Wednesday, October 17, 2018

Maybe He was Drunk

He was Santa’s ninth reindeer and is the imagination of Robert Lewis May. He made his debut in a 1939 booklet that was published by Montgomery Wards. For you youngsters, that’s a catalog store like Sears used to be and was a staple at Christmas since it showcased all of the toys and other gift ideas to those who could only shop by mail.

This red nosed scamp has been featured in songs, TV specials, a feature film and a sequel film. He has become folklore, and in 2014, the USPS gave him his own commemorative stamp.

Originally, Rudolph was a work assignment between Montgomery Wards and Robert May. The department store had been giving away coloring books and thought that they could save money by commissioning their own book.
His original name was Rollo, but a regional decision made him Rudolph. The first year of the publication of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, 2.4 million copies were distributed.

Story goes, Mr. May was sitting in his downtown Chicago office trying to think of a way to write a story about a reindeer while he stared at the thick fog covering Lake Michigan. The inspiration flashed red. Red would surely shine through thick fog.

We almost didn’t have the red nose when the idea of a red nose was rejected because it was associated with drunks. Once the reindeer was drawn, everyone could see how adorable he was, and that made the red nose acceptable.

We all know the song, but did you know that this rendition of the song hit the #1 spot on the Billboard pop single chart in 1949? It sold 2.5 million recordings that year and went on to sell almost 25 million copies. It was the second best-selling recording of all time until it was unseated in the 1980s. I just saw an original album sleeve tacked to the wall of a local diner that had mediocre food, but cool cowboy décor.

Sing along! I know you want to!

Here are some great gift ideas worth singing about, too.