North Pole Hideaway: Reindeer Training
Based
on what we know about reindeer and science, we think that Santa would have to have a state-of-art training facility in order to get reindeer ready for the rigors of flight. A simple, idyllic barn in the middle of the Arctic would make an ideal facility for such activities.
A comfortably large stable would have enough room to provide fatigued reindeer with a place to sleep as well as contain equipment such as
flight simulators,
treadmills and steering practice platforms. Specially trained elves would be on-site to take care of the reindeer and guide them through their training
exercises.
This is also where the elves
would make any repairs or additions to Santa's sleigh when he needs a little
something extra. The runners on the bottom of the sleigh, for example, would need to be examined pretty frequently. Since Santa lands on so many
roofs on Christmas Eve, the elves would need to make sure the sleigh's
landing equipment can handle a few scratches and dents.
And
if Santa should need an immediate Christmas Eve repair, the head elf
technician could climb through the transdimensional present compartment
and fix the sleigh in mid-flight. We'd like to think that Santa has been greatly influenced by
NASCAR, and that this procedure works very much like a NASCAR pit-stop.
Without
his sleigh, Santa would have a tough time getting airborne the night
before Christmas. Fortunately, elves, reindeer and technology could all be available for help, keeping St. Nick as jolly as
possible.
Milk and cookies could help, too, of course. So don't forget to put those out.
Santa's Magic Horse?
Early stories of
Santa Claus from other nations, when he was better known as St. Nicholas or
Sinterklaas, associated the big guy with sailors, navigators and horses
instead of sleighs. During the 19th century, for instance, Washington Irving --
author of the famous short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and
"Rip Van Wrinkle" -- told the tale of a small, elf-like creature who
rode a magic horse around New York
City and delivered presents by climbing down chimneys.
It wasn't until Clement Clark Moore published the classic poem "The Night
Before Christmas" in 1823 that Santa Claus was given his sleigh and a team
of reindeer. [source: BSU]
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