Spotted: reindeer on campus

First puppies, now reindeers – the head honchos at RoHo really are spoiling us rotten. 

RoHo students were treated to a christmas miracle earlier today when two real life reindeer rocked up on campus.

The Founder’s Building at Royal Holloway has always made for a picturesque venue, but today it received an extra dose of magic from two special seasonal visitors. Rudolph and Dasher the reindeer joined hundreds of delighted students this Tuesday afternoon in the South Quad to spread some much appreciated holiday cheer.

After the recent success of ‘puppy therapy’ at the SU, a reindeer visit was too wonderful to miss. Joy beamed from everyone’s faces in spite of the cold weather. Even the the reindeer themselves didn’t seem fazed by the temperature thanks to their natural fluffiness. In their suits of Christmas bells, it was hard for even the greatest humbug to be unmoved.

Though surprisingly small in stature, the personalities of the reindeer instantly captivated the crowds waiting patiently to be graced with fuzzy reindeer presence. Incredibly placid, they were happy to allow curious students to stroke their fur and antlers.

The two festively decked-out handlers, Debbie and Andrea, were more than willing to tell us all about the pair of ungulates. Rudolph and Dasher are 3 year old Finnish reindeer, almost fully grown. Approximately 2,000 hairs per square inch make-up their winter coat and their cloven hooves help to stop them sinking into the snow – they’re every bit adapted to a winter wonderland.

And the crowd couldn’t be more pleased. 3^rd year English Student Kate described the experience as “an entirely new type of joy” and Alexia, another 3^rd year, asked “What could be better than one reindeer? Two Reindeer.”

But while they might have brought some festive cheeer, the smell was nothing to cheer about. 3rd year student Millie said: “They were really really pretty, but the whiff of manure around campus really wasn’t”.

So it looks like although there may not be snow, everyone lucky enough to make it to campus today walked away fully in the christmas spirit.