You know Dasher, and Dancer, and Prancer, and Vixen—Comet, and Cupid, and Donner, and Blitzen. But can you recall, the most plausible reindeer of all?
Nope, not Rudolph. We’re talking about the real reindeer. Yes, the extremely real, non-magical, tundra-frolicking reindeer that exist on Planet Earth.
In North America, reindeer are commonly referred to as caribou, and reside in Alaska and Canada, with no populations in the continental U.S. This probably explains why many Twitter folks are just now realizing that reindeer are, in fact, real.
Who thinks they're stupid? Yeah?… I just found out reindeer are real. Pretty sure I'm the stupid one.
— Wiz Keℓℓeyfa (@Hottkoolaid) December 15, 2016
https://twitter.com/Millieevans1975/status/805147936745209856
This random Twitter search comes courtesy of writer Aaron Cohen in a tweet from nearly half a decade ago.
https://twitter.com/UnlikelyWords/status/281854353281806336
Yes, yes, the plural of reindeer is actually reindeer, though Dictionary.com finds reindeers permissible for the plural.
Though the original tweet is almost four years old to the day, much has remained the same on the topic of “Reindeer: Fact or Fiction?” Another year, another holiday season during which young and old alike learn, or more likely are reminded, that reindeer and elves do not share the property of mythical creature.
reindeer are real?!
— Felix Jean Carlos (@felixjc94) December 19, 2016
https://twitter.com/RusolYasin/status/806903481714044928
@Nbrezinski45 REINDEER ARE REAL pic.twitter.com/l4PiZkhRNk
— Ashlyn Schoof (@schoof_ash) December 18, 2016
https://twitter.com/Nicocampbellx/status/806218855785918464
Jesse: LOL, reindeers aren't real, I know that.
— Onion: Hurry up (@deletehanzo) December 5, 2016
Gabe: …. Jesse reindeers are real. They just can't fly.
Jesse: Waht????
https://twitter.com/danielcorrales/status/809480616039153664
I actually can’t get my head around the fact that reindeers are real????
— emily (@3milyxchubs) December 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/queenbrittxo/status/804520076204503040
I still can’t believe reindeers are real;always presumed they were mythical like unicorns or dragons
— Maia Lowerson (@maialowersonx) November 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/lasusannaaa/status/810495398246752256
For the record, this is not an opinion that is up for debate. The reality of reindeer is a cold, hard fact, despite what any Twitter pollsters allege.
Official Poll: are reindeer real?🦌
— Gehlen Journalism (@gchs_journalism) December 16, 2016
https://twitter.com/livvystuartt/status/802825207744491520
Are reindeers real???? @AlecB87DP
— Marina (@marinamagsayo) December 4, 2016
https://twitter.com/nurmeanslightt/status/788823650103398400
https://twitter.com/megan_amend98/status/809513339797864452
Holiday trivia: Are reindeer real? ☃❄🎄
— 𝓟𝓱𝓲 𝓝𝓰𝓾𝔂𝓮𝓷 (@msphinguyen) December 14, 2016
So we can all jump on the “shook” bandwagon with relative ease, but we have somehow taken years to figure this whole reindeer thing out?
https://twitter.com/edleensuh/status/808517879809253376
https://twitter.com/becareimal/status/805201688025927680
https://twitter.com/okayhala/status/809909499859333120
Perhaps unexplainable for the amount of technology we have in the second decade of the 21st century, it would appear a handful of these reindeer truthers are young adults.
https://twitter.com/_elisamorris/status/809813316151472132
https://twitter.com/IzzyLee_/status/809806262649110528
How have I gone 19 years without knowing reindeers are real
— gb (@Georger__) December 12, 2016
it's taken Beth 20 years to realise reindeers are real… At least she learnt one thing from uni
— harriet (@harrietm29) December 1, 2016
https://twitter.com/JodieRobson/status/803581522733395968
https://twitter.com/redvelvetswift/status/802909663620661248
https://twitter.com/tealereynolds/status/798459500973826048
Honestly, this is a simple Google search, folks. In case you’re mistaking the Twitter text entry field for a search engine, here is the link: just click this, I beg of you.
Or please, somebody just build us a Twitter bot that responds to the phrase “are reindeer(s) real,” and tweet us our of our misery, already.
https://twitter.com/bethabson/status/805396938032054272
are reindeers real
— 𝖘𝖆𝖒 (@flxwergal) December 2, 2016
https://twitter.com/JardynMichelle/status/810316384303452160
are reindeers real animals…
— khadijakhatun_ (@khadijakhatun_) November 28, 2016
That’s it—Santa is getting y’all Encyclopedia Britannica online subscriptions for Christmas. Every single last damn one of you.