Reindeer Search Day

Noble wild animals with branched horns are the main decoration of the tundra and taiga forests. In Russia, reindeer can be found in the west of the Kola Peninsula, Karelia, the Urals and Sakhalin, Siberia, Kamchatka, Western Chukotka and the Arctic islands. Caribou, artiodactyl mammals of the genus Rangifer, live in the New World - Greenland, the USA and Canada. Reindeer live in the mountain and lowland tundra, as well as in the taiga near high marshes, wastelands and on the edges of forests where reindeer moss grows. The animal has an elongated, squat body, a short neck with a not always noticeable mane, and an elongated muzzle. The antlers of deer living in northern latitudes have an unusual shape: their main trunk bends first backward and then forward. Since ancient times, the graceful animal has been a symbol of rebirth and spirituality, nobility, light and purity. Due to the similarity of the antlers to the branches, the deer is associated with the Tree of Life. An unusual holiday has been established in honor of these stately and majestic handsome men. December 28th is Reindeer Search Day. Animals are found in the myths of many peoples, present in Bashkir, Karelian, Nanai, Mansi and Ossetian fairy tales. In medieval Europe, the deer symbolized purity and purity. In Chinese epic, he is the embodiment of Shou-Xin, the deity of longevity; in Japanese poetry, his image is used to convey the torment of love and loneliness. Poems and lyrical songs are dedicated to deer and caribou: In the mythology of the ancient Slavs, handsome horned men were able to perform miracles and speak in a human voice. Like the horse and the eagle, the deer was considered a mediator between heaven and earth, i.e. messenger of higher powers. Hittite, Shinto and Sumerian deities rode graceful and swift animals. Perhaps that is why eight reindeer harnessed to a team carry the sleigh of the most popular wizard of our time - Santa Claus - across the sky. By the Belgian writer Maurice Maeterlinck, the main characters of the play are looking for the mythical Blue Bird - a symbol of happiness and good luck. The deer, a very real and earthly character, has long been the personification of success, longevity and wealth. To attract prosperity to the house, people bought figurines or objects depicting handsome men with branchy horns. But not everyone is ready to wait for favors from fate. Particularly impatient people like Tiltil and Metil from “The Blue Bird” want to get good luck and happiness as quickly as possible, so they go on December 28 in search of reindeer.