santa_claus_with_a_reindeer_0515-0912-1509-5701_SMUGreetings from the North Pole!

Wow — since last week’s post about reindeer we have just been bombarded with questions from folks from all over concerning Santa’s reindeer. Reindeer sure seem to be a very popular topic during the summer! We received many of the same questions so we will try to answer them for you today.

Riley, a charming girl from Chino, California in the USA asks: How long does it take for a reindeer’s antlers to grow?

Outstanding question! Elf Victor told me that the reindeer shed their old antlers about once a year, usually in the winter. They begin to grow back again in the spring. He says that they grow very, very quickly, usually just a couple of months and for some of the reindeer, especially the bigger boy reindeer, the antlers can become very, very large. Elf Victor said that not many people know this but when reindeer grow their antlers they are usually fuzzy and soft, not hard like a rock. They are very, very soft to the touch for about a month or so.

Eric, also from the USA, had another reindeer question: Can Rudolph talk like in the movies?

Elf Victor didn’t want to talk about this but Santa told me he would be glad to answer the question. He said that of course Rudolph and all the other reindeer can talk. But it is NOT like it is in the movie and not everyone can understand them. Santa, of course, understands them perfectly. He talks with them all the time. Santa says that reindeer are highly intelligent creatures with deep feeling, devotion and determination.

Aimee wrote in a very important question that several others were asking: Santa, I want to know if your reindeer are very special to you.

Santa wants everyone to understand this: “Yes, they are so very important to me, they are amongst my most special friends,” Santa said. “Some people think the reindeer work for me but that’s not true. They help me. I don’t make them do what they do, the reindeer do it because they love Christmas and giving. We work together. That is why they are so important to me. Reindeer are amongst the very best elves in the world and I love them deeply.”

We will be answering more questions during this week of celebrating Christmas in July. Stay tuned!

— Elf Ernest