Is that Rudolph I spy?

Party Time

One of my walks takes me along the side of a deer farm with some beautiful example of deer antlers on display. and even in the fields of the farm, it is possible to see the wild nature of these beautiful animals at work. How they break into little herds each with a stag and each group staying together.

Og course reindeer are on our mind at this time of year as we sing about Rudolk the red nosed reindeer. But here are some interesting facts you might not have been aware of about them. While both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December.

On the other hand, female reindeer retain their antlers until after they give birth in the spring. 
Now if you consider this fact, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a girl.

We should have known... ONLY women would be able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost. Now my apologies if the way I share this has come across as sexist because I did not intend it to be so. That said it does make me smile because I know a few females who would tell me that I should have known this anyway, that is just stating the obvious.

Now while we are on the subject of facts let me share one or two others with you. 
There are currently 78 people named S. Claus living in the USA, and one Kriss Tingle.

December is the most popular month for nose jobs.

The weight of Santa's sleigh loaded with one Beanie Doll for every child on earth would weigh approximately 333,333 tons.

The number of reindeer required to pull a 333,333 ton sleigh would be about 214,206, plus Rudolph.

To deliver his gifts in one night, Santa would have to make 822.6 visits per second, sleighing at 3,000 times the speed of sound.

At that speed, Santa and his reindeer would burst into flames instantaneously. 

The average British child will open 18 presents on Christmas morning, worth £330 according to a recent survey.

Of the presents received, one in 10 will be broken by the New Year, only 40% will make it to March and just a quarter will be intact by next Christmas.

In total, around 46 million of toys, worth £870m will be thrown away worldwide, mostly to landfill sites.

Now how many of you remember the little rhyme I remember singing as a child?  

Christmas is coming,
The goose is getting fat,
Please to put a penny in an old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny,
A half-penny will do,
If you haven't got a half-penny,
God bless you! 

In comparison to the above facts, I remember in my stocking, and it was a stocking, The Broons/Oor Willie book, a small toy an orange and a silver threepenny. I do not really think it was any less a happy time than it is now.

The little poem was also a reminder that it was not a time to think only of ourselves but to also remember others a lot more deprived than we were. If we were not able to give financially we were able to give an act of kindness. My father was a great believer and educator of this last fact.

Have a wonderful day.