The Willow Glen Resident

Photograph courtesy of Cookie Curci-Wright

A Nose for Romance: The Wrights thank Rudolf and Montgomery Wards for bringing them together.

Remember When

Romance, Rudolf were born at Ward's

By Cookie Curci-Wright

I'll always remember that special Christmas season in 1983. I'd just started my new job in the PBX office of a local Montgomery Ward department store. Answering phone calls for five Bay Area Ward's stores kept me busy, especially during the holiday season, when customers called in with an assortment of unusual questions.

On my initial tour of Ward's, I was surprised to see an extraordinarily large amount of Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer memorabilia: stuffed toys, storybooks, Christmas wrap, shopping bags, gift boxes, lapel pins and posters all crowded the store's shelves, walls and counters.

The abundance of Rudolf decorations aroused customers' curiosity, as well as my own. Looking for some answers, I asked a store manager what the connection was between the store and the beloved Christmas character. He answered me with a smile and a question of his own: "Don't you know the story of Rudolf?"

"Sure I do," I quickly retorted and generously returned his warm grin. "Everybody knows about Rudolf. He's the reindeer with the big red nose, the one that guides Santa's sleigh every Christmas Eve."

"That's right," he nodded, "but there's a little more to it than that. Do you also know that Rudolf was born in a Montgomery Ward store many Christmases ago?"

The puzzled look on my face invited his next comment: "Let me buy you a cup of coffee, and I'll tell you all about the Ward-Rudolf connection."

My new acquaintance led me to a cozy corner in the store's cafeteria, where we nestled comfortably into a softly cushioned booth. There, over several cups of coffee, the department manager told me the story of Rudolf's creation, which went something like this:

"It all began in early June 1939, when Bob May, a copywriter for the Montgomery Ward catalog company, was asked by his boss to come up with a children's book, something that could be given away to customers during the holiday season.

"Bob May put a lot of thought into the suggestion and came up with the character of a shy, awkward little reindeer name Rudolf, who possessed a kind heart and a big, bright red nose.

"At first his boss rejected the idea, believing the scenario was just too far out. But May persevered, and he continued to work on his story for months. He finished it in August of that year.

"His boss softened to the idea and finally came around to his way of thinking. That Christmas, hundreds and thousands of copies of the little storybook were given away. And as simple as that, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer was born.

"World War II soon came along, and Rudolf went into hibernation. Years later, Montgomery Ward took May's book out of storage and published it again, only this time the little deer's popularity went soaring.

"One day in 1946, Bob May was approached by publishers and songwriters wanting to give May a chance to cash in on this great phenomenon. But since the copyrights belonged solely to Ward's, Bob May couldn't sell any part of Rudolf. He was unable to profit from his creation.

"Later that year, in an act of great generosity, Montgomery Ward gave Rudolf's copyrights to Bob May, with the understanding that Ward's would forever remain Rudolf's permanent home during the holidays.

"In 1949, cowboy singing sensation Gene Autry immortalized Rudolf by recording a hit record that sold millions of copies over the world. Bob May's creation would eventually make him a very rich man.

This Christmas Rudolf celebrates his 58th year as a part of America's holiday season. Social historians hold the story of Rudolf in high regard, believing that his legend is the only original addition to the folklore of Santa Claus in this country.

For me, the legend of Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer will always hold a special meaning. The manager who so kindly took his time to tell me the story of Rudolf's origin would later become my husband. And now, every Christmas season, when Rudolf makes his appearance, my husband, Dan, and I remember fondly our very first meeting and the little reindeer who brought us together.

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