Look at the Past: Santa Claus and the reindeer
From the archives of the Carrie M. McLain Memorial Museum, we offer you a condensed and edited version of a holiday story that appeared in the Nome Daily Nugget on December 24,1936. We hope you find it enjoyable and wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas.
The following article about Santa Claus and his reindeer was received from the U.S. Reindeer service, through J. Sidney Rood, Acting Gen. Reindeer Superintendent: Donner and Blitzen, in bright harness, are coursing the world. To good children in every land-such a great load of Christmas gladness they will haul! Trim, lithe, eager, they champ at Santa Claus’ restraint as they break through a dust of stars tonight, on their way and swiftly onward, quick as brilliant light, to little droll chimneys and great proud chimneys down which old Santa will take cheer.
Donner and Blitzen know the trails of the world. So long have they answered their diamond studded reins at Christmas. Even should Santa become drowsy from the soft clouds tonight- some places it is so far between homes – they will not become lost. That is one reason why Santa chose them again this year for his joyous Christmas trip. He chose them from more than 204,000 reindeer which his friends in Alaska counted last year, and maybe you think he wasn’t perplexed! Aluminum, Rainbow, and Lightning were nearly as pretty as Donner and Blitzen.
Reindeer are becoming so plentiful now, it is not easy for Santa to visit all the 57 herds between Barter Island, on the northern coast of the Arctic Ocean and Kodiak Island, on the Pacific Ocean, off southwestern Alaska, to select his team.
But let me tell you the real reason
Santa decided to use Donner and Blitzen again this year. It was because they did a splendid thing, and symbolize the Christmas spirit. Last spring they wandered along the coast, from Ugashik [sic] to Barter Island; Of course you know they can run no faster than other reindeer, except at Christmas time. They looked at lives –at poverty, and plenty, at hope and black despair, at abundant health and cruel sickness, at knowledge and at ignorance. But they passed by. They said: “We must take Santa Claus on his Christmas trip; we cannot delay.” But the snow came, wet and chill. It lodged upon their coats and froze. The ground became a sheet of ice, covering the moss with a glistening armor they could not break. The cold endured with no respite, until at last they despaired of life. And the raw north wind blew mercilessly. Then they came to the home of old Wassili, a sod house, moss-grown, cracked and bleak. But people’s hearts were in this home, too. Wassili came to them, feeble wife and many children with him, and welcomed them. They had no food for themselves; they took the sod from their roof, thawed it by the flame of their last seal oil and fed the travelers abundant moss. Then Donner and Blitzen knew they could take Christmas spirit across the world forever. They offered themselves to these poor people. “Let our coats keep you warm,” they said. “Let us give you life.” But old Wassili replied, “I have three seals cached on a distant beach. I am not strong. But if you will help me with them over the rough trails my family will have food.”
This was done forthwith and that is the real reason Donner and Blitzen are with Santa Claus tonight.