(LOOTPRESS) – “You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen; Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen,” goes the opening lyric of the traditional holiday tune detailing the origins of one of Christmas’ most well-known characters.
In truth, many may not even be able to recite the names of the eight elder reindeer tasked with pulling Santa’s sleigh each holiday season. But listeners far and wide can likely “recall the most famous reindeer of all” with no trouble whatsoever.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the fictional reindeer first introduced by Robert L. May in the 1939 book of the same name, has become a fixture of the Christmas season over time, garnering appearances in everything from film and television to a slew of merchandise bearing the character’s now-iconic shiny, red nose.
Indeed, the furry fellow has all but become synonymous with the Christmas holiday much in the same way as Santa himself.
But for those unfamiliar with the story of Rudolph – an undoubtedly miniscule cross-section of readers – Rudolph is a young buck born with an unusually red and luminously bright nose for which he is the subject of much ridicule and humiliation by his fellow reindeer.
The apparently naturally occurring phenomenon acts as a great hindrance to Rudolph’s social development, as he is generally mocked and ostracized by his peers, even being excluded from the “reindeer games.”
However, Rudolph sees redemption as “one foggy Christmas Eve” when uncooperative weather conditions threaten to obstruct the traditional delivery of the world’s Christmas presents, Santa realizes he can circumvent the issue by utilizing the light radiating from the young reindeer’s unusually hued nose.
Public opinion of Rudolph then shifts immediately and substantially as, having been essential in saving the day, he was now loved and celebrated by his peers.
The initial idea is that differences should be celebrated rather than ridiculed, and it’s a fine sentiment if there ever was one.
The problem however, lies in the way those around Rudolph arrived at the conclusion that perhaps the reindeer’s peculiar anomaly shouldn’t warrant a lifetime of mockery and ridicule.
The collective revelation came not after an extensive period of self-reflection, or a suggestion from someone that offered an alternative perspective;
No – the revelation came only when it was revealed that, along with source material for an endless stream of punchlines, Rudolph’s glowing nose offered a certain utility which could be leveraged for the benefit of those tasked with making Christmas happen.
By that token, the lesson of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is that it is only acceptable to deviate from a traditionally accepted standard if the deviation in question can be of benefit to others.
Had Rudolph not revealed that he could be utilized as a means to an end, he likely would have gone the rest of his life suffering unwarranted shaming from the community around him; and what of his potential children?
Had he failed to demonstrate his utilitarian value and continued to endure a life of ridicule, and should he even have had the good fortune to secure a mate, he would be forced to consider the possibility that his offspring would suffer a similar affliction and would thus be condemned to carrying the luminous albatross throughout the duration of his or her own existence.
It’s neat that an outsider got to save Christmas and have his own peculiarities embraced by those around him. But the other reindeer also probably could have just refrained from being such jerks about it from the beginning.