Everyone knows Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but what about the ones who never made it into the song—or even onto Santa’s benchwarmers list? Meet the Outsider Reindeer: the band of mistletoe misfits.
For starters, there’s Shiloh, the albino reindeer. While some reindeer enjoy the spotlight (or, in Rudolph’s case, are the spotlight), Shiloh avoids attention like it’s a bad fruitcake. Legend has it his fur turned white just to blend in with the North Pole snow. Sweet and painfully shy, Shiloh was actually Rudolph’s first friend during the whole “all of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names” debacle. But now that Rudolph’s gone from red nose to red carpet—hobnobbing with Dasher, Dancer, and the A-list—Shiloh spends most of his time quietly hanging out with the penguins.
Then there’s Shiver, the reindeer who hates the cold. You’ll never catch him leading Santa’s sleigh unless it’s during an unprecedented North Pole heatwave—or you live in the southern hemisphere. Even then, he huddles near Rudolph because that glowing nose doubles as a personal space heater. You might wonder why Shiver doesn’t move to, say, Hawaii. Well, he’s terrified of anything un-Christmassy. Palm trees? Terrifying. Sand? Absolute nightmare. Plus, who would leave a place where elves hand out free candy canes and sugar plums like it’s Christmas every day?
Finally, there’s Tumbler. And no, not the app or the travel mug filled with suspiciously strong eggnog. Tumbler’s claim to fame is his complete lack of coordination. You know that song “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”? Yeah, that was Tumbler. The guy trips over snowflakes, and if there’s a chimney to hit, he will find it. He’s the reason Santa always does a pre-flight inspection—because if it were up to Tumbler, the sleigh harness might not even be attached to the sleigh at all. In fact, Tumbler’s so clumsy, he makes Santa Claus look like Santa Klutz. Let’s just say you don’t let Tumbler anywhere near the reins unless you’re aiming for a holiday disaster that people will laugh about until New Year’s.
So next time you sing about Rudolph, spare a thought for the Outsider Reindeer. They may not be saving Christmas anytime soon—they might actually ruin it—but who says Christmas has to be perfect? Santa still has a place in his heart for them because they are unique like snowflakes, each special in their own delightful way. It’s their quirks that make these reindeer so endearing. Just maybe don’t let Tumbler anywhere near the dessert table.