A Special Christmas Job That Makes Life Easier For Santa’s Reindeer

My son Doyle is so fascinated by Santa’s reindeer. Every year on Christmas Eve it’s his job to put out the magical reindeer food. He takes his job very serious.

Last year Doyle wanted to go shopping to find a special bowl to put the reindeer food in. He took his time and looked at each and every bowl in the store. He wanted a bowl made out of either plastic or metal so he doesn’t have to worry about breaking it. Doyle chose a big silver pet bowl.

In the check out line Doyle was so excited about the bowl. He was going to use the paint at we have at home to paint Christmas pictures on the bowl. On the ride back home he told me every thing he know about Santa’s reindeer. I asked him questions about the reindeer and to my surprise he had an answer for all of them.

When Doyle was a very little boy he wrote to Santa and asked if Santa would send him the recipe for reindeer food. When Santa sent a letter back to Doyle he also sent him the recipe. Doyle showed everybody the recipe Santa had gave to him. I was glad that the reindeer food recipe was so simple. Doyle wanted to do it all by himself, without any help from anyone.

Doyle always mixes up the reindeer food the day before Christmas Eve. He wants all of us out of the kitchen while he works. He also fills up nine little cloth bags with food for each of Santa’s reindeer. He hangs those on a small tree that grows in our yard. He explained that the bags are so that reindeer have a snack to take with them on their long trip around the world.

Doyle can’t wait to set the food outside for Santa’s reindeer. Last year he also put out a bowl of water. He thought that since we put water out for our dog Bessie we might as well put some water out for them too. When the sun has set on Christmas Eve Doyle’s eyes constantly scan the sky hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa and his reindeer flying by.

Every year that Doyle has set out the food he has received a special Christmas letter. These letters are from Rudolph. In the letter all the reindeer thank Daniel for the food. They really liked the bags of snacks he made. They hoped that next year they could count on him to help them once again. Doyle’s reindeer food adds a bit of magic to our Christmas.

Special Delivery – Sent By Santa

       

When my husband Drew and I were dating in college we had be apart one year for Christmas. Our relationship was still in that freshly in love glow. When we said our good byes we both promised to call each other whenever we could. I went home to spend the holidays with my family and he stayed on campus because of work.

I was glad to be home. I have a real close family so it was hard to be away from them for so long. My mother and I talked for hours in the kitchen while we baked and cooked the Christmas dishes that brought back the joy of childhood days. I helped my little cousins write letters to Santa Claus. It felt so good to be home surrounded by so many people who I love. Still I couldn’t quit thinking about Drew.

We talked to each other as much as possible. Drew was working extra hours so that a man he worked with could spend more time with his family during the holidays. He said that he was fine. There were a lot of guys on campus that couldn’t get off of work to go home. I was so glad that he at least had people around him. It drove me crazy to think of him being all alone on Christmas.

My four year old cousin Alice was my shadow that Christmas season. One night before she went off to bed she asked me what do reindeer eat. I promised that if she went to bed I would show her the very next day. She made me pinky promise no matter what I would tell her. The next morning she was ready to know about the reindeer. Somehow I got her to wait until after breakfast. I tried to call Drew real quick to let him know I would be busy outside with Alice and I would have to call him later but I wasn’t able to reach him. I assumed he was working extra hours again.

I took Alice outside and handed her a small paper bag. I told her that it was enough food for one Christmas. I loved seeing her face light up with joy. I told her that it was special reindeer food from Santa. I showed her the bowl that we had always used for the reindeer. It was bright red with sparkling green jewels around the rim. I told her on Christmas Eve it would be her job to feed the reindeer.

Alice told me to wait outside because she had a Christmas surprise for me too. When she came back she had an envelope in her hand that said “sent by Santa” across the front. The card inside told me to go look in the driveway. I ran through the house, and standing in the driveway was Drew, the man I am still crazy about today.

Nice Certificates And Unexpected Gifts From Santa

One Christmas my kids wanted us to decorate the small pine tree growing in our backyard for the wildlife that lives in our yard. We first had to figure out what we could put on the tree. We made a list of the animals that live around our yard - both real and imaginary. Next we had to do a little research to find out which animals hibernated and what they ate. The kids decided they would hang small cloth bags from the tree full of reindeer food. They used puffy paints to write the names of all nine reindeer on the bags.

We strung a garland using popcorn, cranberries, and ribbon. It looked beautiful when we weaved it through the branches of the tree. The boys smashed white bread into balls that they covered in peanut butter and then rolled through bird seed. We tied ribbons of green and red around seed balls so they could be hung in the tree. My youngest son scattered seed and sliced vegetables around the tree for the ground eating animals.

While we were tying ribbon to slices of apples the kids had an idea to write a letter to Santa to ask if he could bring something for the animals for Christmas. We finished decorating the Christmas tree and snapped a picture to send to Santa with their letter. They worked together to make a card to send to Santa. On the front of the card they drew a picture of the tree with animals all around it. It turned out pretty cute.

Two days later the kids received nice certificates for being so thoughtful of the small creatures that lived in our yard. The kids were very proud that Santa had sent something so special to them. My youngest daughter couldn’t wait to show her friends down the street what had come in the mail for her.

Our family loved watching the animals feeding at the tree so much that we decided to continue decorating it throughout the winter. Every morning while they waited for me to make breakfast they would look out the back windows at the animals who had gathered that morning. A few times at night we saw a raccoon snacking on apple slices. Before we had decorated the tree I had no idea that there were so many animals surrounding my home.

On Christmas morning my oldest son looked out the window and saw a package under the tree wrapped in shiny red foil. They kids rushed outside to look at the present. The tag said Merry Christmas from Santa in beautiful golden writing. Inside the box the kids found a bird house and bird food. In the bottom there were ears of corn and fresh apples.

A Christmas Without Magical Reindeer Food Just Isn't As Magical As It Could Be!

My daughter Sally has always been fascinated with Santa’s reindeer. She writes a letter to Rudolph every year. I think she is more excited about her letters from Rudolph than she is about the ones from Santa. When the kids pick out their ornaments each year she has always picked a reindeer. Without a doubt Rudolph is her most favorite Christmas show - she watches it over and over.
One year she wanted us to buy her a reindeer. I told her that they only liked to live in places that stay real cold – places like the North Pole. She looked at me as if I had lost my mind. She decided that if I wouldn’t listen than she would just have to ask Santa. She checked the mailbox everyday for her letter from Santa. She was disappointed when Santa wrote that it would make his reindeer sad for one of them to move away. He asked her if she would mind leaving out some of his magical reindeer food. She takes the job very seriously she even convinced me to buy special bowls for their food and water.
We spend Christmas Eve at my mom’s house. Sally is always in a rush to get home to put out the food for the reindeer. On the way home we drive and look at all the houses lit up with bright colors. Sally stares up into the sky hoping to see the silhouette of nine reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh. At home the kids all get to open their new pajamas and house shoes. After the cookies and milk have been left out for Santa everyone but me and Sally go to bed. She fills one bowl with water and the other with reindeer food.
We take the food out into the middle of the yard. She explained that the food needed to be there so that there would be room for all the reindeer. Before we go in she gazes up to the sky one last time trying to see the red glow of Rudolph’s nose. When I tuck her into bed she tells me she is going to be listening for the sound of hoofs on the roof.
Christmas morning after we open presents and have breakfast Sally and I sneak out back to see if the reindeer ate their food. Sally proudly collects the empty bowls. On the ground Sally always finds a gift from Santa. On the gift there is a short note thanking her for putting out the food and water for his reindeer and it says that he hopes she will be his helper again next year. Feeding the reindeer is without a doubt Sally’s favorite part of Christmas.