Happy birthday, Rudolph! The reindeer with a light-up nose just turned 80 years old. The first book featuring Rudolph, written by Robert L. May, was published in 1939. It was given to shoppers as a promotional item at Montgomery Ward department store. Ten years later, May’s brother-in-law Johnny Marks adapted the story into a song. Country singer Gene Autry recorded the song, and it hit No. 1 on the U.S. charts in December 1949.
Read on to learn more about Rudolph and actual reindeer. Then plug in the numbers to solve the equation below and reveal a final fact.