In today’s post:

But first, the picture of the week!

This week we’re highlighting some of the 2025 Landscape Photographer of the Year awards!

Rudolph was a… what?! 🦌

We all know Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and Blitzen. But here are 5 fun reindeer facts that might surprise you:

Their eyes change color! In summer, their eyes turn gold to handle the bright, endless sunlight. In winter, they turn blue, which makes them more sensitive in the near-total Arctic darkness. 👀
They can see UV light! Reindeer are one of the few mammals that can do this. It helps them spot predators like wolves, whose fur appears dark under UV light, making them stand out against the blinding white snow. ❄️
Reindeer are the only deer species where both males and females grow antlers. Males shed theirs in winter, but females keep theirs through the season - which means Santa’s reindeer are probably all girls! 🛷
They’re built for brutal winters. A tendon in their feet snaps as they walk, making a loud click that helps the herd stay together during snowstorms when they can’t see each other. They can also cool their legs down to freezing (0°C!) without getting hurt, saving precious body heat! 🌡️
They’re great swimmers! Their fur traps air, keeping them warm and helping them float like a natural life jacket. 🛟

The first song in space? 🚀

Ever wonder what the first song played from outer space was?

In December 1965, NASA astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra were flying aboard the Gemini 6-A spacecraft.

As they were coming back to Earth, they decided to play a Santa-themed prank on mission control.

They radioed Houston, “We have an object, looks like a satellite… in a polar orbit… It’s very low… It looks like he’s trying to signal something.”

Then, to everyone’s surprise, they launched into “Jingle Bells” using a tiny harmonica and sleigh bells they had secretly smuggled on-board.

Today, those instruments are on display at the Smithsonian! 🎵

Ever wonder how those big church bells for Christmas are made?

Check out this video from Taylors Bell Foundry - the last bell foundry left in the UK!