sleigh pulled by reindeer.
A poem from the 1820s solidified the story of Santa Claus soaring through the sky on a sleigh pulled by reindeer. (Credit: Yuganov Konstantin/Shutterstock)

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Santa’s team of reindeer helpers has inspired Christmas songs, Hollywood movies, and an off-Broadway musical. But unlike the other magical creatures that populate our screens and stages, Santa’s reindeer have a real-world counterpart with a population that numbers in the millions.

Armed with thick fur and tremendous antlers, these regular, non-flying reindeer have a circumpolar distribution, meaning they live on every continent with land near the North Pole.

So, whether you’re a Christmas nerd or Arctic animal buff, here are six fun facts about reindeer to share with friends and family this holiday season.

1. Reindeer Became a Symbol of Christmas in the 1820s

A poem from the 1820s solidified the story of Santa Claus soaring through the sky on a sleigh pulled by reindeer. (Credit: Yuganov Konstantin/Shutterstock)
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