Learn how the name of the seventh reindeer changed from Dunder to Donder to Donner over time and across languages. Find out the origin and meaning of the words thunder and lightning in Dutch and German. Moore's 1844 version of the poem is the one that became the standard and established 'Donder' and 'Blitzen' as the names of two of Santa' reindeer in the memories of generations of children.
The eight reindeer, as they appeared in a handwritten manuscript of A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement C. Moore from the 1860s Moore altered the names of the last two reindeer several times; [9] first to "Donder" and "Blitzen" (to match German Blitzen), [8] as appears in his 1844 version of the poem.
However, Moore's poem underwent changes over the years, and in the 1860s, the names of the last two reindeer were altered to "Donder" and "Blitzen," meaning "thunder" and "lightning" in Standard Dutch. "Donner" didn't start kicking around until the early 20th century, and it's derived from German instead of Dutch. Later publications show the names "Donder and Blitzen" (2).
Martin Gardner, editor of The Annotated Night Before Christmas, points to a handwritten copy of the poem, written by Moore in the year before he died, in which he calls the reindeer "Donder and Blitzen" (3). It is clear that Moore himself wanted the reindeer named Donder and. Did Clement C.
Moore name one of Santa's reindeer Donder or Donner? Find out the definitive answer based on the original poem and the Library of Congress research. Reindeer name games: Is it Donder or Donner? Santa's reindeer will need to have embedded chips or ear tags and respond to their names, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The names of Santa's eight (or nine) reindeer have been immortalized in song: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen. However, in the original version of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, which was. An 1844 collection of writings by Moore called "Poems" included his tale of Santa Claus, and there, on Page 125, was Donder.
The introduction to the book, which Moore wrote, also refers to the reindeer as Donder - not Donner. "It's been translated into nearly all European languages," said Kitty Pittman, a librarian at the department of libraries. Donder was the first girl reindeer to graduate from the prestigious Roe Military Academy, and as far as she's concerned, boot camp never ended.
In fact, she has the other reindeer on Santa's team practicing constantly year round so they stay in shape for "The Big Night". The only reindeer that doesn't play in her reindeer games is Dasher (because he's always on vacation!), and quite a rivalry.