Do reindeer actually talk?

Dear Elf Ernest (on behalf of Elf Victor, Santa’s head of reindeer operations),

Do reindeer actually talk?

Ria
Kildare, Ireland

Outstanding question!

Reindeer are very, very intelligent animals. And they love working for Santa and powering the sleigh.

But do they talk?

Yes and no. They do not talk like you and I talk. They cannot use regular words. But they can communicate and it takes someone with very special skills — someone like Santa — to know what reindeer are “saying”.

Have you ever looked into the eyes of a dog? If you have, you know they have feelings and thoughts, just like you and me. But of course, a dog cannot speak.

It is kind of like that with reindeer. They have a language that they understand among themselves. And they understand when Santa or Elf Victor speaks to them. And they would probably understand if you talked to them.

But they do not use regular words or language like we do.

Santa understands them perfectly. He can “hear” reindeer. He knows how they feel and what they say to each other. It has taken many, many years of living with and working with the reindeer to develop this skill.