~~~
For many of us, Rudolph;
and the rest of Santa's reindeer;
are as much a part of Christmas folklore;
as the holiday spirit itself.
But these classic characters;
are very much a modern addition;
to Christmas tradition.
The legend of Santa's reindeer;
began in the now famous poem,;
"The Night Before Christmas."
The poem, written by Clement Clarke Moore;
in 1822 as a Christmas gift to his children,;
introduced the notion of Santa's sleigh;
being magically pulled by eight mythical reindeer:
"When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
But where was Rudolph,?
the most famous of all the reindeer;
in Moore's poem?
Rudolph wasn't born until;
more than a century later.
In 1939 the Montgomery Ward company;
wanted to give away a Christmas booklet;
as a promotional gimmick.
The store tapped one of its best;
copywriters, Robert L. May.
A 34-year old father whose wife;
was terminally ill to author the booklet.
With his knack for writing;
children's limericks.
May was the perfect choice.
May sought out to create a hero;
for all children.
Especially for those like himself,
who were taunted and picked on;
for being smaller and slower;
than his peers.
His vision led him to;
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer;
an underdog champion outcast;
for his glowing red nose.
Printed in 1939, the booklet;
reached a distribution of more than;
2.4 copies through nationwide;
Montgomery Ward stores.
Paper rationing during World War II;
curtailed production, but by 1946,;
more than 6 million copies;
of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer;
had been given out.
But by then, May was a widower;
and single dad, in deep debt;
from his wife's medical bills.
In 1947, though, May secured;
his financial future when Montgomery Ward;
granted him the copyright;
over Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
May okayed the licensing of the first;
short animated film version of Rudolph;
in 1948 and in 1949, Gene Autry;
recorded the musical version;
of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
That song went on to become;
the second best-selling song of all time;
("White Christmas" is number one.)
The special place of Rudolph;
the Red-Nose Reindeer in America's;
Christmas culture was codified in 1964,
when an animated version of the story;
was telecast for the first time.
That beloved show has been aired;
every year since, making it;
the top Christmas show of all time.
