The famous Reindeer Games are about to begin at the North Pole. Bright and early tomorrow the reindeer are registered, matched up and the competitions begin.

The games feature critical skills that every reindeer tries to work on. There are running contests, jumping contests and races of different lengths. For those with advanced skills there are games tied to flying, power lifting and pulling, and even marathon distance endurance tests.

The most difficult of the games is a round the world endurance race where reindeer are challenged to find locations, check in, and return to the North Pole in a specific time.

Santa monitors the games pretty closely. He receives constant updates of where reindeer are and how they are doing in the games.

The games are not necessarily an important thing for this Christmas. But they go a long way to how Santa will place and train a reindeer in his program in January. There are many reindeer here visiting the North Pole because they know participating in the games is the way they get invited to live at the North Pole full time.

While many thousands of reindeer call the North Pole home there are millions of others from all over the world who want to live at the North Pole, to become an elf and to eventually become one of Santa’s reindeer on his team every Christmas Eve.

As you know, there are 9 regular reindeer that Santa uses. We call them the A-team. Everyone knows them by name.

But there are thousands of others who are elves like any other elf. They work for Santa doing other jobs, especially on Christmas Eve. The power support sleighs, scout teams, freight sleighs and other functions critical to the success of Operation Merry Christmas. These reindeer, like many elves, work without getting much notice.

The reindeer games are a way for them to get some notice. Perhaps this week one or two of them will emerge in competition.

We will keep you posted.