Well, it ain’t a Christmas story. It addresses the need for social acceptance and tolerance.

Olive, “The Other Reindeer”: A Modern Tale of Acceptance

A Gender-Non-conforming Reindeer, This Is Their Story

In a Quaint Mountaintop Village

It’s not always Yuletide in the Alps, or anywhere for that matter, so telling a socially relevant story about reindeer is not seasonally inappropriate. That said, strap on your seatbelts and keep your hands and feet clearly inside the safety zone, and here we go!

In a bustling village nestled amidst the frosty hills of the North Pole, there lived a reindeer named Rudolph. However, this tale isn’t about the famous red-nosed Rudolph we all know; it’s about Olive, the other reindeer.

Olive was just one of the many reindeer in Santa’s herd, blending in among the likes of Dasher, Dancer, and the rest. But unlike their companions, Olive didn’t conform to the traditional gender norms of reindeer. Instead of adhering to binary distinctions, Olive identified as gender non-specific, wearing their uniqueness as proudly as Rudolph wore his shiny red nose.

As the days passed, Olive faced life challenges, as did other reindeer in the village. In the classic song, it’s mentioned that “all of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names.” Not to in any way suggest that one type of bullying is less harmful than another, but what if those names were not about Rudolph’s nose, but about something more deeply personal, like Olive’s gender identity?

Well, that’s how things began. As the handed-down story was told to the songwriter, they got parts of the story transposed while abridging it. So when the song says “All of the other reindeer,” originally it was about “Olive, the Other Reindeer.”

What truly set Olive apart was the way the other reindeer treated them. You see, after a while, the other caribou, observing differences, would mock Olive, whispering hurtful words and excluding them from reindeer games. Olive came to a point where they’d hang their head low, feeling the weight of rejection bearing down on their shoulders.

Yet, just like Rudolph, Olive had something unique to offer. As a matter of fact, at one point, the two saved the day together. One foggy Christmas Eve, when the sky was thick with mist and Santa’s usual sleigh team struggled to navigate through the haze, Olive’s courage shone brightly. Santa, recognizing Olive’s strength and resilience, called out to them, asking for their help to guide his sleigh. If they’d accept, Santa explained, they’d take the forefront alongside Rudolph.

With a heart full of determination and a spirit as bright as Rudolph’s nose, Olive stepped up to the plate. Together, Olive and Rudolph led Santa’s sleigh through the fog, guiding it safely to every house and spreading joy to children all around the world.

The two laughed and joked the whole while, even imagining themselves as caped superheroes for their efforts. Of course they did—they shared being "different," were young and full of enthusiasm, and each brimmed with feelings of delight for the joy they helped bring during Yuletide.

At that moment, the other reindeer realized the error of their ways. They saw Olive not as different, but as brave and compassionate. And as they cheered for Olive, shouting out with glee, they knew that Olive, the gender-non-specific reindeer, would go down in history alongside Rudolph as a symbol of acceptance and inclusion.

So the next time you hear the tale of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, remember Olive, the other reindeer, who showed us that it’s okay to be different and that true magick lies in embracing our uniqueness.