The Origins of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has become one of the most famous Christmas characters in the

world. But here’s something most people don’t know: He didn’t come from

an old story… or a Christmas legend… or anything magical at all. Rudolph was created

in 1939 by a department store called Montgomery Ward. They wanted a new character for a

free holiday booklet they could give to customers. So an employee wrote a simple story about

a young reindeer with a glowing red nose. The booklet became a huge hit.

Families loved Rudolph, kids remembered him, and soon he turned into a holiday tradition.

A few years later, the famous song was written — and that’s when Rudolph went from a marketing