Reindeer with a Sleigh Full of Presents

About this drawing

A sleigh full of presents is a modern holiday symbol, but the vehicle itself is far older than Christmas. Sledges rank among the earliest ways humans moved heavy loads, and in some cold regions they came before the wheel. Archaeologists have found wooden runners in northern Europe that date back thousands of years.

The physics is simple. Two long runners spread the weight of the load so it doesn't sink, and they slide with very little friction over snow or ice. That lets a single animal pull far more than it could ever carry on its back, a huge advantage in places with no roads.

Over time, dogs, horses, reindeer, and people all took turns in the harness. Arctic peoples relied on dog sleds for hunting and travel, and polar explorers later borrowed the idea. In snowy Russian and Central European cities, horse-drawn sleighs became an elegant way to get around. New England had them as well, and winter roads were packed down with rollers so that they could pass. Sleighs glide so quietly that drivers strapped bells to the horses to warn pedestrians, which explains the jingling in so many American carols, including the most famous one, written in the 1850s. A safety device turned into the sound of the season.

• sleigh
• reindeer
• presents
• jingle bells