Friday, December 21, 2012

Why Did Santa Choose Reindeer?

You know Dasher and Dance and Donner and Blitzen and all the rest of Santa's reindeer. But how much do you really know about these Christmas icons? The Jungle Store did a little digging and found out some pretty interesting tidbits.

So why did Santa choose reindeer as his method of transportation? Perhaps he was following tradition; Reindeer have been herded for centuries and used for transportation (though there's no word on how exactly Santa gets his to fly, other than Christmas magic).

 
Reindeer also have several features that make them well-equipped to work in the cold North Pole weather. They have specialized nasal bones that increase the surface of their nostrils, which helps them warm up the air they inhale before it reaches their lungs. And their hooves adapt to the winter weather, with hoof pads shrinking and tightening, allowing them to cut and dig through ice and snow to help them travel and find food.


Did you know that Santa's reindeer are all girls? They have to be, because male reindeer lose their antlers in the winter.

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