When the sun starts setting sooner and frost begins to gather on your windows, sit down with a loved one to relive this timeless story of a slightly unusual winter creature with a very special talent. Although the other reindeer may laugh at him because of his bright red nose, Rudolph proves his worth when he is chosen to lead Santa Claus' sleigh on a foggy night. Rudolph first appeared in a 1939 booklet written by Robert L. May, and published by Montgomery Ward, the Chicago, Illinois (USA), department store. In its first year of publication, Montgomery Ward distributed 2.4 million copies of Rudolph's story. The now familiar tale of Rudolph, a young reindeer with a glowing, red nose, and how he came to Santa's rescue one foggy Christmas Eve, has become a Christmas classic.