Reindeer Enjoy A Warm-Up For Christmas Eve

By Larissa Lytwyn

Before joining Santa Claus back at the North Pole, three reindeer, Annie, Lilly, and 8-month-old Fidget, paid a visit to Newtown’s Edmond Town Hall last Saturday, December 18.

“We first had a visit from a reindeer a few years back, when we showed the [1990] family film, Prancer,” said the town hall’s theater manager, Tom Mahoney. “I thought it would be fun to do it again.”

The reindeers’ appearance coincided with the showing of the 1947 holiday classic, Miracle on 34th Street, starring Maureen O’ Hara and a pint-sized Natalie Wood.

“The movie [Miracle on 34th Street] is about believing in the spirit of Christmas,” said Mr Mahoney, “and that includes reindeer!”

Thus, Mr Mahoney invited Ralph Nau, owner and operator of Reindeer Ranch in Stamford, to bring in the hoofed holiday cheer.

As Mr Nau appeared on Main Street, cars slowed to take in the scene of three silver-and-brown reindeer trotting down the sidewalk. Once enclosed in a spacious petting zoo-style pen, an ongoing stream of children and their families stopped by to learn more about the animals.

“Reindeer Ranch was originally a Christmas tree farm,” Mr Nau explained. “A few years ago, I got the idea that having reindeer would bring in some extra attention.”

Once he did, sales skyrocketed, he said.

Mr Nau’s reindeer are originally from Teller, Alaska, a traditional Kawerak Eskimo village. The villagers use the reindeer for meat and their antlers for ornamental purposes.

Three-year-old Connor Kelly of Brookfield asked his father, Brian Kelly, why none of the reindeers’ noses were glowing.

“They only glow at night,” Mr Kelly explained, smiling conspiratorially at his wife Dana Kelly, who stood nearby.

The Kelly family had heard about the reindeer visit from in an advertisement and was excited to see a real one up close.

“I’ve only seen a reindeer once before,” said Mr Kelly, “when one was brought to Stew Leonard’s in Danbury.”

Newtown resident Lisa Flores and her children, 11-year-old Emily, 8-year-old Thomas and 2-year-old Cecilia, had never seen a live reindeer before.

“I think they’re pretty,” said Emily. “And smaller than I expected.”

Though standing only about four feet tall, the animals are surprisingly heavy. Mr Nau said that Annie and Lily were 220 and 230 pounds apiece. Lily’s offspring, Fidget, is a male who will grow to weigh around 420 pounds.

“[Mr Nau] was very informative,” said Ms Flores. “I think we’ve all learned a lot today. I like how he explained where the reindeer were from and how he came to have them.”

Also notable were the reindeer’ antlers, which can grow back if broken off during a fight.

Lily, said Mr Nau, presently had only one antler because the other had been knocked apart during a battle with an older brother a few days before. The antler will grow back in full in a few months time, he assured.

The baby, Fidget, was born at Mr Nau’s farm.

“Reindeer are generally very calm, very good creatures,” said Mr Nau. “They’re like horses more than anything else.”

While he discouraged anyone from trying to feed the animals carrots, Mr Nau said the reindeer loved apples.

They also enjoy grass — which is a treat when their original arctic diet consists of lichen and other tough kinds of vegetation native to the arctic tundra.

The reindeer wrapped up their visit late in the afternoon to return to Reindeer Ranch and then on to the North Pole.