By Pat Jenkins
The Dispatch
Thanks to a farm just outside Eatonville, even more than Santa Claus is coming to town this Saturday.
Real, live reindeer will be part of the annual holiday festivities Dec. 2 that will include kids getting face time with Santa and snacking on cookies and cocoa at the town’s Visitor Center, a tree-lighting, and, starting at 6:30 p.m., the traditional Christmas parade.
From 5 to 6:30, reindeer will be part of the holiday action organized by the Eatonville Chamber of Commerce at the Visitor Center. They might not really know how to fly (spoiler alert for the kiddies), but the antlered attractions will look every bit the part of St. Nick’s sleigh-pullers in every other way.
The animals are the pride and joy of Santa’s Reindeer Company, a family-owned and operated business inspired by a courageous family matriarch’s love for Christmas and her quest to get over the death of a beloved dog. Nobody tells the story better than Kelli Loudin, one of the family members. Let’s listen: “My mother was diagnosed with cancer a couple years ago. During this time her Scottie became ill. Sid had an aggressive form of cancer and died almost immediately after his diagnosis. My mom was heartbroken.
“Fast-forward a year, and she was ready to open her heart to a new fur baby. She came across reindeer for sale. My mom has always been Mrs. Christmas. She has embodied every aspect of the holiday. From her giving spirit to baking baby Jesus a birthday cake. My dad and I wanted to do this for her, so a family business was born. My parents (Stan and Cheryl Osborne), husband (Brad) and I all have our roles in the company, as do our two children (Chace and Chaeley).
“We are one of only three USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) facilities in Washington that specialize in reindeer. Reindeer are domestic livestock -- have been for over 3,000 years, contrary to the popular belief that they’re an exotic. They’re a ruminant animal, comparable in many ways to goats or sheep. Reindeer love people and interaction. They require an extraordinary amount of care and attention and thrive on their relationships with each other, as well as their humans. Curious, playful, smart and full of personality.
“Our reindeer work roughly six weeks a year for only a few days and only a few hours at a time. The rest of their year is spent lounging on the farm and being spoiled and loved on. They have frequent naps, play, swim and eat. Our herd is on a feed that is specifically milled for them by Purina. Along with that they eat oats, beet pulp, minerals, vitamins and hay. Their favorite treat? Raisins. They love raisins.
“We use our two six-year-old females for displays and photos. We’re training our 19-month-old steer for display for next year and hope to add to our herd this spring.
“Our reindeer do a variety of events. We’re available for public and private events -- parties, weddings, etc. We opened the farm this year for two days for photos with Santa and his reindeer in our professional indoor studio. We also will be at a number of off-site events like the tree-lighting at the Washington State Fair, the Buckley Christmas celebration, and The Old Cannery (home furnishings store) in Sumner. And of course we are honored this year to part of our hometown Christmas parade. We hope everyone will stop by to see the reindeer.”
One more happy note: Kelly reports her mom, Cheryl, is "doing really well" in her bout with cancer after surgery and radiation.
Meanwhile, the Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications to be part of the parade and march down Mashell Avenue. Application forms are available at eatonvillechamber.com, the Eatonville Community Center, and All About U Salon.
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