Traditionally, Santa's Sleigh is pulled by a team of reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and, of course, Rudolph. Can you think of any other animals that suit these names and might work in place of reindeer?
The song, popular with school-aged kids, explains that Santa's reindeer get a rest while six white boomers (boomer is Aussie slang for a male kangaroo) lead Santa's sleigh through Australia! After all the toys are delivered, they even help a little joey (a baby kangaroo) find his mommy.
Eight reindeer. The 1823 poem by Clement C. Moore, A Visit from St. Nicholas (also known as 'Twas the Night Before Christmas), is largely credited for the modern Christmas lore that includes eight named reindeer.
Santa's sleigh is always pulled by eight reindeers, nine if you include Rudolph. He usually leaves the North Pole and arrives at houses between 9 pm and midnight. However, he only arrives in houses when children are fast asleep. If he sees children awake, he will move onto another house.
A sleigh (from the Dutch word slee) is different: It's a sled on runners that's pulled by horses or reindeer, like the type of locomotion favored by Santa Claus.
What was Santa's super-sled engine called? And the answer is: The Kringle 3000. Thanks for playing! Kringle 3000 500 reindeer powered jet turbo engine.
Nicholas was a real man. He was a bishop, living in the 3rd century, in what's now modern-day Turkey. Professor Adam English of Campbell University in North Carolina pieced together the life of St. Nicholas in his new book, The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus: The True Life and Trials of Nicholas of Myra.
This means that Santa's sleigh is moving at 650 miles per second, 3,000 times the speed of sound. For purposes of comparison, the fastest man- made vehicle on earth, the Ulysses space probe, moves at a poky 27.4 miles per second - a conventional reindeer can run, tops, 15 miles per hour.
Comet. Comet is the strongest of all the reindeer and is known for being a stubborn but loyal member of the team. He was named after an enormous comet which flew through the skies at the same moment he was born, which would foretell Comet's future as a famous flying reindeer.
Santa has to travel ten million kilometres in those 36 hours. If all he had to do was travel from house-to-house in this time, he would need to move at an average speed of 77 kilometres per second – that's 3,000 times the speed of sound.
The well-known Australian Christmas song has Santa swapping his reindeers for 'white boomers' on his Australian run. Occasionally 'white' (albino) kangaroos do occur in nature, while 'boomers' is the slang term used to describe big, male kangaroos (and the Australian men's basketball team).
There are also some original Australian Carols. When he gets to Australia, Santa sometimes gives the reindeers a rest and might use kangaroos.
Apparently kids in Australia leave a cold glass of beer. Probably to help with heat and its summer down under at this time of year.
Traditionally Santa's sleigh is made from materials such as wood and due to the simplicity of the design, there are no electrical components or systems fitted.
Sleighs are large sleds or carriages used for transportation in colder climates — they have two runners on the bottom instead of wheels, making it easier to barrel across snow and ice.
If you don't have any carpet in your house but want to create Santa footprints, an alternative option is to sprinkle flour or talcum powder evenly on the floor and then walk through it with boots on - it can give the impression the snow was falling off Santa's suit as he walked through the house.
The Night Before Christmas
Originally entitled A Visit from St. Nicholas, it has grown in popularity under the title of The Night Before Christmas. The poem describes how Santa and his sleigh land on the roof, allowing Santa to drop down the chimney with his bounty of gifts.
As such, Santa most likely has a secure container on his flying sleigh that holds a small arsenal to protect himself and his treasures. Saint Nicholas in 1850, with a big bore flintlock hanging on his wall.
Santa Claus has a number of magical abilities, including longevity, the ability to fit himself and others through any chimney (avoiding fiery injury in the process), levitate up a chimney (usually by touching his nose and nodding), alter the appearance of himself or other objects or beings (including physically ...