What Is Reindeer Food and Why Do People Make It?
Reindeer food is a beloved Christmas tradition that has captured the hearts of families around the world. It is a simple mixture of ingredients, typically oats and glitter or sprinkles, that children scatter on their lawns on Christmas Eve to guide Santa's reindeer to their home. The idea is that the sparkle from the glitter catches the moonlight, acting as a beacon for the reindeer flying through the night sky, while the oats provide a nutritious snack for the hardworking animals.
This tradition has grown in popularity over the past few decades, becoming a staple of holiday celebrations alongside leaving cookies and milk for Santa. It is a wonderful way to engage children in the magic of Christmas, giving them an active role in the festivities. Making reindeer food is also an excellent craft activity that can be done in classrooms, at holiday parties, or simply at home with your family on a cozy winter evening.
The beauty of reindeer food lies in its simplicity. You do not need expensive or hard-to-find ingredients. Most of what you need is likely already sitting in your kitchen pantry. Whether you are a parent looking for a fun project, a teacher planning a classroom activity, or simply someone who loves holiday traditions, learning how to make reindeer food is a delightful experience that brings joy to everyone involved.
Essential Ingredients for Reindeer Food
The classic reindeer food recipe calls for just a handful of ingredients. The base ingredient is old-fashioned rolled oats. These oats are safe for wildlife and provide a wholesome snack that real animals, including deer, can enjoy if they happen to nibble on the mixture left outside. You will need about one cup of oats per batch, though you can easily scale the recipe up or down depending on how many children are participating.
The next key ingredient is the sparkle element. Traditionally, craft glitter has been used to add that magical shimmer. However, there is growing awareness about the environmental impact of traditional glitter, which is made from microplastics. Many families are now opting for biodegradable glitter, which is made from plant-based materials like cellulose and breaks down naturally in the environment. You can find biodegradable glitter at most craft stores or online retailers.
Other popular additions include colored sugar sprinkles, which add color and are completely biodegradable and safe for animals. Some recipes also incorporate dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, or birdseed to make the mixture more appealing to wildlife. If you want to go the extra mile, you can add a few drops of peppermint extract or cinnamon to give the mixture a festive holiday scent that makes the crafting experience even more immersive.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Reindeer Food
Making reindeer food is incredibly straightforward, making it an ideal activity for children of all ages. Start by gathering all your ingredients and placing them on a clean workspace. You will also need a large mixing bowl, a spoon for stirring, and small bags or containers for packaging the finished product.
Begin by pouring one cup of rolled oats into your mixing bowl. If you are making multiple batches, simply multiply the oats accordingly. Next, add about one to two tablespoons of biodegradable glitter or colored sugar sprinkles. The amount of sparkle is entirely up to you and your children. Some kids prefer a subtle shimmer, while others want their reindeer food to look like it came straight from the North Pole.
Gently stir the mixture together until the glitter or sprinkles are evenly distributed throughout the oats. If you are adding extras like dried cranberries or birdseed, fold them in at this stage. You can also add a few drops of peppermint extract and stir to distribute the scent. Once everything is thoroughly mixed, your reindeer food is ready to be packaged.
Spoon the mixture into small cellophane bags, paper envelopes, or mason jars. If you are giving the reindeer food as gifts or party favors, consider adding a festive tag with instructions. A popular poem to include reads: "Sprinkle on the lawn at night, the moon will make it sparkle bright. As Santa's reindeer fly and roam, this will guide them to your home." This adds an extra touch of magic that children absolutely adore.
Creative Variations and Customizations
While the classic oats-and-glitter recipe is wonderful, there are many creative ways to customize your reindeer food. One popular variation is the rainbow reindeer food, where you divide the oats into several bowls and tint each batch with a different color of food coloring before mixing them together. This creates a vibrant, eye-catching mixture that looks stunning when scattered on fresh white snow.
Another fun option is glow-in-the-dark reindeer food. You can achieve this by adding glow-in-the-dark paint to some of the oats and letting them dry before mixing. When the children scatter the food outside at night, it creates a truly magical glowing effect on the ground. This variation is particularly exciting for older children who might be starting to question the magic of Christmas.
For an edible version that doubles as a snack, consider making a trail mix-style reindeer food using oats, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, red and green M&Ms, and pretzel sticks. This version is perfect for classroom parties where children can eat some of the mixture themselves while setting aside a portion for the reindeer. Just be sure to keep the edible version separate from any batches containing glitter or non-food items.
You can also turn the reindeer food-making process into a full craft session by having children decorate their own packaging. Provide plain paper bags, stickers, stamps, markers, and ribbon, and let the children create their own unique reindeer food packages. This extended activity keeps children entertained for longer and produces personalized gifts they can share with friends and family members.
Tips for Making Reindeer Food Eco-Friendly
As environmental awareness grows, many families are looking for ways to make their holiday traditions more sustainable. The good news is that reindeer food can be made entirely eco-friendly with a few simple swaps. The most important change is replacing traditional craft glitter with biodegradable alternatives. As mentioned earlier, biodegradable glitter made from plant cellulose is widely available and works just as well for creating that magical sparkle.
When choosing your oats, opt for organic varieties if possible. These are free from pesticides and are safer for any wildlife that might snack on the scattered mixture. Similarly, if you are adding dried fruits or seeds, choose organic, unsalted, and unflavored options to ensure they are safe for local birds and animals.
For packaging, skip the plastic cellophane bags and use recycled paper bags, compostable pouches, or reusable containers instead. You can also wrap portions of reindeer food in wax paper tied with natural twine for a charming, rustic presentation that is completely biodegradable. These eco-conscious choices teach children valuable lessons about environmental responsibility while still keeping the magic of the tradition alive.
When and How to Use Reindeer Food
The traditional time to scatter reindeer food is on Christmas Eve, just before bedtime. Gather the family together and head outside to sprinkle the mixture on your front lawn, driveway, or any open area visible from above. Encourage the children to spread it out rather than dumping it in one pile, as this creates a wider landing zone for the reindeer.
Some families incorporate the scattering of reindeer food into a larger Christmas Eve ritual. You might read a Christmas story together first, then put on coats and boots to head outside for the reindeer food ceremony. Singing a Christmas carol while scattering the food adds an extra layer of festivity. After the food is scattered, children can look up at the sky and wish the reindeer a safe journey before heading inside for hot cocoa and bed.
If you live in an apartment or do not have a yard, you can scatter the reindeer food on a balcony, windowsill, or even a plate placed outside your front door. The tradition is about the magic and excitement, not the location. You can also adapt the tradition for other settings, such as scattering food at a grandparent's house, a holiday cabin, or even during a family walk through a park on Christmas Eve afternoon.
Making Reindeer Food a Lasting Family Tradition
The beauty of making reindeer food is that it creates lasting memories. Many adults fondly remember making and scattering reindeer food as children, and they eagerly pass the tradition down to their own kids. To make it even more special, consider documenting the experience each year. Take photos of your children mixing the ingredients, decorating the bags, and scattering the food outside. Over time, you will build a wonderful collection of holiday memories.
You can also evolve the tradition as your children grow. Younger children enjoy the simple mixing and scattering, while older kids might take on more responsibility, like measuring ingredients or writing the reindeer food poem. Teenagers might enjoy researching the environmental impact of different ingredients or coming up with creative new recipes. By allowing the tradition to grow with your family, it remains meaningful and exciting year after year, keeping the spirit of Christmas alive in your home for generations to come.
