Reindeer @ MindSay 
quiz
Though the morning at the library has actually been quite busy...(interpret that to mean I have been doing actual work) I have found time for internet browsing.
Most often, my browsing takes the form of random clicking on anything that catches my eye, however, given the time of year, my surfing has been a bit more focused of late.
I have been reading an excellent book (that I have read before, but enjoy rereading annually) called The Autobiography of Santa Claus by Santa Claus (as told to Jeff Guinn). This is a wonderful story that literally gives the history of Santa, the truth about the man behind the myth and several interesting historical facts that Santa personally recounts as he traveled through history. If you are a cheesy holiday fan like me, I heartily recommend this book. If you aren't but still enjoy a great story and a bit of history....well, I recommend it for you as well.
Having said that, I have been browsing some of the tidbits that particularly interest me from this book. And in doing so, I came across this awesome bit of information taken from a fun website called How Stuff Works.
Although Rudolph is what's called a bull -- a male reindeer -- there's a rumor that many of Santa's reindeer might be cows, or female reindeer. Why is this?
Have you ever seen pictures of Santa flying in his sleigh with his team of reindeer? If you have, you'll notice that the reindeer have fully grown antlers. The interesting thing is, though, male reindeer typically shed their antlers by early December, well before Christmas Eve. The antlers grow back in the spring, and the cycle of growth and regrowth continues. Cows keep their antlers all year long, however, so the chances that there are more females than males on Santa's sleigh are a bit higher.
This isn't to say that all of the reindeer are female and Rudolph's the only guy out there. Most males shed their antlers, but not all of them, and it's possible that a bull won't lose his antlers until after December. Accounts of Blitzen, a part of the original team of reindeer, identify him as Rudolph's father, so we know that Santa has both male and female reindeer leading his sleigh.
So there you have it: Santa is an EOE-for the most important job on Christmas Eve, he doesn't just trust the men...he knows that when there is real work to be done, get the women involved.
Oh, the only issue I have with all this is that the movie version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer credits Donner as being Rudolph's daddy, not Blitzen. It's a big mystery-maybe one I will try and solve after lunch.
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 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. Female reindeer retain their antlers until after they give birth in the spring.
Therefore, 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've 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. ;)
~ B
Well, it is December already. How time fly's when you are having fun. 
It is time once again for a little twisted holiday humor. May the chuckles be many and the snowflakes be few and far between. Also may you be blessed with an abundance of warm woolly socks and comfortable fitting long underwear. 
Most of us are familiar with the various phases of the moon. There is the 'Full Moon', the 'Harvest Moon', the 'Blue Moon' and recently a new phase has been sighted. This one a little closer to earth. This phase has been aptly named the 'Snow Moon'.
Even 'Frosty the Snowman' has caught up to modern times and has been experimenting with some of today's modern wonder drugs. A little Viagra goes a long way and perhaps Frosty should learn to read the labels a little more closely.
Santa's Reindeer are no strangers to the stresses of the holiday season. They have to deal with hazards they may encounter in their worldly travels.
Even Rudolph has had to deal with much in the way of on the job harassment. He may have gone a bit overboard in his response and seeking 'Rudolph's Revenge'.
Santa also has to deal with a few problems of his own this time of the year. Determining who has been naughty or nice. Making sure there are enough toys and presents for all the little girls and boys. And dealing with other issues related to the temperament of those he relies on to get all the gifts delivered on time.
With the increase in modern air travel and the related traffic in the Friendly Skies there is also an increase in hazards to be aware of.
Last but not least for those of us in the colder northern climates it is time to make sure we are prepared for the cold and winter snows that are about to make our lives a bit more busy. We have to make sure our snow shovels are in good condition. Perhaps have a bit of salt on hand to take care of any ice that may make our walkways and driveways a bit hazardous. And if we are fortunate to have one, it is time to make sure the snow blower is in good working condition after sitting idle for such a long time.
I wonder if for this particular machine they had to use a little Preparation H on that discharge chute. I don't even want to know where the other end of that device is attached to.
So, in all, the holiday season can be a stressful time for many. For now I will leave you with a bit of age old holiday cheer.
HO . . HO . . HO . . Merry Christmas!!
Since both of those cheerful holiday chants have been recently deemed not appropriate or no longer 'Politically Correct', I will surely be condemned to 'Holiday Hell' for making them. But then I do not really care. As another old twisted saying goes . . .
Happy Holidays to all . . . And to all a Good Night!
REMEMBER THIS AT CHRISTMAS TIME According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 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. Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring. Therefore, 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've known... ONLY women would be able to drag an overweight man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost !!!
| You Are Vixen |
 Why You're Naughty: That fur pulling spat you got into with Dancer over Santa. Why You're Nice: Because even when you're nice, you're still delightfully naughty! |
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