Reindeer depicted on Christmas cards and in movies around the world - at this time of year they gallop pulling a sleigh with Santa Claus, but on the northern edge of Europe they are part of everyday life all year round - roam the fields of Lapland, the homeland of the indigenous people, the Lapps.
The Lapps or Sami are a nomadic people who live in the north of Norway, Sweden, Finland and in the northwest of Russia. Today, a small number of Lapps live in a traditional way, as many have gone to the cities for education and employment. The reindeer had to stay.
Real reindeer, of course, cannot fly, but they can cover long distances very quickly. They are unique in how they have adapted to survive the harsh winter in Lapland. Their mane hairs are hollow, so the air creates insulation, and their fur is really thick. This is the reason why the Lapps always make clothes from their fur.
This animal has larger hooves than moose or deer, and when the snow is deep, they spread them even further and thus stop the deterioration.
Reindeer change their eye color between summer and winter to adapt to the changing light levels in the far north.
Reindeer eyes are yellow-green in summer and dark blue in winter. The blue color during the darkest months of the year helps scatter more incoming light, resulting in better vision.
Reindeer meat is very popular throughout Lapland. Demand is high in Finland, so it is imported from Russia. The Finnish Sami use all parts of the reindeer, making sausages from them, as well as other dishes served with mashed potatoes and "lingonberry" jam. The specialty is smoked meat with blackcurrant sauce and Lapland cheese.
In popular culture, reindeer are better known for the story of Santa Claus, who is pulled on a sleigh by eight flying reindeer to deliver presents to children around the world on Christmas Eve.
Such a scenario was first described in 1820 in a book by the American Clement Clark Moore. More than 100 years later, the American writer Robert L. May added Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, who leads them.
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