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Thoughts in many households in December turn to Christmas, with wish lists being written, final presents purchased and menus planned for the festive feast. Life is also probably busy in the North Pole – with the elves busily putting the finishing touches to all those gifts ready for Father Christmas. But what about the Reindeer? How do our red nosed friends prepare for their mammoth journey around the world? On Christmas eve, Rudolph and his friends will travel over 41 million miles to deliver over a million tonnes of presents. 

Reindeer are Cervidae, a species which includes deer, elk, moose and wapiti. They have long legs, hooves and antlers, and range from pure white to almost black in colour. They are called reindeer in Europe, but in North America, wild reindeer are called caribou. Stags grow up to 135 centimetres tall from hooves to shoulder and up to 2.1m long. Hinds are typically smaller, up to 1.9m long. 

Reindeers are herbivores, which means they only eat vegetation. They have a big appetite – on average an adult reindeers eats around 4 to 8kg of food – so make sure you leave some special reindeer food to nourish them on their journey! 

The secret to Rudolph’s red nose is a dense network of blood vessels. According to scientists, Reindeer have 25 percent more capillaries carrying red, oxygen-rich blood in their nasal architecture than humans. In colder climates, an increase in blood flow in the nose helps keep the surface warm, and is essential for regulating the animal’s internal body temperature. Like many mammals, reindeer don’t sweat!

We have bags of special deer food available from the Visitor Centre especially created to nourish our Reindeer friends. Outside the Farm Shop you will find our Christmas post box for your letters sharing your children’s dreams with Father Christmas. Last posting day: 15th December!

The Farm Shop is open every day.