A commonly misunderstood feature of Christmas are the reindeer Santa uses to drive his sleigh. First of all, the "rein" in their name isn't a European word for "rain", but really means the harness deer have around their heads. This is used to help them find their way while delivering presents.
Another part of the reindeer story that is misunderstood is its age, as people think reindeer have always been traditional Christmas characters. That isn't true. They are, in fact, relative newcomers to Christmas folklore, generally considered the creation of Henry Livingston, who wrote a poem about them in the year 1807.
This little rhyme included most of the names we have today for Santa's reindeer, with their meanings: Dasher (fast mover), Dancer (dancing moves), Prancer (elegant), Vixen (strong character), Comet (shooting star), Cupid (angel of love), Donner (thunder) and Blitzen (lightning). The most famous reindeer, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, was added in 1939 by a Chicago department store that wanted to attract customers during the holiday season.
Most interestingly, Santa's reindeer can fly thanks to magical corn available only in the North Pole. But when you see them flying across the sky next, remember they are new on those horizons!
