Reindeer, Lapland, Finland Dec 23, 2025

Few creatures evoke the magic of the holidays quite like the reindeer. Also known as caribou, they are the spirit animals of Christmas lovers—and they rock it. Sturdy and sure-footed, they"ve been pulling Santa"s sleigh ever since Clement Clarke Moore cast them in the role in his 1823 poem "A Visit from Saint Nicholas." And they were born for it. Their hooves shrink in winter to expose a gripping rim, then expand in warmer months for better traction. Still not impressed? Consider this: reindeer don"t have an internal clock. Instead, their melatonin—the hormone that regulates sleep—adjusts to light and darkness, helping them stay awake through endless nights of gift delivery.

© Roberto Moiola/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Ive got a lot of problems with you penguins!
Dec 23, 2023Chinstrap penguins
Dec 23, 2024Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Have a merry little Christmas
Nov 7, 2023Kirkilai lakes, Biržai Regional Park, Lithuania
Apr 23, 2025Shakespeare Day
A future built on the past
Jul 18, 2024Coral Reef Awareness Week
Twinkle twinkle, little bugs
Oct 29, 2025Ancient til trees in Fanal Forest, Madeira, Portugal
Apr 9, 2025Naxos, Cyclades, Greece
Nov 4, 2024Grasmere, Lake District, Cumbria, England
Apr 15, 2025World Art Day
Dec 9, 2024Two Guanacos, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
Nov 3, 2023Pacific sea nettles off the coast of Carmel, California, USA
Jun 21, 2025International Day of Yoga
Jun 6, 202581st anniversary of D-Day
Nov 28, 2023Varandha Ghat,Bhor,Maharashtra, India
Jan 25, 2025Porto, Portugal
Widespread and long-eared
Jan 24, 2026Andermatt village in the Alps, Switzerland
Apr 22, 2025Earth Day
Mar 21, 2024International Day of Forests
The sprout with amazing potential
Aug 22, 2025Rolling hills of the Palouse, Washington, United States
World Hippo Day, a giant celebration
Aug 3, 2024Three Natural Bridges, Wulong National Park, China
Want to hang about?
Mar 17, 2025Samuel Beckett Bridge, Dublin, Ireland
Feb 20, 2024Kinder Scout, Peak District National Park, UK
Oct 30, 2023Common raven
Apr 10, 2024Dragon waterfall, Venezuela
Nov 26, 2025Olive orchard in the Serra de Tramuntana, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain