Santa’s Reindeer

We all know Father Christmas lives in Lapland, which is home to tens of thousands of reindeer (there are more reindeer than people here!).

The native Sami people have been using reindeer to pull their sleds for thousands of years, so they were an obvious choice to help pull Santa’s sleigh...

But not all reindeer in Lapland can fly, and scientists are still unable to explain how Santa’s legendary pack manage to soar through the skies - it’s a closely guarded secret that only Santa and his elves know.

Rumour has it Santa’s specially selected favourites are sprinkled with magic dust on Christmas Eve - others say it’s something added to their daily food.

They’re also enlisted in the prestigious Reindeer Aviation Academy where they learn to fly and navigate the globe. After years of training to refine their aeronautic skills, the reindeer graduate and are able to help Santa give out his presents on Christmas Eve by zooming through the night’s sky pulling his sleigh behind them.

However they do it, every year they manage to bring joy to millions of children on Christmas morning by achieving the impossible!

Read more about the individual characters of each reindeer on our page about reindeer names.

Images © Juho Kuva & Visit Finland

Lapland isn’t just home to Santa’s magical reindeer but thousands of others too and since prehistoric times, they’ve been crucial to the Sami people for survival - providing food, clothing, transport and provisions. The Finnish reindeer is the largest of the species - some as heavy as 300kg - and have adapted wide feet to help them walk through the snow and narrow antlers so they’re able to move through trees more easily. A strong sense of smell lets them find food (preferably lichen), even when it’s over 60cm under the snow.

These animals love the cold weather in northern Scandinavia, with heavy fur coats formed out of hollow hairs which are great for trapping warm air and conserving heat – these hollow hairs are also very buoyant so help them float. In the winter, they grow out their facial hair to cover their mouths so their muzzles don’t freeze whilst they forage - or maybe they’re just copying Santa’s big bushy beard!

Reindeer have one of the largest migratory journeys of any land animal, some travelling over 3000 miles a year as they move in search of fresh pastures and new areas to forage. Since they’re so often on the move, new-born calves have to learn to walk very quickly – they’re usually able to run less than 90 minutes after birth, Bambi take note 😉

Herders each have their own distinctive symbol which they mark on their reindeer’s ear so they know which belong to them. In Finland there are an estimated 16,000 different marks.

Reindeer meat is very popular across Lapland and you can’t visit the area without it cropping up on the menu, just make sure not to tell the kids that they’re eating one of Rudolph’s friends! A healthy, lean meat, it’s most commonly sautéed with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam or smoked over an open fire.

1. There are more reindeer than people in Lapland.

2. They are fast - a one-day-old reindeer can outrun an Olympic sprinter. Adults can reach speeds of 50mph and swim at 6.2 miles per hour (that’s faster than Michael Phelps!)

3. The Sami, the native people of northern Finland, rely on reindeer and have around 400 words for the food, tools and other products and parts taken from reindeer.

4. Reindeer have special hooves which adjust to the seasons. In the summer, the ground is wet so their foot pads soften to provide them with extra grip. In the winter, these pads tighten which allows the rim of their hooves to dig into the snow and ice to provide traction.

5. Many species of reindeer have knees which make a clicking noise as they walk so that migrating groups can stay together, even in the thickest whiteout. Babies, however, don’t click until they are about a year old so that they aren’t vulnerable to predators. It’s not just Rudolph’s bright red nose that helps to guide reindeer through foggy winter nights!

6. Reindeer are the only type of deer in which both male and female reindeer have antlers. Females retain their antlers until they give birth in the spring while male reindeer shed theirs each winter. Reindeer are also the only mammals that grow new sets of antlers annually.

7. Like a human’s fingerprint, no two reindeer antlers are the same

8. To survive the incredibly low temperatures of northern Finland, reindeer have developed the ability to divert cold blood to their legs whilst keeping their core warm.

9. Reindeer are the only mammals whose eyes are known to change colour. The eyes are gold during the summer when the reindeer experience almost constant sunlight, but in the darkness of winter their retinas become less reflective and their eyes appear blue.

10. Never ask a reindeer herder how many reindeer he has, it’s like asking his salary and is considered very rude!

One more for luck:

11. In order to give out all of his presents on Christmas Eve, Santa and his reindeer will be travelling at 10,703,437.5km/hr, or about 1800 miles per second!

A visit to Lapland isn’t complete without a reindeer sleigh ride, exploring the stunning Finnish scenery by using the method of transport that the Sami people have used for thousands of years. As you glide across the snow, with only the sounds of the reindeer’s breath and hooves for company, you feel wonderfully close to nature. Kids will love being pulled along by some of Rudolph’s friends, just like Santa does when he comes to deliver presents on Christmas Eve…

In minutes, you can be far away from the resort, snuggled under a warm rug and enjoying the wild landscape and the skies above you. Lapland’s one of the best vantage points to see the awesome Northern Lights and nothing’s more atmospheric than viewing the aurora from the back of a sleigh being pulled through the wilderness by reindeer, with a warm drink in your hand and a blanket on your lap. A true once in a lifetime experience!

After some simple instructions from a genuine reindeer herder and being introduced to your reindeer, you’re usually able to drive your own sleigh which is super fun as you dash through the snow and manoeuvre your way through the scenic forest, in control of these majestic animals. If you catch the sleigh-riding bug, you can even take the international reindeer driver’s license and Arctic Circle Crossing Certificate.

It’s sometimes possible to take part in the local winter sport, which is the white-knuckle activity of reindeer racing. Racers are on skis hanging on for deer life behind a specifically trained racing reindeer (a bit like Arctic drag racing). However, considering that they can reach speeds of up to 70km per hour, this is not a sport for the faint-hearted…

You can also visit nearby reindeer farms which are a terrific way to find out more about the animals and the livelihoods of the Sami people who rely on them, while young ones will enjoy being able to feed and pet the reindeer close up.

"We take care of everything"

Enquire or call Idalette on 020 7770 6888