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December 2, 2008 -Third Day of Advent
Red-Nosed Raindeer Day
 Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Johnny Marks (c) 1949
You know Dasher and Dancer
And Prancer and Vixen,
Comet and Cupid
And Donner and Blitzen.
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows
All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
Rudolph with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?
Then all the reindeer loved him
And they shouted out with glee
"Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
You'll go down in history!"
The Story of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph came to life in 1939 when the Chicago-based Montgomery Ward Company
asked one of their copywriters, Robert L. May, to come up with a Christmas story
they could give away to shoppers as a promotional gimmick. May, who had a penchant for writing
children's stories and limericks, was tapped to create the booklet.
May, drawing in part on the tale of The Ugly Duckling and his own background
(he was a often taunted as a child for being shy, small, and slight),
settled on the idea of an underdog ostracized by the reindeer community
because of his physical abnormality: a glowing red nose. Looking for an alliterative name,
May considered and rejected Rollo (too cheerful and carefree a name for the story of a misfit)
and Reginald (too British) before deciding on Rudolph. He tested his story
out on his daughter Barbara. Denver Gillen, a friend from Montgomery Ward's art department,
illustrated the book. Montgomery Ward distributed 2.4 million copies of the
Rudolph booket in 1939, and although wartime paper shortages curtailed printing for the next several
years, a total of 6 million copies had been given by the end of 1946.
Johnny Marks decided to adapt May's story into a song, the most famous was recorded by Gene Autry in 1949.
Burl Ives did the song for the TV show.
   
  
 Rudolph and Rainbow
Reindeer Facts
- What are the names of Santa's reindeer? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and of course - Rudolph
(See if you can find out how the reindeers got their names!)
- How do reindeers survive in the extreme cold? One thing that helps is eating lots of moss. Most other animals don't eat moss. It's hard to digest, and it has little nutritional value. But reindeer fill up with lots of moss. Why? The moss contains a special chemical that helps reindeer keep their body fluids warm.
- Did you know that Rudolph has a day named is his honour? - it's the 2nd of December - Red-Nosed Reindeer Day!
- 'Reindeer' is the name given to domesticated Artic Deer.
- Reindeer and caribou have unique hairs which trap air providing them with excellent insulation. These hairs also help keep them buoyant in the water. They are very strong swimmers and can move across wide rushing rivers and even the frozen ice of the Arctic Ocean!
- Reindeer and Caribou are the same species but are different in some body features.
- Every reindeer regardless of sex or age grows a new set of antlers every year.
- During May and June the calves are born. Very precocious , they grow quickly.
- Edible mushrooms, lichens and Arctic vegetation are the favourite food of reindeer.
- Extra wide, splayed hooves enable reindeer to spread weight on soft snow to prevent them sinking.
- Reindeer usually live for about 8 years
- Facial hair extends down to their lips protecting the muzzle when grazing in snow.
- Reindeer are the only animals where males, females, and calves produce antlers.
- New antlers grow in the spring and summer.
- The primary function of antler is for gaining social dominance.
- Captive reindeer must be fed a balanced diet of commercial grains, forage and supplements.
- Reindeer prefer to drink snow rather than water in winter.
From Reindeer Feed Shed
 
Rudolph Dog drawn by residents of the
Masonic Eastern Star Home for Children
in Fremont, Nebraska for their Christmas Card
Elkhorn-Waterloo Assembly #38 Home Page
Christmas 2008 Advent Calendar
luna169oes@(REMOVE)msn.com
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Created November 20, 2008
Last Updated February 16, 2007 - (12/2-23) 33
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