The 1964 stop-motion version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has been voted the most beloved holiday classic on television and there's a reason for that: Rudolph tells the story of each of us in our struggles, our blessings, our disappointments and our victories. Rudolph and his friends illustrate for us the inner-battles we are called to fight because of Christmas and what it means and because what we mean to God as his children. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer relates to us a simple but truthful parable about what life itself means and why.
Newspaper relaying the seriousness of the blizzard.
When the film opens, there is a terrible snow blizzard threatening to cancel Christmas. Of course there is a blizzard and of course it will cancel Christmas, this is the "cold" that fills our hearts instead of the warmth of love for God and the more love for God that is lost, the greater the chance that there will be no Christmas because what is Christmas but us stopping to remember how much God loves us? The over-powering cold in our hearts towards God makes it possible that it will be canceled. Part of the genius of the film is that its Sam (Burl Ives) the talking Snowman who narrates the adventure for us; why is Sam a spark of genius? Sam is made of snow the way we are made from dust; the snowman reminds us gently of the humility to which we are called because we are made from such common "stuff," despite that, however, God calls us to great heights.
Sam the Snowman played by Burl Ives.
Sam directs our attention to the, "Castle on the left" where Mr. & Mrs. Claus live and we here Mrs. Claus extolling Santa to "Eat, eat!" I touched on this briefly in From Saint Nicholas To Santa Claus that a "fat Santa" means abundance and bounty, the physical reminder in lean times that the Lord has blessed us generously in the past, and, like Job thinking to himself, "Perhaps the Lord will do so again." But in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa can't be bothered with being "fat," he's busy; why? Because of the storm of "coldness" which has seized people's hearts. What's the purpose of a "fat Santa" reminding people of the Lord's blessings if people have forgotten the Lord?
Next, Sam takes us to the spring before the big snow storm we saw at the beginning, when Rudolph is born. Rudolph is the son of Donnor, which means "to give," but we shouldn't think of Donner "giving Rudolph the false nose" rather, that he will be willing to give his life for his son when the time comes (and that Donnor isn't willing to give Santa a "deformed" reindeer, his pride stands in the way). The name Rudolph means "famous wolf" and we'll discuss this later, but for right now, let's talk about why he has a shiny red nose.
The nose is an integral part of our face; changing a persons nose can change their entire identity. We know that Rudolph will become famous because of his nose, but right now, his father is ashamed of it and his mother will "overlook it." Rudolph's red nose is a gift from God: it's a gift to Rudolph and a gift to the world, and that's how we have to examine our own gifts. Our gifts are as much a part of our identities as Rudolph's nose is a part of his face, because God gave it to us individually and singularly, making us special. The more special the gift, the more mis-understood it is likely to be and the more difficult the challenges in understanding how God wants us to use our gifts to glorify Him, but that's the whole point of the film. The second aspect of Rudolph's nose glowing is that it reminds us of how we are to pray: our prayers should be a pleasing fragrance to God. Because of television, it's difficult to communicate the sensory of "smell," but our prayers should be like incense, a pleasing fragrance that is offered to God alone because He is God. Lastly, Rudolph's nose is red because red is the color of love, and in love he will suffer and become triumphant for the good of all (it could have been a blue nose, or just clear, or even green . . . but it's red for a reason).
A child is born,. . . well, not exactly a child. It's not just that the nose is shiny, as Donnor points out, but it glows, and that light which causes it to glow comes from the Holy Spirit, the presence of God dwelling within our souls. That is the light which compels us to fight the darkness of evil and the cold of the blizzards in the world.
(There's a lovely jingle by Santa next, and I will be touching upon this, hopefully, in an upcoming post on Bells). There are two things which Donnor teaches Rudolph. First, to hide his nose, his "non-conformity" as Sam puts it. Secondly, Donnor teaches Rudolph about hiding from the Abominable Snowman; as we'll see, it's understanding his nose (as a gift) that will help Rudolph defeat the Abominable Snowman; as a "snowman" we might think that he's like Sam, but there are two symbolisms to the color "white": there is faith, purity and innocence and then white can also symbolize death (because a corpse turns white in decay) and this is what the Abominable Snowman is to Rudolph: death in not understanding his nose. It's not that the A.S. will eat Rudolph but what he represents--that Rudolph's nose makes him a misfit and he should be ashamed of himself--will "eat away" at Rudolph's soul (if reindeer had souls). Donnor, not having any idea what his son will really be called to do (being on Santa's sleigh team is an earthly goal at this point) can't truly help his son with what needs to be done because Donnor has never been through these trials himself.
We all want to be something and Hermey wants to be a dentist.
If Rudolph provides us with the example of the pressure of expectation from our parents, Hermey the elf gives us the pressure from social convention and class. This is the famous question which we ask of God: "Why me?" I'm an elf, Hermey might say, why do I have to want to be a dentist? Why can't I enjoy making toys like everyone else? If the Lord didn't put impossible obstacles in our path, we would not know that our destiny came from Him and was being directed by Him. People like Donnor, who are good at something socially desirable, have the benefit of not having to struggle like Rudolph will, but he also looses out on not getting to become what Rudolph will become, the most famous reindeer, because Donnor doesn't have the gift, nor will he have the battle. When Hermey refuses to go to "elf practice" (equivalent to reindeer games) note that he escapes through the window, i.e. self reflection not that he won't fit in, but that what he wants to do is what he has to do.
Part of reindeer games is not take off or self-defense with the antlers, rather, the random game of deciding who is in favor and who will be a part of "society," the game of determining the "pecking order," so to speak, and in this game, Rudolph is the biggest loser.
When Rudolph meets Clarice, it's important: Clarice knows without anyone telling her that there is something about Rudolph's nose that's different, and this validation she gives him is like the first encounter we have with God when He "calls us by name," that name that He and He alone knows, the name of our deepest being which pertains to our unique destiny. The "takeoff" Rudolph has is like the leap of faith, the lightness of our hearts when we know God, and we know that He is with us, but it isn't long before the trails and sufferings begin, when we have to prove ourselves to Him. Part of that trial is the "exile" which occurs so often in the Old Testament, and we have to go off and experience the Wilderness. For now, Rudolph has to experience ostracization and shame and, above all, make a decision about who he is and what he is.
The proof that we can trust this line of interpretation is the song Clarice sings, There's Always Tomorrow, time for our dreams to come true, because our dream is the language of the Holy Spirit calling us to fulfill whatever it is we were created to do. The great thing about this point in Rudolph's trials are how his friends help him (note the red bow Clarice wears, it shows that she's "governed by love" since it's on her head); the inspiring and encouraging of Clarice, Hermey, Yukon an the Island of Misfit Toys is the "salt" of preserving what we know in our hearts is true, but we forget, and having someone there to remind us is being the salt of the earth and giving salt to another because salt is essential for life and for the spiritual life.
Don't be too upset with Clarice's dad in forbidding her seeing Rudolph, it's part of the growing cycle: the coming and going of friends is like the tide and, in the spiritual life, there must be periods of solitude otherwise the real self can't grow as it must. There is a fine balance, illustrated with Hermey and Rudolph meeting: Hermey literally teaches Rudolph the "language of the soul, and spiritual trials" and that's why they can "be independent together," but Hermey isn't called to the greater height that Rudolph is called to, but he's a good companion for now and can help Rudolph on the way, teaching him what he knows until Rudolph will need that greatest of teachers, the Wilderness, as Christ went, called by the Spirit before his Baptism.
The trials of the Spirit prove daunting even the first night when the Abominable Snowman comes for them and in the spiritual life, that's what it's about. Why is the A.S. attracted to Rudolph's nose? Because that's the light of Christ shining (well, in a figurative way) and evil will do whatever it can to destroy that Light within us and keep us from passing it on to others. Christ, on the other hand, does everything necessary to foster the growth of that Light and to make it burn strong and bright. It's fitting that we now meet Yukon Cornelius because his characteristics will help us understand what it is that is so special about Rudolph. Please note that when Yukon first meets Rudolph and Hermey, they are half-buried in snow, meaning, they have buried themselves in their own problems. "That's how you get frost-bitten," he tells them: he's right, because when we bury ourselves in our cold souls and don't seek the Grace of God, the cold bites us and takes away our ability to feel.
Yukon Cornelius' motivations in life are about as suitable to a human being as his team of dogs are suitable for pulling a sled. We should all be searching for silver and gold, but not the earthly elements which Yukon searches for, rather the spiritual elements. In my post The Bright Autumn Moon: The Wolf Man, I discussed how in Hebrew the word for "word" sounds like silver, and the Word made Incarnate, Jesus Christ, is thereby depicted in silver on the Crucifix and that's why something of silver is the only thing that can kill a werewolf. But in terms of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the Christmas tree is a symbol of our soul, and in the song Silver and Gold, the silver is the Word of God that we hear and the gold is the acts of selfless love which we make that decorates our souls, just like ornaments on a tree. It's the purification of this gold that is the work of the Spirit because gold is the most precious thing on earth, but it is Love that makes us most like God, so to "refine" our love is to perform works of love, and that is the gold we must all strive for, not like Yukon who searches for rocks.
They're really on their way, now. Why can't the A.S. swim? Water is sacramental, so the A.S. not being able to swim is consistent with nothing evil being able to pass through pure/running water because water is the element of the Spirit.
Why does Yukon throw up his pick and taste it all the time? It emphasizes his appetites and what he really wants out of life, riches. That doesn't make Yukon bad, it just doesn't make him able to understand what Rudolph is going through and--while Yukon will be the best friend he can be--he won't be able to help Rudolph and that's why Rudolph will end up leaving them. When they land on the Island of Misfit Toys, Rudolph and Hermey are literally brought into communion with others like them, others who don't know their purpose, but know they want to bring happiness to someone. As King Moonraiser points out, Rudolph and Hermey are living, not toys, and the Creator has a separate purpose for them. Rudolph has realized that his nose (his gift) is going to lead the Abominable Snowman to them, and he doesn't want to endanger their lives, but he doesn't understand what gifts are so he won't' let them help him either. This is the way God calls us--not really away from others--but closer to Himself.
Why is it that Rudolph sets out just as the "storm of storms" hits? The storm is a gift, like his nose, because without the trials that hit us, we wouldn't know how strong we are nor the strength God is willing to give us to get through the trials. Of course, we would just rather that we didn't have trials, but on this side of heaven there is no avoiding them, so the storm is sent because, without the storm and the darkness it brings, Rudolph's gift would never be realized. Why does Rudolph have to go into the Wilderness to learn about himself? In the Wilderness there is no place to hide. There is you and everything lurking in you. When Rudolph has grown and realizes he needs to go back to his family, to Christmas Town, he has defeated the Abominable Snowman that has been "eating at him" all this time; Rudolph has finally grown enough to know that none of that makes a difference and there are more important things. How does Rudolph know to go to the cave of the Abominable Snowman? Because you learn about evil in the Wilderness, you learn where and how it hides and how it tries to deceive you; knowing these tricks, Rudolph thinks he's ready to save others (as he himself has been saved) but like Luke Skywalker, he doesn't quite know everything and has to depend on others to bail him out.
But others bailing us out is part of God's plan, too. God doesn't give all His gifts to just one person, but allows us to help each other using our gifts, each at the right time. And that's why Hermey is a dentist, to remove the "bite" from the Abominable Snowman so he can't hurt anyone anymore. Why does the Abominable Snowman want a "pork dinner?" Pig is an unclean animal, so one unclean animal desires another, and that's why reindeer with the gift of flight, aren't as pleasing as the pork dinner. That craving for uncleanliness is also the reason why he can be led to the "mouth" of the cave (emphasizing the appetites) and it's the man of appetites (Yukon) who knows the animal of appetites (but they both go over the ledge together). Hermey, in being able to remove the A.S.'s teeth, removes the bite, as I said, from the damage he can do and also realizes his own gifts in the process. This is part of our gifts and how we know they are from God: each gift, in its own way, helps to save others. It may not be the way a doctor or fireman saves lives, or a police officer or the military, but you know a tree by the fruit it bears, and Hermey's has helped to save others in more ways than one.
What do they do when they get back to Christmas Town? They tell "the story" of what has happened to them, and it is in the form of a story that the others realize how wrong they were (but it was the hand of God allowing it so He could bring good from it, but that doesn't excuse us when we have failed to treat someone with love). When Yukon and the A.S. come into Christmas Town, it seems odd that "Bumbles bounce," but it's true: even that which has done evil can be reformed and "bounce back" from their old ways into new, reformed ways. It is, after all, fitting because the greatest sinners deserve the greatest mercy and glorify the Lord the most, and that's why the A.S. puts the star atop the tree, the image of the soul and the star of Bethlehem to which he owes the mercy God has shown him, like Ebenezer Scrooge, for example.
What is the importance of leading Santa's sleigh? The sleigh, in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, is the vehicle of God's good works, which we are all called to contribute to; the ones who have been spiritually prepared for the difficult times facing us on earth are the ones using their gifts to bring gifts (love and the sacraments) to the rest of Christ's flock, and also to help others realize and use their gifts for God's glory and their own self-fulfillment. Above all, that storm, as I discussed in the beginning, is the storm of coldness which freezes our hearts against God and so it takes someone truly devoted (such as a saint) to let their light shine brightly and with the warmth of love to melt the blizzards of hardened hearts.
Why is it important that the Misfit Toys find homes? It's the sign of God's hand in everything that everything has a purpose and a reason, and nothing is wasted in the Divine Plan, even a toy. No matter how insignificant something is, or how significant, everything has the attention of the Divine Author and has been accounted for in His Heart. We don't understand, but that is where faith comes in, and when we are short on our own faith, the Lord will send someone like Yukon or Hermey to help our faith, and at some point He will send us to help someone in their faith.
How does Rudolph become his name, "famous wolf?" Rudolph is overcoming the wolf, the devil inside himself that keeps him from becoming what God wants him to be (symbolized by the Abominable Snowman). It's like the way St. Michael the archangel received his name, when he cast Satan into hell and cried out "Who compares to God?" (which is what Michael means in Hebrew) and, just as a wolf eats deer, but that is what Rudolph is named for, so we must remember that the devil would eat us, but we must overcome his attacks constantly, and this 1964 children's story of Christmas is a wonderful way to remind us how to do that.
The 1964 stop-motion version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has been voted the most beloved holiday classic on television and there's a reason for that: Rudolph tells the story of each of us in our struggles, our blessings, our disappointments and our victories. Rudolph and his friends illustrate for us the inner-battles we are called to fight because of Christmas and what it means and because what we mean to God as his children. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer relates to us a simple but truthful parable about what life itself means and why.
Next, Sam takes us to the spring before the big snow storm we saw at the beginning, when Rudolph is born. Rudolph is the son of Donnor, which means "to give," but we shouldn't think of Donner "giving Rudolph the false nose" rather, that he will be willing to give his life for his son when the time comes (and that Donnor isn't willing to give Santa a "deformed" reindeer, his pride stands in the way). The name Rudolph means "famous wolf" and we'll discuss this later, but for right now, let's talk about why he has a shiny red nose.
The nose is an integral part of our face; changing a persons nose can change their entire identity. We know that Rudolph will become famous because of his nose, but right now, his father is ashamed of it and his mother will "overlook it." Rudolph's red nose is a gift from God: it's a gift to Rudolph and a gift to the world, and that's how we have to examine our own gifts. Our gifts are as much a part of our identities as Rudolph's nose is a part of his face, because God gave it to us individually and singularly, making us special. The more special the gift, the more mis-understood it is likely to be and the more difficult the challenges in understanding how God wants us to use our gifts to glorify Him, but that's the whole point of the film. The second aspect of Rudolph's nose glowing is that it reminds us of how we are to pray: our prayers should be a pleasing fragrance to God. Because of television, it's difficult to communicate the sensory of "smell," but our prayers should be like incense, a pleasing fragrance that is offered to God alone because He is God. Lastly, Rudolph's nose is red because red is the color of love, and in love he will suffer and become triumphant for the good of all (it could have been a blue nose, or just clear, or even green . . . but it's red for a reason).
The trials of the Spirit prove daunting even the first night when the Abominable Snowman comes for them and in the spiritual life, that's what it's about. Why is the A.S. attracted to Rudolph's nose? Because that's the light of Christ shining (well, in a figurative way) and evil will do whatever it can to destroy that Light within us and keep us from passing it on to others. Christ, on the other hand, does everything necessary to foster the growth of that Light and to make it burn strong and bright. It's fitting that we now meet Yukon Cornelius because his characteristics will help us understand what it is that is so special about Rudolph. Please note that when Yukon first meets Rudolph and Hermey, they are half-buried in snow, meaning, they have buried themselves in their own problems. "That's how you get frost-bitten," he tells them: he's right, because when we bury ourselves in our cold souls and don't seek the Grace of God, the cold bites us and takes away our ability to feel.
Yukon Cornelius' motivations in life are about as suitable to a human being as his team of dogs are suitable for pulling a sled. We should all be searching for silver and gold, but not the earthly elements which Yukon searches for, rather the spiritual elements. In my post The Bright Autumn Moon: The Wolf Man, I discussed how in Hebrew the word for "word" sounds like silver, and the Word made Incarnate, Jesus Christ, is thereby depicted in silver on the Crucifix and that's why something of silver is the only thing that can kill a werewolf. But in terms of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the Christmas tree is a symbol of our soul, and in the song Silver and Gold, the silver is the Word of God that we hear and the gold is the acts of selfless love which we make that decorates our souls, just like ornaments on a tree. It's the purification of this gold that is the work of the Spirit because gold is the most precious thing on earth, but it is Love that makes us most like God, so to "refine" our love is to perform works of love, and that is the gold we must all strive for, not like Yukon who searches for rocks. 
Why is it that Rudolph sets out just as the "storm of storms" hits?
But others bailing us out is part of God's plan, too. God doesn't give all His gifts to just one person, but allows us to help each other using our gifts, each at the right time. And that's why Hermey is a dentist, to remove the "bite" from the Abominable Snowman so he can't hurt anyone anymore. Why does the Abominable Snowman want a "pork dinner?" Pig is an unclean animal, so one unclean animal desires another, and that's why reindeer with the gift of flight, aren't as pleasing as the pork dinner. That craving for uncleanliness is also the reason why he can be led to the "mouth" of the cave (emphasizing the appetites) and it's the man of appetites (Yukon) who knows the animal of appetites (but they both go over the ledge together). Hermey, in being able to remove the A.S.'s teeth, removes the bite, as I said, from the damage he can do and also realizes his own gifts in the process. This is part of our gifts and how we know they are from God: each gift, in its own way, helps to save others. It may not be the way a doctor or fireman saves lives, or a police officer or the military, but you know a tree by the fruit it bears, and Hermey's has helped to save others in more ways than one.
What do they do when they get back to Christmas Town?
What is the importance of leading Santa's sleigh?
Why is it important that the Misfit Toys find homes?
How does Rudolph become his name, "famous wolf?"
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