Reindeer
Champs

“Reindeer Games” — The Complete Athletic Roster

The Reindeer Champs series launched in 1986 with Dasher — not flying, but running track. "Dasher is named appropriately! First in the Reindeer Champs series, this ornament is dashing to get on to your tree." Sculpted by Bob Siedler at approximately 2½ to 3 inches tall, Dasher the runner is the first of eight reindeer-as-athletes that Hallmark committed to delivering over eight consecutive years. One reindeer per year, one sport per reindeer, all eight of Santa’s famous team assigned a competitive sport that plays on their name or personality: Dancer figure skates, Prancer plays basketball (prancing into the lane), Vixen plays tennis, Comet plays soccer, Cupid plays volleyball, Donder plays baseball, and Blitzen — the lightning-fast reindeer — closes the series with football in 1993.

The series description captures it perfectly: "Each of Santa’s reindeer are playing reindeer games or a different sport. They play everything from baseball to volleyball. A cute series. Collect all eight." The eight sports span indoor and outdoor, winter and summer, individual and team: track (solo), figure skating (solo, winter), basketball (team), tennis (individual), soccer (team), volleyball (team), baseball (team), football (team). Every major American sport covered across eight years. The complete Reindeer Champs roster — all eight reindeer, all eight sports — is here.

Tips for the Complete Roster

• 01
  Display in numbered sequence — the eight sports build a complete athletic program in order. In sequence from #1 Dasher (Track) through #8 Blitzen (Football), the Reindeer Champs roster creates a complete sports program: individual endurance sports in the early entries (track, figure skating), then team sports through the later years (basketball, soccer, volleyball, baseball, football). The progression from solo athletic to team player has a satisfying logic that only reveals itself in sequence.
• 02
  The sport-name pairings are the series’ most playful feature — highlight them in display. Each reindeer’s sport was chosen to match their name or nature: Dasher runs, Dancer skates, Prancer’s prancing translates to basketball, Comet rockets into soccer, Blitzen (lightning) closes with the thunder of football. Position them where guests can read both the reindeer name and the sport — the pairings are the joke and the joy of the collection.
• 03
  All 8 Reindeer Champs Hallmark ornaments — the complete 1986–1993 series — are at Already Christmas. Dasher through Blitzen. Track through football. The complete team, all sports covered. All eight here.