The European reindeer, Rangifer tarandus, and the North American caribou might be the same subspecies within the Cervidae family. Clement C. Moore wrote Twas the Night before Christmas. The poem was first published in late 1824, with an1825 date, in the United States Almanac as "A Visit from St. Nicholas." There were other versions, but each has “eight tiny reindeer” pulling Santa’s sleigh. In 1912, the poem was published by Houghton Mifflin Company-Boston, with a copyright that has expired, making it public domain. Moore, according to some sources, without intent, chose to use reindeer as a symbol for secular Christmas to pull Santa Claus’s sleigh, although the animal played an important role in some Pagan religions.
Reindeer: The Animal
Cornell University conservation scientist Jeff Wells stated that the categorization of the caribou fluctuates while detailed genetic analysis continues. There are at least two evolutionary families of the caribou. The American subspecies is referred to as caribou; the Eurasian, reindeer. The caribou living in North America migrated south during the last glaciations. Reindeer survived in Eurasia. Both animals were and still are domesticated and used for milk, meat, fur, shelter, tools and transportation in Europe and in America, primarily by the Inuit tribe.
Santa’s Reindeer
Moore might have known about early Norse myths in which Thor’s chariot was pulled by goat who later transformed into reindeer as the legend was retold, from generation to generation, which could have inspired him when he wrote his famous poem.
Santa’s eight tiny reindeer are most likely the R.t. platyrhynchus subspecies from the Svalbard islands off of Norway because they are tiny compared to others in the family. They weigh about half as much as the average reindeer and are at least a foot shorter. It’s not easy to tell a reindeer’s sex. In most Cervidae species, only the male grows antlers. Females, in some populations, have them; in others, they don’t. Males lose their antlers in winter or spring; females, in summer. Santa’s reindeer may or may not be females, who, generally, are considerably smaller than males.
Rudolph was added to Santa’s herd in 1939 when ad copywriter Robert L. May wrote a children’s poem for the US retail store chain Montgomery Ward, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Rudolph means “famous wolf” in German. The poem was sporadically reprinted as a Christmas booklet. In 1947 May’s friend, Johnny Marks, wrote music for the poem. In 1949, US cowboy singer Gene Autry cut the record about Rudolf, which reached the top of the Hit Parade.
Reindeer and Kin Symbolism
Reindeer symbolize knowledge, wisdom, creativity, resourcefulness, dexterity, cleverness and inventiveness. They are honored for their nobility and representing continuation of the tribe.
Other members of herbivorous Cervidae family are deer, elk and moose. Each member has its own unique symbolism based on its attributes. Deer symbolizes gentleness, caring and kindness. Elk, is the Pagan symbol of stamina, power, strength, agility, freedom, nobility, pace and equilibrium of energy. Some AmerIndians believed the elk’s tooth symbolized a long life. Moose is the Pagan symbol of self-esteem, the magick of life and death and expressing joy of accomplishment, not in a boasting way or to seek recognition, but in a joyful spirit of sharing.
Reindeer: Central to Pagan Rituals
They were featured in sacrificial religious rituals of ancient nomadic Pagan Eurasian tribes. Rites, at the start of the hunting season, included a sacrifice to their god of the hunt by burying or submerging a young reindeer calf in still water. The wolf sacrifice was preventative rite. A reindeer and a wolf were killed; their bodies put on a high platform. This symbolized their god was pleased and wouldn’t allow wolves to attack reindeer. The sacrifices didn’t always involve killing. Some reindeer were consecrated and, after that, were exempt from being used.
An annual ceremony was held in spring. The sledges where images of their gods were kept were changed. A Shaman usually led the rituals. The most elaborate one was for the god Yahammu to glorify him, held only when the sun was shining. It was a privilege to make a section of the sledge. Only men were allowed to attend. Every man who made a part of the sledge had to smear it with the blood of a reindeer whom he killed for this event. More ceremonies, which women and children were allowed to attend, were held in the evening.
There was a biannual ceremony that lasted for nine days, when the sun returned in January. The shaman performed various rites for the first six days, then there was a dance that celebrated the sun's first appearance. Before ceremony ended, the shaman did rituals to heal the sick and predict the future.
Some nomadic reindeer herders believed that the land of the dead was near a river’s mouth. The deceased was given all of his personal property to use in the after life. Antlers from one or two of his reindeer which were sacrificed were hung on the tomb which was a wooden box made from drift wood and some of his tent poles, along with a reindeer hide pouch with paper money inside.
Did Moore know about ancient Pagan practice when he penned his enduring popular poem?
Sources:
The Book of Christmas, no authors or editors given, Reader’s Digest Association Inc., 1973.
Jennifer Viegas, “Reindeer or Caribou?” news.discovery.com/animals/reindeer-or-caribou.html.
Jill Harness, “11 Things You Might Like to Know about Reindeer,” www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/109354.
“Reindeer: Myth, religion and Tradition,” no author given, www.think-differently-about-sheep.com/Reindeer_myth_and_tradition.htm.
Ted Andrews, Animal Speak, Llewellyn Publications, 2002.
Jill Stefko - I'd rather deal with the paranormal than human abnormal - having dealt extensively with both.
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