Dashing through the snow on our homepage today, reindeer, or caribou as they are known here in North America, have been synonymous with Christmas for two centuries. American writer Clement Clarke Moore is credited with popularizing them as Santa"s helpers in the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas," first published in 1823. And no wonder Santa picked them. With two layers of fur and eyes that adapt to the Arctic"s shifting light levels, reindeer are very versatile. You likely won"t see them fly, but you might find a herd migrating from tundra to forest in the North Polar Region, North America, Northern Europe, or Siberia. Their hooves can expand or shrink according to ground conditions, keeping their heavy frame stable on soft ground in summer, ice in winter, and steep rooftops at Christmas. If you"re celebrating Christmas today, we wish you a merry one.
Merry Christmas!
Today in History
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Chestnut-headed bee-eaters, Bardia National Park, Nepal
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Fall Astronomy Week
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Let s celebrate cephalopods
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National Go Birding Day
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harlem
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Everglades National Park marks 90 years
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Dancing waters of Dubai
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Sitka shines on Alaska Day
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Gateway to America
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Happy Arbor Day!
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Pining for spring
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Celebrating whales—and a whale of a tale
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Easter
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National Park Week begins
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Celebrating Flag Day: ‘O long may it wave’
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Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg, Germany
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Super sandy Sweet 16
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Tour de France 2024 begins
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In the Highlands for Saint Andrew s Day
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Bearded reedlings in Flevoland
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World Art Day
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Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico
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Travel Sunday: San Francisco
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The party’s just starting
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European Day of Parks
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Computer Science Education Week
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Square Tower House in Mesa Verde National Park
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Tasiilaq, Greenland
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Come out of your shell for World Turtle Day
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One giant leap for penguins