Reindeer, Lapland, Finland Dec 23, 2025

Reindeer, Lapland, Finland

Few creatures evoke the magic of the holidays quite like the reindeer. Also known as caribou, they are the spirit animals of Christmas lovers—and they rock it. Sturdy and sure-footed, they"ve been pulling Santa"s sleigh ever since Clement Clarke Moore cast them in the role in his 1823 poem "A Visit from Saint Nicholas." And they were born for it. Their hooves shrink in winter to expose a gripping rim, then expand in warmer months for better traction. Still not impressed? Consider this: reindeer don"t have an internal clock. Instead, their melatonin—the hormone that regulates sleep—adjusts to light and darkness, helping them stay awake through endless nights of gift delivery.

© Roberto Moiola/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Ive got a lot of problems with you penguins!
Dec 23, 2023Chinstrap penguins
Dec 23, 2024Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jul 9, 2024Talampaya National Park, Argentina
Apr 13, 2025Songkran—Thai New Year
Hot enough to howl
The epitome of luxury
Jul 12, 2024Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, USA
Dec 1, 2023Ross Sea, Antarctica
Mar 1, 2026African elephants in Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Jan 9, 2025Sossusvlei sand dunes, Namib desert, Namibia
Pick your paradise
Nov 16, 2023World Philosophy Day
Jan 4, 2026Kings Mountain, Chugach Mountains, Alaska, United States
May 4, 2024Star Wars Day
Aug 1, 2025Edinburgh Festival Fringe
City of ice
Apr 7, 2025North American beaver, Moran, Wyoming, United States
Jan 27, 2024Northern hawk owl
Oct 22, 2023Astoria-Megler Bridge, Oregon
Sep 13, 2024Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA
May 26, 2025Agrasen Ki Baoli, Connaught Place, New Delhi
Mar 14, 2024Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand
Mar 21, 2026International Day of Forests
Mar 19, 2025A black heron canopy hunting in Botswana
Protecting earths biodiversity for everyone
Jan 16, 2026Leopard at Etosha National Park, Namibia
May 13, 2025Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile
Turtle-y nice day for a swim
Standing on glass 900+ feet in the air
Sep 11, 2025Butterfly Beach in Canacona, South Goa
Protecting the gentle giants
Jun 12, 2025Chisos Mountains, Big Bend National Park, Texas, United States