Concerned citizens have inquired about updates on my missing Rudolph doll. I regret to report that this case has grown colder than a winter’s night at the North Pole. However, that is not for any lack of trying on my part to locate his whereabouts. In fact, the case has some interesting developments, and I could use your help to follow up on a lead.

My friend Poppi found a similar Rudolph hanging out in her neck of the woods, and immediately sent him my way. It was her hope that if my missing one was simply shy and hiding, the presence of this present would lure him out. Alas, no luck there.

My Babci, who sent the original Rudolph, also sent me not one but two new Rudolph friends! Her rationale was one to play with now, and one to put away for safe keeping in case I lose the other one. Point taken. However, these two almost got lost themselves! Their delivery was delayed due to a storm. But wasn’t that the original Rudolph’s role? To guide Santa’s sleigh during stormy weather? Couldn’t these two do the same for the UPS truck? Something seems off here.

Therefore, despite now having three new Rudolph friends, I couldn’t help but still worry about my wayward reindeer’s whereabouts. So I continued my investigation.

I decided to reread the original version of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer by Robert L. May, published in 1939. May describes Rudolph as being a very polite reindeer, who would never worry his family. In fact he left a note for his parents before leaving on his grand adventure, “I’ve gone to help Santa. Don’t Worry!” But alas, my missing reindeer was not as polite, and no note was ever found.

Next I rewatched the 1964 Rankin and Bass television special. This Rudolph was not as thoughtful as the original. In fact he took off for parts unknown with an elf he met hiding in a snowbank, without so much as a goodbye to his family or girlfriend! This tracks with my Rudolph in terms of his sudden disappearance. However, this left me in a quandary. Do I form a search party like in the tv special? I couldn’t help but think of how this led to a very poor outcome for Bigfoot’s cousin the Abominable Snow Monster. What if my missing Rudolph doll was some sort of trap masterminded by Hermey the elf, to have me accidentally lead him to my bestie Bigfoot!

I needed to do more research. So next I watched another Rankin and Bass special, “Rudolph’s Shiny New Year,” first aired in 1976. Well that’s when things got really weird. With the help of a caveman, a knight, and a whale, Rudolph searched the “Archipelago of Last Years” for Baby New Year, who was kidnapped by a vulture. Huh? And what was Ben Franklin doing in this special? Determined to follow all leads, I contacted Baby New Year 2026, but he had no clue what I was barking about, and quite frankly neither did I.

Next up I watched “Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July,” another Rankin and Bass classic from 1979. Alright, so here I got the backstory on why Rudolph’s nose glows. Bear with me, as far as I can tell it involved an evil snow wizard and the Queen of the Northern Lights, in a battle of good vs. evil. Apparently it was this queen who gave Rudolph his red nose, but said the glow would disappear if used for evil. And that’s the part of the story I somewhat understood! From there the story included an ice cream man’s upcoming wedding, a circus, a magic amulet for Frosty, an army of evil snowmen, and a plot to get Rudolph to commit a petty crime. Confused? Yep, me too. But the show ends with Rudolph joining the circus!

So if anyone happens to be going to the circus in the coming days and months, please keep a lookout for my missing Rudolph doll, because at this point it is the only logical lead. In the meantime, I plan to keep a close watch on my new Rudolph friends!