Santa Loves Rudolph, Other Animals Not Feeling The Reindeer Love

Merry Christmas everybody!  Outside of the baby Jesus, and Santa Claus, ask someone for their top-of-mind thought about Christmas and you are likely to hear "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". (that reminds me of a joke, stay with me until the end!)

The Reindeer Song Becomes A Hit

The Rudolph Christmas Classic was written based on a 1939 story which Gene Autrey, the singing cowboy, turned into a No. 1 hit on the U.S. charts the week of Christmas 1949.

A decade later in 1959, early rocker Chuck Berry released a follow-up called, "Run Rudolph Run" and we played that catchy little number on the radio show today.

A quick google search will turn up more than 150 versions of the Christmas favorite but let's be honest...not everybody or everything loves Rudolph.

Rudolph is a Hit and Gets Hit Too!

Case in point - the pointed antlers of a real deer who went out of his way to show Rudolph who was really the boss in a winter wonderland!

United Press International reports on a British Columbia woman who said the red-nosed Rudolph decoration in her yard has proven to be an irresistible target for aggressive local deer.

Arlene Chmelyk of Fort Nelson, BC said her family first repurposed a 3D archery target, made in the size and shape of a white-tailed deer, into "Rudolph the Red-Nosed White-Tail" about 5 years ago, and they quickly discovered local deer in rutting season apparently couldn't tell or didn't care about the difference.

No Love "Tap" For Ruddy

That's the trouble with love, isn't it?  It drives us a little crazy.  We even say "Love is Blind" and apparently it is, at least when a deer is eyeballing potential competitors for a young deer's hand....er..uh... hoof!  Check it out!

Well, that was one juiced-up deer's bad behavior directed toward a fellow (not fallow) deer, but hey, mistakes and misunderstanding happen in the dummy deer world, just like they often do in the dummy people world. (we call that congress!)

Other Animals Agree, Ruddy's Got To Go

But what happens when a deer's actual natural predator shows up?  What happens when a bear, not at all opposed to an opportunistic venison steak, sees a giant Rudolph in a front yard in Monrovia, California?

It's "game on for lunch" as a black bear attacks an inflatable Rudolph. Here's the video!

So what have learned from all the violence?  Young Ruddy had a tough childhood and had to overcome a lot of bullying about his glowing red nose, but he hung in there, developed a tough skin, and eventually saved Christmas for Santa.

So don't think an over-sexed young buck or a hot air-eating boo-boo bear will get the best of Rudolph this year.  Christmas WILL happen, Count on it...and at least now we know a couple of creatures firmly entrenched on the naughty list!

And Now That Joke

A long dry spell has plagued Russia, crops are dying, it's a real disaster.  Local weatherman Rudolph goes on TV News and predicts a big rainstorm for the weekend....but no one else does.  The other forecasters and meteorologists all predict continued heat and extended drought through the weekend.  Rudolph's wife is getting hassled in the supermarket about her husband's ridiculous forecast and she pleads with him to change it in order to save his face and hers!  But Rudolph stands fast and won't budge,  Soon the other weather people are devoting half their forecast time to chiding, insulting, and ridiculing Rudolph.  Rudolph, the former pride of Russian weathercasters is taking a beating.

The weekend comes and Rudolph confidently stares out the window waiting for the rain to fall.  And it does!  A few drops at first but then it morphs into a full-blown thunderstorm with several inches of rain pounding down and flash flood warnings on radio & TV.    His wife is shocked, delighted, and apologetic.  She tells her husband she is sorry she ever doubted him and then asks, "Honey, how, how did you know it would rain in Russia like this?"

Wait For It!

Her husband puffs himself up a bit, turns to his wife, winks, and says  "Rudolph the "RED", knows rain, dear!       C'mon, that's funny!!