Are your stockings neatly hung by the chimney? Have you set out milk and cookies for a cheerful visitor? It’s Christmas Eve, and children around the globe are eagerly anticipating Santa Claus’s magical arrival tonight.
In a delightful update, the reindeer team pulling Santa’s sleigh has been cleared for international travel, thanks to a veterinarian—where else but in North Pole, Alaska?
And yes, there’s a certificate confirming this festive news:
There’s been talk of Santa potentially upgrading his sleigh team from the traditional Scandinavian reindeer to the more robust Alaskan caribou. However, Santa is sticking to tradition, and his iconic team remains unchanged, including the famous red-nosed leader.
Ensuring the reindeer are in top shape is a must, given the long-standing tradition that dates back to 1821. This was when Santa’s sleigh was first depicted as being led by reindeer in the poem “Old Santeclaus with Much Delight,” found in the book “The Children’s Friend: A New-Year’s Present, to the Little Ones from Five to Twelve.” Two years later, the famous poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” widely known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” introduced us to the reindeer by name.
To qualify for sleigh-pulling duties, reindeer need to be at least two years old. With an additional year of flight and navigation training, Santa’s reindeer would be roughly three years old when they first take to the skies. That makes them an impressive 202 years old today. As for Santa, if he began his legendary journey at 20 years old, he would now be a sprightly 222.
— Ward Clark (@TheGreatLander) December 24, 2025
Rumor has it that Santa has been considering an upgrade, trading his traditional Scandinavian reindeer for Alaskan caribou, their larger, stronger, faster cousins. But you don’t mess with tradition, and Santa’s team, well, you just don’t get any more traditional than that. Especially that one with the glowing red nose.
But tradition also mandates a scrupulous medical checkup; it simply wouldn’t do to have Donner, Blitzen, or any of the others dropping out. Especially when you consider just how long this tradition has been going on, as in, at least since 1821. That’s the first mention of Santa’s sleigh being drawn by reindeer; a poem from that year, Old Santeclaus with Much Delight, was published in a book called The Children’s Friend: A New-Year’s Present, to the Little Ones from Five to Twelve. In 1823, the poem A Visit from St. Nicholas, better known now as T’was the Night Before Christmas, appears to be the first time the team was mentioned by name.
A reindeer has to be full-size for sleigh-pulling duty; that would require a two-year-old, minimum. Add a year for flight school and navigation training, and you’re looking at a three-year-old. That would make Santa’s reindeer 202 years old. Santa, then, has to be a real geezer; if we allow that he was 20 when he started his flights, that makes him 222 now.
Hope he has a retirement plan.
