Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer is a classic tale that was created by Robert May in 1939, but most people don’t know this story came to be.

Robert May was working as a copywriter for a department store in Chicago at the time. His boss came to him one day and asked him to write a Christmas story for kids. At the time that he was asked to write the book he was having a hard time at home. His wife was ill with cancer and he had to care for his four year old daughter, Barbara, who didn’t understand why her mother couldn’t do anything with her. Needless to say he had a difficult time keeping his mind on his writing.

He then started to think about his own childhood and how he was made fun of as a child and had a hard time fitting in. That’s when he decided to write a story to comfort his daughter and other children who felt that they were different and left out. His boss approved of his idea and said it should be about an animal. The most common Christmas animal there is, is a… reindeer.

May thought and decided that the reindeer would be different, like how he was as a child. He did want the story to have a happy ending though, so whatever made the reindeer different would end up making him a hero in the end. The story line would be that Santa would need a reindeer that was strong, fast, and able to fly in dark and snowy weather. What would make him different though? Would he be able to see in the dark? No, that was silly. Then, he had it! It would be a nose that would be used to shine in the dark and light the way. It would be a big, red, shiny nose.

Now May had the hardest part left to do before he could start writing his tale. He needed to give the reindeer a name. Should he be named Rollo? No, that name was too happy for a reindeer that was supposed to be sad and lonely. Reginald? No, that name was too formal. Then, May had it. Rudolph. ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.’

Once he had figured all that out he began writing the story of the lone little reindeer. When he was done he read the finished product to his daughter, Barbara and her friends. They loved it, which was a bonus seeing as May wrote it partly to comfort his daughter especially. The story started with, “Twas the day before Christmas, and all through the hills, the reindeer were playing …enjoying the spills of skating and coasting, and climbing the willows…and hop-scotch and leap-frog (protected by pillows).” To read the whole original ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ click here.

“I think Rudolph is an adorable character and I think his story is very unique,” Samantha Ashton, Freshman student said.

Later on in the story it is learned that the most common phrase that is said by Santa, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night,” was not originally said by the jolly man himself. No it was Rudolph who said it first. That was his short little speech he said to all the other reindeer when they praised him and asked him for a speech, when he got back from helping Santa deliver all the presents to the animals and children around the world. “I find it interesting that Rudolph was the one that said the quote, when I always thought it was Santa who did,” Ashton said.

The department store May worked for published his book in 1939 and also gave free copies of the book to two million children during the Christmas season.

When World War II was over, over three million more copies of the book were given away. May’s story was a huge success, but little did he know there was so much more to come.

Ten years later, in 1949, Robert May’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, who was a professional songwriter, wrote the song, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Marks is best known for his works such as, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree which came out in 1958 and A Holly Jolly Christmas which came out in 1962. The song was based off of May’s book, but it didn’t just stop there. Gene Autry, an American performer, later recorded the song Johnny Marks wrote. Then a year later in 1950 it became the most popular Christmas song on the radio. They sold two million copies that year and the song was on its way to becoming the second-most successful Christmas record in history after White Christmas. Even today millions and millions of adults, children, and teens still sing the song around the Christmas season. It still wasn’t over yet though. About 14 years later, on December 6, 1964 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer the movie came out which was also based of the book, but of course it was modified and not entirely the same. “I watch Rudolph all year round because it’s one of my favorite movies to watch especially when it’s hot out and I need to feel cool,” Destinee Yancey, a Freshman student said.

When the story became its most popular it was then that people started to wonder who owned the rights to the Christmas story and the money that was being made from it. As a paid employee of Montgomery Ward (the department where May worked), May had no legal claim to an ownership of ‘Rudolph.’ At this point May was a widowed single father to his daughter as his wife had sadly died from her cancer in 1947. He was also facing enormous debts from his wife’s illness. Then Sewell Avery, the president of Montgomery Ward, signed over 100 percent of the ‘Rudolph’ copyright to May in January of 1947. He lived comfortably and contently on the money made from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer until his death, which occurred almost 30 years later in 1976.

“Rudolph is a classic and is great for everyone to watch,” Yancey, said. It’s hard to believe that one man could write one little book that expressed someone feeling left out because he was different and ended up saving the day, and have it become so famous for many years to come. It’s also sad that this one man didn’t get enough credit for what he has done. If Robert May never wrote the book, there would be no song, there would be no movie, and it wouldn’t be a part of so many lives around the holiday season bringing to joy to all around.