Ep. 65: Santa Claus’s 9 Reindeer
Intro
Hello and Welcome to this episode of the podcast "The Mnemonic Tree", where we add a single mnemonic leaf to our Tree of Knowledge.
Today's episode is our first Christmas special as I missed it last year, basically due to a lack of planning, as I was still in the early phases of the podcast getting going, and not knowing whether I was Arthur or Martha.
So, todays episode will be on Santa’s nine reindeer. Now that number did originally start at one, then went to eight and then subsequently to nine with the addition of Rudolph our red nosed reindeer. Apparently, in the original story the reindeer were given to Santa by the magical elf named Donner to fly around the world delivering presents on Christmas Eve.
Todays mnemonic is on Santa Claus’s 9 reindeer.
So, with no further ado, we will begin with a summary from Wikipedia.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Merry_Christmas,_santa_and_his_reindeer_(NBY_4988).jpg
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Wikipedia Summary
In traditional festive legend and popular culture, Santa Claus's reindeer are said to pull a sleigh through the night sky to help Santa Claus deliver gifts to children on Christmas Eve.
The number of reindeer characters, and the names given to them (if any) vary in different versions, but those frequently cited in the United States are the eight listed in Clement Clarke Moore's 1823 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, the work that is largely responsible for the reindeer becoming popularly known.[1] In the original poem, the names of the reindeer are given as Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Dunder and Blixem.[note 1][3][4]
The popularity of Robert L. May's 1939 storybook Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Gene Autry's 1949 Christmas song "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", resulted in Rudolph often being included as the ninth character.
Many other variations in reindeer names and number have appeared in fiction, music, film and TV.
The names of the author and the illustrator are not known.[6]
The poem, with eight coloured lithographic illustrations, was published by William B. Gilley as a small paperback book entitled The Children's Friend: A New-Year's Present, to the Little Ones from Five to Twelve.[7]
The illustration to the first verse features a sleigh with a sign saying "REWARDS" being pulled by an unnamed single reindeer.
The first reference to Santa's sleigh being pulled by a reindeer appears in "Old Santeclaus with Much Delight", an 1821 illustrated children's poem published in New York.[5][6] The names of the author and the illustrator are not known.[6] The poem, with eight colored lithographic illustrations, was published by William B. Gilley as a small paperback book entitled The Children's Friend: A New-Year's Present, to the Little Ones from Five to Twelve.[7] The illustration to the first verse features a sleigh with a sign saying "REWARDS" being pulled by an unnamed single reindeer.
Extracted from: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus%27s_reindeer]
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jolly-old-saint-nick.gif
Mnemonic
Santa Claus’s 9 Reindeer Mnemonic – Really BaD CCoViPeDD
(Picture on Christmas Eve, all Santa’s Reindeers’ getting a really bad strain of covid called ccovipedd (because it can walk), but they soldier on with a little help from ?^%$#$%?$ which subsequently saves Christmas)
1. Rudolph
2. Blitzen
3. Donner
4. Cupid
5. Comet
6. Vixen
7. Prancer
8. Dancer
9. Dasher
Five Fun Facts
1. The genus and species name for the reindeer or caribou (same thing) is Rangifer tarandus. Reindeer is generally referring to the domesticated variety that are herded by humans and pull sleds.
2. Caribou or reindeer can run up to 80 km/hr which is around 48 mph, and for the kids they run even faster in air!
3. Along with this, they are known to travel long distances up to 5,000 km throughout a year, which is actually the longest of any land mammal
4. Reindeer manage the cold with the help of their unique hair which is tubular and traps the air inside. The circulatory system also keeps the cooler blood in the reindeer’s extremities from cooling the warm core.
5. A reindeer’s nose is shaped in a way that it warms the freezing air before it reaches their lungs. While their smell is also well adapted, being able to smell their food under half a metre of snow.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adornos_de_navidad._Pap%C3%A1_Noel.jpg
Three Question Quiz
Q.1. What sex are all Santa’s reindeers?
Q.2. Which of Santa’s reindeers is the fastest?
Q.3. In Chicago during 1939 Rudolph was created as a promotional figure for which department store? Options are Montgomery Wards, JC Penny or Sears?
Bonus Q. How much does it cost Santa to park his sleigh and reindeer on the roof?
A. Nothing, it’s on the house!
Mnemonic Recap
Santa Claus’s 9 Reindeer Mnemonic – Really BaD CCoViPeDD
(Picture on Christmas Eve, all Santa’s Reindeers’ getting a really bad strain of covid called ccovipedd (because it can walk), but they soldier on with a little help from ?^%$#$%?$ which subsequently saves Christmas)
1. Rudolph
2. Blitzen
3. Donner
4. Cupid
5. Comet
6. Vixen
7. Prancer
8. Dancer
9. Dasher
Three Question Quiz Answers
Q.1. What sex are all Santa’s reindeers?
A. Female – Because male reindeer actually shed their antlers after the mating season, which is in early December
Q.2. Which of Santa’s reindeers is the fastest?
A. Dasher
Q.3. In Chicago during 1939 Rudolph was created as a promotional figure for which department store? Options are Montgomery Wards, JC Penny or Sears?
A. Montgomery Wards
Bonus Q. How much does it cost Santa to park his sleigh and reindeer on the roof?
A. Nothing, it’s on the house!
Word of the Week
interlard
[ in-ter-lahrd ]
verb (used with object)
to diversify by adding or interjecting something unique, striking, or contrasting.
Example
The interlard of Rudolph to the original eight Reindeer augmented the story
Extracted from: [https://www.dictionary.com/]
With that, I’ll have to say, "I love you all deerly” and to everyone that listens to the podcast, I appreciate you and have an enjoyable and wonderful Christmas!
Website: https://www.themnemonictreepodcast.com/
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References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus%27s_reindeer
https://www.livescience.com/5943-surprising-truths-santa-reindeer.html
https://www.kidzworld.com/article/29798-reindeer-fun-facts/
https://www.countryliving.com/life/a30082485/reindeer-jokes/