Elf Victor, Santa’s head of Reindeer Operations at the North Pole, dropped in to Elf Chat to take questions about Santa’s reindeer.
The Reindeer Games ended this week in an upset win for The Mighty Mick. That led to many questions about him in particular. But other questions focused on how reindeer fly and how they understand language.
Here is a transcript of that great conversation:
| Elf Max | Folks, today we are joined by Elf Victor, Santa’s head of Reindeer Operations. |
| Elf Max | He is here to answer any questions you might have about reindeer |
| Elf Max | I have been armed with a lot of questions from Elf Ernest of SantaUpdate.com |
| Elf Max | And also from Elves Harold, Trixie and Frank |
| Elf Max | But we will get to your questions first. Who would like to ask the first one? |
| Elf Sugar Cookie | Good morning, Elf Victor! I was wondering how well North Pole reindeer understand human languages? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | I have one |
| Elf Ulan | I do! |
| Elf KyLoren :p | How do the Reindeer stand on a house without actually destroying the roof? |
| Elf Victor | Elf Sugar Cookie – thanks for your questions. The reindeer understand several human languages. They don’t speak them, but they understand them quite well actually. |
| Elf Sugar Cookie | That is amazing! Thank you for letting me know! |
| Elf Victor | Elf KyLoren – reindeer are athletes. They have a deft touch. They are actually very careful when on a roof. Of course, not all roofs are the same. |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Now that the Reindeer games are over, what do the reindeer do between now and when Santa launches? |
| Elf KyLoren :p | ohhhhh that’s smart of them Elf Victor! |
| Elf Ulan | How to get along with reindeer? What’s their favorite colors, scents, and fun things? |
| Elf Victor | Crash, that’s a good question too. Our focus right now with them is all about the team. They are very well conditioned. All are in good health. The games are an individual thing. Now we focus on team exercise and drills |
| Elf Victor | Elf Ulan – excellent question. Santa’s reindeer are all individuals. Very different from each other, just as we are. They have definite preferences. They all like different things |
| Elf Victor | Comet, as you know, is our prankster. He loves jokes and laughing. |
| Elf Victor | Prancer is very quiet. |
| Elf Victor | So they are all different. But I don’t know if I could even tell you what their favorite colors are |
| Elf KyLoren :p | Is there a sassy Reindeer? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | One question I’m getting a lot is about Donner and Bltizen. Are they upset over not winning the games this year? |
| Elf Victor | Vixen is a little sassy. Nobody messes with Vixen! |
| Elf Ulan | Thank you Elf Victor. I was curious about they can recognize colors |
| Elf Victor | Crash – no, of course not. Those reindeer are champions, both multiple winners of the games in the past. They are very happy for The Mighty Mick |
| Elf Victor | Yes, they can recognize colors, Elf Ulan. They are most responsive to red, green and gold |
| Elf notJack | Are reindeer the only animals that understand human languages that well? |
| Elf Victor | Hi Elf NotJack – of course not. Many animals respond to human languages. Dogs, of course. |
| Elf Max | I want to know more about The Mighty Mick |
| Elf Ulan | Okay, red, green and gold! |
| Elf Victor | I believe Elf Trixie and Elf Crash are working on stories |
| Elf Jolly | How are the reindeer trained to fly, and how do they fly? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | That’s right – we’ve been interviewing both The Mighty Mick and Elf Big Ted Sled |
| Elf Victor | Hi Elf Jolly – not all breeds of reindeer can fly. Just a certain one, to my knowledge |
| Elf Sugar Cookie | Elf Crash, if The Mighty Mick cannot speak, how are you able to interview him? I am intrigued! |
| Elf Ulan | Yeah, you told us the news! |
| Elf Victor | Flight is learned as soon as they can learn to run, which comes after walking, which comes shortly after birth |
| Elf Victor | Flight takes a good year to master for most reindeer |
| Elf Victor | Then years of training at the North Pole and a few of the reindeer ranches |
| Elf Jolly | That’s awesome! |
| Elf Victor | The elite reindeer – which means the best at flight – are those who can master control at high speeds at high altitudes. It takes years to become proficient at it |
| Elf Ulan | Do you think Mighty Mick will fly on this Christmas Eve? |
| Elf Victor | Yes, Elf Ulan. Part of winning the Reindeer Games is the award of a Christmas Eve assignment by Santa |
| Elf Victor | I don’t know what the Mighty Mick might be doing but I know he and Big Sled Ted are talking to Santa about it today in fact |
| Elf Victor | It is a very high honor to win those games. What The Mighty Mick did is very rare |
| Elf Ulan | Wonderful! |
| Elf Victor | We don’t see this kind of thing often |
| Elf Victor | The Mighty Mick has a big future |
| Elf Crash Murphy | He’s got a special story too. Can’t wait to tell it |
| Elf Ulan | Do you know which team he will join? |
| Elf notJack | Can you understand the reindeer? |
| Elf Victor | Then I will say no more on that, Crash |
| Elf Victor | I don’t know what Santa has in mind for The Mighty Mick. Sometimes it is a team thing, sometimes it is an individual mission. I often don’t know until after Christmas. I haven’t heard anything yet, of course |
| Elf Victor | I don’t understand reindeer like Santa does. He’s a master reindeer whisperer |
| Elf Victor | But I understand the reindeer I know pretty well |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Elf Victor is being overly humble. He is a reindeer whisperer too. He is one of the most eminent reindeer experts in the world. That’s why he works for Santa |
| Elf Victor | Oh Crash – please |
| Elf Crash Murphy | I know, Vic — but I just want everyone here to understand. These are elves we’re talking to. The best of friends |
| Elf notJack | How do you understand them? |
| Elf Ulan | How did you learn about reindeer? |
| Elf Victor | Well, Elf NotJack. I’m not the youngest elf in the world. I’ve been doing this for Santa for many years |
| Elf Victor | Elf Ulan – not everyone is suited to be around reindeer. They are very nervous animals sometimes. So you have to be very calm and deliberate |
| Elf Victor | Being around reindeer is about listening. Being calm. Being observant. You have to wait for them to come to you. |
| Elf Victor | Trust building is very important with reindeer |
| Elf Victor | That’s why they love Santa. A lot of trust is there |
| Elf notJack | Like squirrels? |
| Elf Victor | Understanding reindeer comes not from commanding them but from respecting them |
| Elf Victor | They respond very well to service |
| Elf Victor | And to kindness |
| Elf Victor | And they return in kind with service and kindness |
| Elf Victor | On the basis of trust |
| Elf Victor | Santa says they are driven by love. And I agree with him |
| Elf Max | Wow – that’s awesome |
| Elf Max | Victor, do you have a favorite reindeer? |
| Elf Ulan | Thank you! I’ll wait for them. Sounds like the same cats ^^ |
| Elf Victor | Oh no – no favorites. I love them all. |
| Elf Crash Murphy | What about Santa? Does he have a favorite? |
| Elf Victor | No, not that I know of. But Santa has a way of picking reindeer in just the right way for certain assignments |
| Elf Victor | Santa seems to know how to put the right reindeer in the right situations |
| Elf Max | Do you have an example of that? |
| Elf Victor | Oh many. |
| Elf Victor | As you know, Donner and Blitzen are the most powerful of the reindeer |
| Elf Ulan | Awesome! |
| Elf Victor | They often get asked to handle really big jobs or tough weather assignments because of their strength |
| Elf Victor | But Cupid while less strong gets called upon to lead teams in sensitive areas |
| Elf Max | What would be a sensitive area? |
| Elf Victor | North Korea is a sensitive area. Comet leads a lot of teams there on food missions. Lots of hungry people there. Comet leads teams there who are passive, peaceful and cannot be provoked. |
| Elf Max | Wow. |
| Elf Victor | Yes, Comet is a peace maker |
| Elf Victor | Comet and Cupid together are quite a pair |
| Elf Ulan | Yeah, very sweet |
| Elf Max | Do all elves have their own reindeer? |
| Elf Victor | No, not all. In fact, very few. |
| Elf Max | Victor this has been an interesting conversation. Are there any last questions for Elf Victor? |
| Elf Ulan | How about you, elf Victor? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Good golly. I have a LOT more questions now! |
| Elf Max | Oh me too! |
| Elf Ulan | Oh, did you read my resume I sent? ^^ |
| Elf Victor | What about me having reindeer? Personal reindeer? Yes, I have two. Two retired reindeer who I keep more as friends rather than for transportation or labor. They’ve worked hard over the years and I just keep them to keep them happy |
| Elf Victor | Yes, Elf Ulan. We will be talking soon, likely after Christmas |
| Elf Sugar Cookie | That is awesome! What are their names? |
| Elf notJack | Will there be an archive for this chat? |
| Elf Victor | Sweety and Princess Buttercup |
| Elf Sugar Cookie | Awww! |
| Elf Max | Yes, Elf NotJack – it’s on my list |
| Elf KyLoren :p | Do the Reindeer have a favorite transformers character? |
| Elf Max | Thank you everyone for being here today. We appreciate your questions |
| Elf Ulan | Wow, nice! |
| Elf notJack | Okay thanks! |
| Elf Victor | Elf KyLoren – good question. But I have no idea on that one! |
| Elf Jolly | Has Santa ever had to use his backup reindeer? |
| Elf Ulan | Awesome! Thank you. Let’s talk after Christmas! |
| Elf Crash Murphy | I was wondering if someone would ask one that Victor couldn’t answer! |
| Elf Victor | Yes, Santa has used his backup reindeer before. But not too often |
| Elf Max | Thanks everyone! |
| Elf notJack | What about a favorite power ranger? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Yes, this was a great one! |
| Elf Sugar Cookie | Thank you all so much! This was a great chat! |
| Elf Victor | Elf NotJack – again, I have no idea. I don’t think the reindeer are too much into pop culture outside of music |
| Elf Jolly | Thank you for the chat! |
| Elf Ulan | Thank you, Elf Victor and everyone! |
| Elf Victor | Bye everyone and have a Merry Christmas! |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Thanks everybody! |
| Elf Jolly | Bye! |
| Elf notJack | Thank you |
| Elf Sugar Cookie | Merry Christmas! |
| Elf Max | Crash, when does the story of The Mighty Mick come out? |
| Elf Ulan | Merry Christmas! |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Should be either Monday or Tuesday. Monday, I think, because Tuesday is St. Nicholas Day |
| Elf Max | Great, can’t wait for it! |
| Elf Ulan | I’m curious about him too! |
| Elf Max | Merry Christmas Everyone! |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Thanks! |
| Elf Ulan | Thank you! |
Thank you, Elf Trixie for helping Elf Victor and update the recap too. Thank you, Elves Victor, Max, and Crash. It was super fantastic and passed so fast this time too. We learned the reindeer a lot and how elves around Santa are so awesome. I’m touched on Santa again. Animals can feel our minds, so I’ll try to be calm and respectful when I will meet them in the future. I see a small horse, goats, and wild deer around my area, so I’ll try to meet them. ^^ Thank you again, and I’m looking forward to Mighty Mick story too! XD