Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer may have achieved fame by leading Santa’s sleigh through the fog on Christmas Eve, however, he wasn’t even born when Santa and his eight flying reindeer first made their appearance. For a lonely little fellow with a BIG problem, to Santa’s lead reindeer he has made remarkable progress and inspired us all. Here is his story.

The Birth of Rudolph

Of all of Santa’s reindeer, Rudolph is truly the baby of the family, having been born more than a hundred years after his comrades. But no mere sidekick this fellow. Oh no! True, Rudolph had some major hurdles to overcome before Santa Claus chose him as his lead reindeer, but he defeated these obstacles by perseverance and courage to earn never-ending fame.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was the brainchild of Robert L. May, a copywriter at the Montgomery Ward department story. May conceived the story of Rudolph in 1939, as part of an advertising campaign for the store. Using a similar rhyme pattern to Moore’s “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” May brought Rudolph to life in either a children’s book or comic book form. In the story Rudolph is a young reindeer who was ostracized by the other reindeer because of his large red nose that was so bright it actually glowed. The future didn’t look very promising for Rudolph until Christmas Eve. The fog was so dense outside that Santa despaired of being able to deliver gifts that night, so he enlisted Rudolph to lead the sleigh by the light of his red nose.

Rudolph’s uplifting little story of an underdog or in this case, under-deer, who achieved fame and became beloved through the use of the very flaw that had caused him to be shunned, was a big hit with the public.l Montgomery Ward sold almost two and a half million copies that very year. When it was reissued in 1946, the story sold over three and a half million copies.

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer the Song

In 1947, Montgomery Ward gave the copyright for Rudolph to a financially struggling May, and he published the story in book form that year. It became an instant best-seller. Taking his cue from the amazing success of May’s book, Johnny Marks, May’s brother-in-law, decided to capitalize on the enchanting story by turning it into a song. He adapted it into equally pleasing lyrics with a few alterations to the story, and with the addition of an appealing tune and famous singing cowboy, Gene Autry to record it, it immediately took off and sold over two million copies. The success of the song made Marks famous and launched him into composing a host of other holiday songs as well.

Only one other twentieth-century American carol has surpassed the publics’ love of “Rudolph.” That carol was Bing Crosby’s, “White Christmas.” Over the years the story has been translated into twenty-five languages and even made into a television movie in 1964.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was the first important new Christmas character since the appearance of the Christmas elf. The publics’ embracing of Rudolph led to a whole range of other lasting fictional personalities being created. There was Frosty the Snowman, the Chipmonks, and the Grinch, but although they are all very popular, none have found the special place in the heart of the public that Rudolph has.

Research Sources:

The Hymns And Carols of Christmas

Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reiindeer

http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/Hyms_and_Carols/rudolph_the_red_nosed_reindeer.htm