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Memories by Bev Jackson Cotter

When I was a little girl, Santa Claus brought me “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” a book that I have read over and over, enjoying the story each and every time. I didn’t know then that it wasn’t actually Santa who left the book under the tree, but Mom and Dad, thanks to a special 1939 Christmas promotion at Montgomery Wards that was repeated in 1946.

In 1949 when Gene Autry reluctantly agreed to record the song, I connected with Rudolph in an even stronger fashion. Ever since that time, I have slowly added Rudolphs to my ever growing collection — records, books, stuffed animals, tiny sculptures, even Lenox china tree ornaments.

This year while pondering the future of my collection, I found the book “Rudolph’s Second Christmas.” I had forgotten that Robert L. May had written a sequel to his original story. May had worked as an advertising copywriter for Montgomery Ward & Co. in Chicago. In 1939, as a special Christmas promotion, they published his original story, giving away six million copies in 1939 and 1946.

May died in 1976. Fifteen years later, his daughter was sorting through a box of papers and discovered a story he had written in 1947. It had never been published.

It’s an interesting story and tells us more of Rudolph’s personality and how he spent the year following his magical first trip with Santa. After that successful journey, he and Santa Claus spent days reading thank you letters from kids all over the world. Then they found one from two children who had not received any gifts. Santa Claus had missed them and they were so sad. How could this happen? Rudolph decided to investigate.

He learned that the parents of a little boy and girl owned a circus and traveled from town to town. Unfortunately, the acts were not very exciting, the music was awful and the only animal was a lazy, sleepy tiger. Consequently, the audiences were bored, attendance was low and the circus was continually forced to move on, hoping for a successful visit in the next village. Since the family did not have a permanent address, Santa did not know about the children.

Rudolph came to the rescue. He found some unusual and exciting animals — a cat who barked, a dog who meowed, a turtle who could run very fast and others who did not fit the normal characteristics of their families. These animals had gathered together, because, like Rudolph and his red nose, they had been laughed at by their friends and not allowed in their games. Rudolph brought them all to the circus owners and their new venture became very successful, famous and easy to find. The following Christmas Rudolph had no trouble landing the sleigh on the roof top of their new home so Santa could slide down the chimney and fill the children’s stockings to over flowing.

The children were thrilled, Santa and Rudolph were content, and that year’s after Christmas thank you letters were all from very happy children.

When I read Rudolph’s second Christmas story, I smiled, wondering if Robert L. May really wanted his sequel to be published. It’s a sweet story, but I almost wish his daughter had left it in its original box. As with most sequels, it never lived up to the fame of the original publication. There was a reason why May left the second story hidden amongst his other papers. I wonder why?

When I look at my cover and page worn, original book and all of the other Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer items, I can’t help but smile. What wonderful memories they bring.

“Merry Christmas to All

And to All a Good Night!”

From Rudolph

Bev Jackson Cotter is a lifelong resident of Albert Lea.