It may be the height of summer outside, but it’s never too early to start thinking about the holiday season – especially when it comes to preparing for those common traditions that start on December 1. If you’re like me, you’re tired of Elf on the Shelf and having to compete with all of the Pinterest moms who go above and beyond with their hiding spots each day. And although the traditional messages of the nativity scene and advent calendar are important, I’m always looking for something with a modern message that truly resonates with my children.
Luckily I recently discovered Reindeer in Here, which is sure to be the newest holiday tradition in my house this holiday season and should be in yours, too! Created by dad author (and Hollywood TV producer) Adam Reed in 2017, Reindeer in Here features an adorable plush reindeer and book.
How is the story of Reindeer in Here different from the Elf on the Shelf or other similar holiday activities? Simply put, the Reindeer in Here is all about celebrating differences. This is evident right away because the cute stuffed reindeer has one antler smaller than the other. In addition, the other characters in the book are also a little “quirky and special.” For example, the snowman sports a candy-cane nose instead of a carrot, the penguins are cross-eyed and Cecelia the seal has a permanent smile! The book goes on to talk about the importance of friendship and accepting others as well as speaking up when you have an opinion or idea. The Reindeer’s courage to “think different” leads it to share an idea with Santa to help solve the problem of not knowing each child’s individual wishes at Christmas.
Another cool feature of the Reindeer in Here, in keeping with the message of openness and diversity, is that it is purposely not called he or she in the book — the child decides and chooses a name.
So how does it work? The Reindeer in Here arrives just after Thanksgiving and spends December with your family. At night the reindeer writes notes to Santa to let him know the child’s true Christmas wishes. Then on Christmas Eve the child puts the reindeer under the tree to return to the North Pole, until next year. I think this will be a great opportunity to reinforce the true meaning of Christmas with my children and to have some valuable discussion about different types of wishes. For example, maybe one night we wish for a toy we want, and maybe another night we wish for a child less fortunate to have his or her wish granted. I can see much more opportunity to stress the message of generosity than simply guessing where the animal is the next day.
Last year, when Reindeer in Here first came out, it sold out in less than two hours on Black Friday! Amazon also named it an instant #1 New Release and #1 Best Seller. This year will be the FIRST year this unique product will be available in retail. Reindeer in Here will be sold in over 1,200 independent retailers, including many Hallmark stores and independent gift and toy stores during their “Christmas in July” events! This includes Hallmark’s Ornament Premiere week, which begins on July 14, as well as on Amazon.com for the last week of July. This will give parents like you and me early access to the product! Like I said, it’s never too early to start planning for this holidays!
