Santa & His Reindeer
$99.99
A Santa sleigh and reindeer silhouette hung from a steel branch, laser cut from 1/8-inch steel, with a built-in spike that taps into a tree trunk or sturdy wooden post with a hammer. Choose Raw Steel, which arrives bare and rusts naturally outdoors to a warm brown patina with no paint or upkeep, or Black Powder Coat, the same piece finished in black. Cut to order in our shop in Texas and shipped free anywhere in the US.
Ordering is not open for this design yet.
Gallery includes bare, weathered raw-steel and black-finish photographs.
Orders are not open for this design yet.
Read the full story ↓Every reindeer on this branch is female.
Reindeer are the only deer in the world in which the females grow antlers too — and the timing is the giveaway. Bulls shed theirs in late autumn, not long after the rut, and spend the winter bare-headed. Cows keep theirs straight through until spring, when the calves come.
Which means any team pulling a sleigh on Christmas Eve, antlers up, is a team of cows. Nobody has ever put that on a card. It has been true the whole time.
The team itself is younger than people assume. Eight reindeer, named, arrive in 1823 in "A Visit from St. Nicholas," published anonymously in a Troy, New York newspaper — and two of them came out as Dunder and Blixem, Dutch for thunder and lightning, before a century of reprints wore them down to Donner and Blitzen. The ninth reindeer is younger still. Rudolph was written in 1939 by a copywriter at Montgomery Ward, to be given away free to children in the store at Christmas. Two and a half million copies went out the first year.
We had this one cut as a scene hung from a branch: the sleigh, the driver with his hand up, and the team out ahead of him with the traces stretched.
Also Perfect For
- Christmas gifts for the neighbor, the in-laws or the family that decorates the whole yard
- Housewarming gifts for a first Christmas in a new home
- Farmhouse and rustic Christmas yards that want something besides lights
- Hostess gifts for a holiday party
- Left up after the tree comes down — it reads as winter through February
Where It Looks Best
Set it where it will be lit from behind — over the walk, on the tree by the drive, above the mailbox. It reads best at dusk, which in December is most of the afternoon.
Details
- Design: Santa's sleigh and reindeer team, hung from a cut steel branch
- Material: 1/8-inch steel
- Finish: Choose Raw Steel (arrives bare, rusts naturally outdoors) or Black Powder Coat
- Made in Texas: Laser cut from American steel in our family-owned shop
How to Set It
1. Pick a tree trunk, or a sturdy wooden post — the side facing the walk or the window.
2. Hold the spike at a slight downward angle against the wood, pendants hanging free.
3. Tap the end of the branch with a hammer or mallet (a scrap of wood between protects the steel) until the piece holds firm.
No drilling, no screws, no other tools.
The Finish
Pick your finish from the Finish menu on this listing.
Raw Steel (Rusts Naturally): Your piece arrives as bare, raw steel — a clean steel gray. Outdoors, rain and dew turn it a warm rust brown, usually over the first few weeks, and the color keeps deepening with the weather. There is no paint or coating, so there is nothing to peel, fade or touch up. While the rust is forming, rust-colored runoff can mark pale stone, concrete or siding directly below it, so set it over wood, soil or mulch. Prefer the bare steel look? Keep it indoors or out of the rain.
Black Powder Coat: the same steel piece, powder coated in black. It arrives black rather than bare, does not develop the rust patina, and leaves no rust runoff, so it can go over pale stone, concrete or siding. Wipe it clean with a damp cloth. If it ever gets chipped, a dab of black exterior metal paint touches it up.
Processing & Shipping
Cut to order in our shop in Texas. Please allow 2–4 business days before your order ships. Orders of $99.99 or more ship free within the United States; under that, shipping is a flat $14.92. We ship within the United States only.
Returns
100% satisfaction guaranteed. If you are not happy with your piece for any reason, message us within 30 days of delivery and we will make it right with a replacement or a full refund.
About Shadow Birds
Every Shadow Birds piece is cut from solid American steel and made in Texas. Browse the shop for the rest of the Seasonal & Holiday spikes, plus birds, Garden Folk and Critters.
Questions? We're Glad to Help.
Send us a message anytime. Decorating for every season, or ordering several for a family, a neighborhood or a store? Just ask — we are happy to set up larger orders.