Reindeer with a Santa hat and ornaments on its antlers

About this drawing

A reindeer with ornaments on its antlers could be any member of Santa's famous team, and every one of them has had a name since 1823. That year a poem called A Visit from St. Nicholas, now better known by its first line about the night before Christmas, was published in New York.

The poem introduced eight reindeer by name: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen. Before that, stories about Saint Nicholas sometimes mentioned a single reindeer or none at all, so these verses gave the team a lasting identity.

Each name hints at a personality. Dasher sounds fast, Dancer and Prancer sound playful, and Vixen suggests a clever fox. The last two came from Dutch and German words for thunder and lightning, a nod to the many Dutch and German families in New York at the time. Later versions changed Donder to Donner, and both spellings are still heard today.

More than a century later, a ninth reindeer with a glowing nose joined the group and took the lead. That is why people now often say Santa has nine reindeer. Reciting all the names in order is a classic holiday challenge, and many kids learn them through songs before they can even read.

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