Reindeer, Lapland, Finland 23 Dec 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. They carry Santa through the air, excel on land and move effortlessly through icy waters, thanks to their strong swimming skills.

© Roberto Moiola/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Christmas in the cloister
23 Dec 2023Festivus
23 Dec 2024Celebrating Festivus

More Desktop Wallpapers:

The bears of summer
17 Jan 2024Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany
21 Oct 2023International Archaeology Day
In the foothills of Snowdon
11 Mar 2024Koala
5 Nov 2024Guy Fawkes Night
10 May 2025Minnesota State Capitol, St Paul, Minnesota, United States
Remembering D-Day
Just a pinch
13 Mar 2026Church of Notre Dame de Bon-Port, Les Sables-dOlonne, France
28 Apr 2026Spectacled bear resting in tree, Ecuador
See-through cephalopod
4 May 2026Star Wars Day
1 Oct 2024Black History Month
7 Jul 2026Plate-billed mountain toucan with orchids, Ecuador
3 Jan 2026JRR Tolkien Day
Spanning the soft sunlight
21 Feb 2024Firefall at Yosemite
22 Jul 2025Badlands National Park, South Dakota, United States
10 Nov 2023Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA
9 Aug 2026International Day of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples
16 May 2026Smith Rock State Park, Oregon, United States
16 Feb 2025Happy World Whale Day!
17 Apr 2024Black bear cub emerges into spring
8 Dec 2025Christmas lights on buildings of Domaso, Lake Como, Italy
Sunset on Santorini
8 Oct 2023World Octopus Day
28 Nov 2024City Hall, London, England
Meet for lunch?
5 Sep 20242024 Toronto International Film Festival