All this rubbish about "one jolly old elf" delivering presents to all little boys and girls around the world in just 24 hours is just that: rubbish.
Lets start with this alleged list, shall we? In 2003, there were 73 million children ages 0–17 in the United States alone! Just checking the U.S. list at a rate of one name / sec would take 139 days working 24/7 without even a break for a piss. He couldn't check it once, much less twice and still have time to check the rest of the world.
List myth debunked.
Now. About those reindeer. Assuming there was a sleigh big enough to hold all the presents (and, ostensibly, coal) and one obese elf, it wouldn't be possible nor probable that it could be drawn by only eight reindeer. It would need to be at least a dozen. Moreover, there has never been a recorded case of 'flying reindeer' and they don't appear aerodynamically selected for flight at the speeds required to reach all destinations required in a single 24 hour period.
Reindeer myth debunked.
Please, feel free to chime in, my fellow skeptics. For we must put this travesty of pseudoscience to rest. This sort of thing will corrupt the minds of children: believing in a Father figure (Father Christmas) they never see; whom they wish to for favors and gifts at night; whom they expect will see-all/know-all regarding their behavior; to whom they leave ritual offerings and sacrifice for in the way of milk and cookies.
Dare I say it?
Bah. Humbug.
Lets start with this alleged list, shall we? In 2003, there were 73 million children ages 0–17 in the United States alone! Just checking the U.S. list at a rate of one name / sec would take 139 days working 24/7 without even a break for a piss. He couldn't check it once, much less twice and still have time to check the rest of the world.
List myth debunked.
Now. About those reindeer. Assuming there was a sleigh big enough to hold all the presents (and, ostensibly, coal) and one obese elf, it wouldn't be possible nor probable that it could be drawn by only eight reindeer. It would need to be at least a dozen. Moreover, there has never been a recorded case of 'flying reindeer' and they don't appear aerodynamically selected for flight at the speeds required to reach all destinations required in a single 24 hour period.
Reindeer myth debunked.
Please, feel free to chime in, my fellow skeptics. For we must put this travesty of pseudoscience to rest. This sort of thing will corrupt the minds of children: believing in a Father figure (Father Christmas) they never see; whom they wish to for favors and gifts at night; whom they expect will see-all/know-all regarding their behavior; to whom they leave ritual offerings and sacrifice for in the way of milk and cookies.
Dare I say it?
Bah. Humbug.
