| Did you know that the story of Rudolph the Red | | | | noses were often associated with drinking too much |
| Nosed Reindeer was originally created by a | | | | alcohol. |
| department store? The mega-department store | | | | How did May overcome the trepidation of his boss? |
| Montgomery Ward wanted to create a new | | | | He had a friend, Denver Gillan, go to the local zoo to |
| Christmas story in 1939 that they could give away as | | | | sketch photos of deer. He added the famous red |
| a free promotion to their customers. They gave the | | | | nose, and voila, the cute image was too hard to resist. |
| job of creating this story to one of their store writers, | | | | Next, they needed to come up with a name. At first, |
| a man by the name of Robert May. It was something | | | | May leaned toward Rollo, but then he decided that |
| that Montgomery Ward did every year. It gave away | | | | didn't sound right for a story that started out so sad. |
| books, coloring books, and other holiday knickknacks | | | | He then considered Reginald, but that name sounded |
| as a way to attract customers and keep the loyalty of | | | | too stuffy and pompous for a little reindeer. Finally, he |
| old ones. | | | | came up with the name that stuck: Rudolph. |
| May worked tirelessly to find the new story, and he | | | | When the story was all finished, it started off as a |
| actually got inspiration from past stories such as the | | | | smash hit. May and the Montgomery Ward store gave |
| one about the Ugly Duckling, and even his own | | | | out 2.4 million copies of Rudolph's story in 1939, and |
| childhood. Just like the Ugly Duckling, May used to get | | | | would continue to hand out another 3.6 million more |
| picked on as a kid because he looked different. That | | | | over the next 6 to 7 years. |
| was the story hook he needed for his new Christmas | | | | Today, the song about Rudolph is heard in classrooms |
| story-the story of a reindeer that was teased | | | | and holiday parties around the world, and several |
| because he was different. Rudolph, you see, had a red | | | | television shows and cartoons have been made about |
| glowing nose. | | | | the little hero who saved Christmas. The song and |
| May also had help from his 4-year-old daughter, | | | | story have changed a bit since May wrote it. Did you |
| Barbara, who would listen to his story every night to | | | | know that in the original version Santa discovered |
| make sure it was kid tested and approved. Next, May | | | | Rudolph while delivering presents to his house? And |
| had to sell his boss on the idea. Unfortunately, at first | | | | Rudolph didn't even live in the North Pole! One thing |
| glance, Rudolph was not liked by May's boss. The | | | | that is the same in all versions, however, is Santa's |
| manager thought that the red nose might not be | | | | love for his bright nosed reindeer. |
| suitable for Christmas stories and children, since red | | | | |