7 Things Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Can Teach Us About Life

Each holiday season I like to try to come up with a blog post that has Christmas as a focus. I've written a number of them in the past (Christmas "Meanies", It's a Wonderful Life, How NOT to Let the Grinch Steal Christmas, etc.), but I've never written about what happens to probably be my most favorite of all the holiday shows: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

I mean, it's just a plain exciting story line (and fun, too). Of course, you've got Rudolph (the underdog). You've got Rudolph's dad, Donner (a little full of himself, won't ever show weakness father). You've got the monster, the Abominable Snowman (Bumble who "bounces"). And you've got the rag tag team that comes together, including Hermey the Elf (aspiring dentist) and Yukon Cornelius (explorer extraordinaire), to overcome all odds.

And there are just a whole lot of lessons that can be gained from this cast of characters as it has to do with real life (even though it's just a cartoon).

See if you agree with the following list I came up with...

7 Things Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Can Teach Us About Life:

1. We all have our "flaws." It's how we respond to them that matters.
2. Don't write off the odd ball. He just might be pulling the sleigh one day.
3. There's nothing like having a guy that's good at extractions when you need to pull teeth (tame the monster).
4. Covering up a "problem" is never the best way of dealing with it.
5. Feeling like a "misfit" helps us to empathize with (care about) "misfits."
6. Even Santa (the "boss" or upper management) can learn a lesson or two.
7. Everybody enjoys a good story with a happy ending. (Don't we?)

You might also be interested in: 21 “Joy” Enhancers Holiday Shows, A Canine's Shack, Meaning in Life and Linus' Famous Speech

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What If Santa Was Real?

I was a Catholic school boy in 4th grade. (I was a good boy, too, my mom always says.) That's when it happened. I heard my classmates talking about how Santa wasn't real. "No," I thought. "It couldn't be?" I was devastated. I didn't say a word until I got home. That's when my mom took me in my bedroom, shut the door and began to explain. I was sad. But I got over it.

And I was thinking the other day about my mom and how hard that conversation must have been. I'll bet she wished she could have said the opposite, that the kids on the playground were wrong. And I would have believed her. I would have believed my mom if she said, "Michael, Santa is real."

And would it really be so bad if he was? And wouldn't it mean more happiness and goodness and giving and faith and love and sacrifice and care and kindness and hope? That's what Santa stands for. Aren't we a little short on those things these days?

Truth be told "Santa" did actually exist as a person (Saint Nicholas) long ago and is known for doing some of the things associated with present-day tradition.

No, I don't think it would be such a bad thing if Santa was real. Ho ho ho. :)

You might also be interested in:

• A Real Estate Christmas Carol (redux)
• Holiday Shows, A Canine's Shack, Meaning in Life & Linus' Famous Speech

Test Your Knowledge of Christmas

Sing with me: “It’s the most wonderful time of the year. With the kids jingle belling, And everyone telling you, “Be of good cheer,” It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” (Hey, you did that good!) And I just can’t help but sing. The Christmas spirit’s got a hold of me and won’t let go. How ‘bout you? And I couldn’t help but think what better way to spread some more "good Christmas cheer” like the song says than with a quiz? So how are you with the subject of Christmas – songs, traditions and other assorted facts? Find out with the following questions (answers below). And most of all, have a Merry Christmas, everybody.

1. Who wrote the song “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and in what year?

(a) Eddie Pola, George Wyle in 1963; (b) James Lord Pierpont publ. 1857; (c) J. Fred Coots, Henry Gillespie in 1934; (d) Irving Berlin, 1942.

2. The names of the Magi/Wisemen/Astrologers in the Christmas story were:

(a) Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego; (b) Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh; (c) Larry, Curly and Moe; (d) none of the above.

3. Robert L. May wrote the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Which of the following stories did he look to for inspiration?

(a) The Ugly Duckling; (b) A Christmas Carol; (c) It's a Wonderful Life; (d) Charlie Brown Christmas.

4. The big guy in the red suit and hat that says, "Ho, ho, ho," goes by many names including...

(a) Tim Allen; (b) Saint Nick; (c) Father Christmas; (d) Kris Kringle.

5. The official determination on whether or not it's a "white Christmas" is:

(a) snow flurries at noon on December 25th; (b) heavy snowfall for at least 10 minutes on Christmas day; (c) 1 inch of snow on the ground at 8 a.m. Christmas morning; (d) 1 inch of snowfall taking place any time between midnight and midnight.

6. The most famous Christmas Carol of all time is:

(a) O Come, All Ye Faithful; (b) Away in a Manger; (c) Silent Night; (d) Joy to the World.

7. One of the most popular/infamous gifts at Christmas is - can you guess? - the fruitcake. (Have you ever received one?) Which of the following facts are true about the fruitcake:

(a) 25 is the number of years that a fruitcake can age and still be enjoyed, as long as it has the right preservatives and is stored in a tightly closed tin; (b) 1 to 1 is the ratio of the density of the average fruitcake to the density of mahogany; (c) a little more than 1 in 10 people say they would make time to regift a fruitcake to give it to someone else; (d) all of the above.

Answers: 1. (a) – “b” wrote Jingle Bells; “c” wrote Santa Claus is Coming to Town; “d” wrote White Christmas 2. (d) 3. (a) 4. (b), (c) & (d) 5. (c) 6. (c) 7. (d)

(This test was developed and based on information from the following websites: Christmas Songs Lyrics, All Things Christmas, Counting on Christmas Statistics and Christmas Carols.)

Test Your Knowledge of Christmas

Sing with me: “It’s the most wonderful time of the year. With the kids jingle belling, And everyone telling you, “Be of good cheer,” It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” And I just can’t help but sing. The Christmas spirit’s got a hold of me and won’t let go. How ‘bout you? And I couldn’t help but think what better way to spread some more "good Christmas cheer” like the song says than for (did you guess?) another quiz? So how are you with the subject of Christmas – songs, traditions and other assorted facts? Find out with the following questions (answers below). And most of all, have a Merry Christmas, everybody (2 weeks to go!).

1. Who wrote the song “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and in what year?

(a) Eddie Pola, George Wyle in 1963; (b) James Lord Pierpont publ. 1857; (c) J. Fred Coots, Henry Gillespie in 1934; (d) Irving Berlin, 1942.

2. The names of the Magi/Wisemen/Astrologers in the Christmas story were:

(a) Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego; (b) Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh; (c) Larry, Curly and Moe; (d) none of the above.

3. Robert L. May wrote the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Which of the following stories did he look to for inspiration?

(a) The Ugly Duckling; (b) A Christmas Carol; (c) It's a Wonderful Life; (d) Charlie Brown Christmas.

4. The big guy in the red suit and hat that says, "Ho, ho, ho," goes by many names including...

(a) Tim Allen; (b) Saint Nick; (c) Father Christmas; (d) Kris Kringle.

5. The official determination on whether or not it's a "white Christmas" is:

(a) snow flurries at noon on December 25th; (b) heavy snowfall for at least 10 minutes on Christmas day; (c) 1 inch of snow on the ground at 8 a.m. Christmas morning; (d) 1 inch of snowfall taking place any time between midnight and midnight.

6. The most famous Christmas Carol of all time is:

(a) O Come, All Ye Faithful; (b) Away in a Manger; (c) Silent Night; (d) Joy to the World.

7. One of the most popular/infamous gifts at Christmas is - can you guess? - the fruitcake. (Have you ever received one?) Which of the following facts are true about the fruitcake:

(a) 25 is the number of years that a fruitcake can age and still be enjoyed, as long as it has the right preservatives and is stored in a tightly closed tin; (b) 1 to 1 is the ratio of the density of the average fruitcake to the density of mahogany; (c) a little more than 1 in 10 people say they would make time to regift a fruitcake to give it to someone else; (d) all of the above.

Answers: 1. (a) – “b” wrote Jingle Bells; “c” wrote Santa Claus is Coming to Town; “d” wrote White Christmas 2. (d) 3. (a) 4. (b), (c) & (d) 5. (c) 6. (c) 7. (d)

(This test was developed and based on information from the following websites: Christmas Songs Lyrics, All Things Christmas, Counting on Christmas Statistics and Christmas Carols.)