How Santa got Rudolph the Reindeer back!

Reindeer cope with three months of constant summer sunlight and three months of perpetual winter darkness. In other animals, as we know, adapt their vision either to suit the day time or the night time. Then how do reindeer manage? Reindeer eyes are golden in the summer and blue in the winter. The bit that actually changes colour is the tapetum lucidum or “cat’s eye”—a mirrored layer that sits behind the retina. It helps animals to see in dim conditions by reflecting any light that passes through the retina back onto it, allowing its light-detecting cells a second chance to intercept the stray particles of light.

In dark conditions, muscles in your irises contract to dilate your pupils and allow more light into your eyes. When it’s bright again, the irises widen and the pupils shrink. The same thing happens in reindeer, but the interminable Arctic winter forces their pupils dilate for months rather than hours. Over time, this constant effort blocks the small vessels that drain fluid out of the eyes.

These events also change the tapetum. This layer is mostly made up a collagen, a protein whose long fibres are arranged in orderly rows. As the pressure inside the eye builds up, the fluid between the collagen fibres gets squeezed out, and they become more tightly packed. The spacing of these fibres affects the type of light they reflect. With the usual gaps between them, they reflect yellow wavelengths. When squeezed together, they reflect blue wavelengths, giving the eyes a blue colour. So, as reindeer spend months of darkness, their permanently dilated pupils lead to swollen eyes, compressing the fibres in their tapetum and changing the colour of light they reflect.

It was Christmas time once again. Rudolph, Santa Claus’ most favourite reindeer, lay contentedly in his shed at the North Pole, watching the snow fall. Tree tops and branches glistened with icicles, and powdery snow covered roof tops. Snowflakes continued to fall, and some fell onto his bright red nose- the famous red nose- that everyone said had earned him the place of Santa’s chief reindeer. It glowed brightly, and Rudolph knew it would shine even brighter on Christmas Eve, and guide them all. He felt that was a personal blessing from Baby Jesus.

Slowly, Rudolph dozed off, dreaming happy dreams. He loved Christmas time, and nothing excited him more than his annual trip across the world on Christmas Eve, pulling Santa’s sleigh through the night sky, visiting children as they lay fast asleep, and leaving presents for them. He looked forward to this one day all through the year.

As his eyes closed, he saw two strangers walk upto Santa’s workshop. He had never seen them before. They didn’t look like troublemakers. Surely, Santa would call him if there was anything urgent? Too lazy to move, Rudolph lay where he was still another reindeer came rushing in, breathless.

“Rudolph, get up! Do you know what’s happening there?” said the reindeer, panting. “Those men are telling Santa that you’re too old to draw the sleigh and that you ought to be replaced!”

“Wha-at?” Rudolph was shocked. It was true that he was many, many years old, but there was nothing ‘old’ about him. He had always been that way, and was still strong.

“They say you can’t see anymore. In fact, they say that Santa has so many falls while going around because his reindeer can’t see well in the dark winter!”

Now, this was not at all true. The reindeer had always guided Santa around well, leading him safely to rooftops and chimneys and high windows, from where he could get in and leave the Christmas presents for the children.

“I guess we are all going to be replaced.” The reindeer continued, morosely.

Just then, Santa came in. He looked sad, not at all his usual self. Rudolph looked up expectantly, hoping that whatever he had heard was untrue. But Santa had bad news.

“I am sorry my kids”, he said, nodding his head in a helpless way. “Those men who came just now, say that every year, lots of kids don’t get their gifts on time. They say it’s because you guys can’t see in the dark winter. They say your eyes turn blue in the winter, and that blue light doesn’t help one see at all. I know it’s not true, but… they said they wouldn’t let me give gifts to any child if I didn’t replace you all!”

Rudolph was extremely angry. But more than angry, he was upset. How could Santa let such a thing happen? Rudolph’s eyes filled with tears when he thought how he would miss seeing the sleeping innocent faces of the little children all over the world, who waited patiently for Santa’s gifts.

“Who are you replacing us with, Santa?” asked the other reindeer, indignantly.

“It’s not ‘who’ my dear, it’s ‘what’”, said Santa. “I will be buying a helicopter from those people who came to see me. I will go around in the helicopter this time.”

So this was it! Poor Santa was too gullible to even notice the evil design of those upstarts, thought Rudolph. He decided he wouldn’t give up his right to draw the sleigh. But then he remembered that they had threatened to stop Santa if he didn’t agree with them, either. Rudolph didn’t want the children all over the world crying because he was stubborn. So he gave in.

Poor Santa Claus! He wasn’t very happy either. But what could he do?

But the news spread like wildfire everywhere. Children came to know that Rudolph wouldn’t be coming anymore. Children stopped writing to Santa for gifts, because they wanted Santa to take back Rudolph. Santa was in a dilemma. What could he do now?

However, two kids, Maria and Ros, who lived in Norway, decided to do something about it. They approached their father, John, who was a scientist.

“Dad, can’t you prove that Reindeers can see in the winter darkness too?” they asked him.

Their father thought for a moment. “Well of course, they must be able to see quite well, especially since they have been helping Santa out for centuries now. In fact, I’m sure it’s not just Rudolph’s bright red nose that leads the way!”

“Then prove it Dad!” they pleaded.

John set to work diligently on it. Day and night he worked, and Christmas Eve was drawing nearer.

On Christmas Eve, just as Santa was about to board the helicopter, John came marching through the snow with Maria and Ros.

“Stop Santa!” he cried, “Don’t believe those villains!”

Santa stopped in astonishment. Behind John, was a huge crowd as well, all come to support Rudolph!

“Reindeers can see much better in winter than they can ever do in summer! Their eyes turn blue precisely because their eyes learn to adapt themselves to the low light around— in fact, they are even more sensitive to vision than in the summer, when the reindeer’s eyes are yellow!”

The townsfolk had all gathered around the villains who had tried to whisk Santa away in a helicopter. Rudolph, hearing the commotion, came rushing outside. All the children ran and hugged him tight!

“You’re back on duty, Rudolph!” cried Maria joyfully.

“We can’t do without you!” said Ros.

And that Christmas, was indeed, a very, very merry Christmas for Rudolph, our red-nosed reindeer.

By:Sneha Verghese is a research scholar in Journalism at Osmania University, Hyderabad. Also a post-graduate in biotechnology, she loves teaching and writing stories for kids to explain scientific concepts.