The Dutch Santa (Sinterklaas) originally rode a horse, which was later replaced by flying reindeer.Christmas Lore: Reindeer in the Christmas Traditions

In 1946, Robert L. May published his poem titled "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," which was originally written in 1939, to bring traffic to the Montgomery Ward store when it was given as a gift by the store's Santa.Christmas World: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

• "You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen,
• Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen,
• But do you recall
• The most famous reindeer of all?

• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
• Had a very shiny nose,
• And if you ever saw it,
• You could even say it glows.
• All of the other reindeer
• Used to laugh and call him names;
• They never let poor Rudolph
• Join in any reindeer games.
• Then one foggy Christmas Eve,
• Santa came to say:
• Rudolph with your nose so bright,
• Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
• Then how the reindeer loved him
• As they shouted out with glee,
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,
• You'll go down in history."