Rudolph’s Roadside Run

Caught in the lens of the Google Street View car, a lone reindeer dashes across the road in northern Norway. Could it be one of Santa’s famous sleigh-pullers taking a brisk trot? Reindeers are central to Christmas folklore, led by the most famous, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Indigenous to Arctic regions, reindeer have a history of being used by the Sami people for transportation. Their association with Christmas likely began in the early 19th century and was popularized in poems and songs. Thanks to Canadian artist Jon Rafman, this playful image sparks our festive imaginations and adds to the magical allure of reindeer lore.