Twelve Blogs of Christmas, Part X: Reindeer

10 REINDEER
What? Were you expecting this under 8 or 9?

General Reindeer Information:In the claymation Santa Claus is common to town. The formerly wicked Winter Warlock gave Santa's friendly reindeer magical corn that allowed them to fly.

The famous poem, "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement Clarke Moore did a lot to set out image of Santa and Christmas. It was also the first to number and name the Reindeer. Before then there was a fluid number. Here is an excerpt from that famous poem:

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

Let's visit each of the Old School Reindeer.

1) Dasher - A good solid, strong and fleet reindeer. The leader of the reindeer team (in the same way there is a lead dog on the sled.) Also the origin of the expression "Dash away!" Meaning move like Dasher, some of the other reindeer tire of this constant comparison to "Santa's Pet".)

2) Dancer - A dexterous reindeer, girlfriend of Dasher.

3) Prancer - A "confirmed" bachelor reindeer.

4) Vixen - The most attractive and promiscuous of the reindeer. (Unrequited love of Blitzen)

5) Comet - The obsessive compulsive clean freak female reindeer.

6) Cupid - Matchmaker reindeer. A older male reindeer that hooked up Dasher and Dancer, as well as himself with Comet.

7) Donder - This reindeer HATE IT WHEN YOU CALL HIM DONNER! It's Donder, the reindeer with an anger management problem. His name got mixed up from the poem (see above) and the song (see below). Calling him Donner is a nickname that is annoying. Like Ryan being called RyRy.

8) Blitzen - The reindeer from Germany that was once stuck by lightning, earning his name.

9) Rudolf - The less said the better about this genetic freak the better. You all know the song. Sadly Rudolf is no longer with us. His disformity spread eventually his entire body glowed. Although beautiful this was too hot, it cooked his internal organs, and turned the rest of him into reindeer jerky. Any current sighting of Rudolf is actually Dasher with a fake nose attached.

10) Olive -The Other Reindeer, Champion Monopoly player. You sing about Olive every time you sing about Rudolf. Olive is a reindeer that was left out of the fateful trip that became the poem because of her propensity to make fun of others (Which is clearly naughty, and Santa wouldn't have it.) You know Olive... "Olive, The Other Reindeer, used to laugh and call him names..."

I really like it when a group of kids start singing the song and have differing opinions about the "additional lyrics."

You know Dasher and Dancer
And Prancer and Vixen,
Comet and Cupid
And Donner and Blitzen, (Note the incorrect usage of Donder)
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?

Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Reindeer ("Reindeer!")
Had a very shiny nose ('Like a light bulb!")
And if you ever saw him ("Saw it!", kids usually say saw "it" instead of him.)
You would even say it glows ("Like a flashlight!" Here arises the first real conflict of additional lyrics. The uncreative dim children want to say light bulb again.)

All of the other reindeer ("Reindeer." Notice Olive's name is misspelled in this line, but what do you expect after the author misspelled a simple name like Donder.)
Used to laugh and call him names ("Like Pinocchio!")
They never let poor Rudolph ("Rudolf")
Join in any reindeer games ("like Monopoly" other variants exist her in limited quantity.)

Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say ("Ho ho ho!" Although I prefer to sing "In his underwear!")
Rudolph, with your nose so bright,
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?

Then all the reindeer loved him ("Loved him." Note, that Olive is not mentioned here, she still disliked him.)
As they shouted out with glee: ("Yippee!")
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,
You'll go down in history! ("Like Columbus!" unfortunately there are many lesser incarnation of this last "ad lib." Including Atilla the Hun, Abraham Lincoln, and others.)

3 Down, 9 to go.
Merry Christmas!