About Reindeer Games
On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer...
You can find Santa’s reindeer, even Rudolph, at Jeff and Cindy Phillips’ farm in the town of Erin, Wisconsin. You might ask why we left the suburbs for a rural life of raising reindeer.
Actually, it was our goal in life to move from the city after our kids, Jen and Jon, graduated high school. After doing research on many exotic animals, reindeer were what we wanted; they were the most extraordinary and unique. In 2000, we were lucky to find a five-acre hobby farm with a 130-year-old log home and an old dairy barn. It’s been lots of work since then, but we have loved every minute of it.
Comet and Cupid arrived on May 26, 2002. They were both two weeks old. Reindeer are very tame, and like these first two, most of ours are bottle-fed babies. We haltered and trained them starting at two weeks old. We continue to have fun with them throughout the year, going for walks, sleigh rides, and just watching them do very goofy things, usually because of their curiosity.
Although we consider our reindeer to be pets, reindeer are, to Christmas, what snow is to Wisconsin – a natural fit. Requests for Comet and Cupid to participate in local Christmas activities encouraged us to start Reindeer Games.
Members of Santa’s fleet have appeared in Pewaukee, West Allis, Grafton, Port Washington, and Delafield, sometimes pulling Santa in his sleigh. The reindeer have also visited schools, daycare centers, and nursing homes. Our reindeer have even made appearances at private homes.
Rudolph was the first one born on our farm on May 4, 2004 (shown with Jeff and Cindy when Rudolph was 9 months old). Every year, we breed our cows and have reindeer calves for sale in the spring. Our babies are usually spoken for before Christmas.
Our two adult children, Jennifer and Jonathan, are involved with the farm, along with their families. Now, we also have grandkids who are here every Saturday helping with the animals. We are having a magical time with the kids and the reindeer.