The idea that Father Christmas (Santa Claus) lives at the North Pole dates back to the United States Civil War of the 1860s. But when did the flying reindeer enter the picture? They are there nowadays in the form of a group that pulls his sleigh through the sky and who include Rudolf among their number.
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When did flying reindeer become part of the Father Christmas (Santa Claus) story?
This seems to have occurred around 1821 A.D.
Santa’s flying sleigh and reindeer have separate lineages. The sleigh portion begins in 1812. Writing under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker, American author Washington Irving refers to St. Nicholas as "riding over the tops of the trees, in that self-same wagon wherein he brings his yearly presents to children" in his revised version of A Complete History of New York. However, there is no mention the wagon’s means of propulsion.
The first known written account of Santa’s reindeer occurred in 1821. That year, New York printer William Gilley published a sixteen page booklet titled A New Year's Present, to the Little Ones from Five to Twelve Number III: The Children's Friend by an anonymous author. In the book, reindeer are introduced into the Santa Claus narrative:
Old Santeclaus with much delight His reindeer drives this frosty night. O'er chimneytops, and tracks of snow, To bring his yearly gifts to you.
Ken Graham
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