Test Flight Reindeer Return
Scores of test flight reindeer began their return to the North Pole this week.
In about a month these special reindeer will begin test flights of Santa’s new sleigh.
They are coming in advance of their first medical evaluations scheduled for next week on Monday, May 4th.
The test flight reindeer are the hardest working reindeer at the North Pole. They begin training in May and then take flight the first week of June. They do this every year. Test flights of Santa’s sleigh typical last right up until Christmas Eve day.
So these reindeer work for months on end without a break.
They typically leave the North Pole right after the annual Christmas party. They leave early and they come back early – well, at least compared to other reindeer.
The first order of business for them on Monday, May 4th will be a check-up with North Pole doctors. They will also be measured and weighed so that they can be outfitted with new harnesses for this year.
Of greatest concern over the next few weeks will be a return to a regimented diet. When they return to their wild homelands each January they encounter a variety of types of foods.
Upon their return to the North Pole their diet will be eased into their training routine. They will be feeding on fresh fruit (mostly berries), oats, and lots of water. Doctors also put them on a healthy dose of vitamins.
As their diet normalizes their training routines will increase in activity. The goal of the training staff at the Kringle Reindeer Center is to get them in top shape by the time flights begin in June.
We will keep you posted on their progress.
- Test Flight Reindeer Return - April 30, 2026
- Santa Triumphantly Returns to the North Pole - December 25, 2025
- Santa is on the West Coast of USA and Canada - December 25, 2025
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