Magic Reindeer Food Recipe
This post contains affiliate links which help support One Simple Party. As always, we only recommend things that we truly love. Full disclosure here.
One of our favorite parts about the Santa Claus tradition is his flying reindeer. Something about these graceful animals flying through the sky on Christmas Eve night spreading magic and generosity. It just helps make the holiday even more special.
But when the kids were little, they would get concerned that Santa and his reindeer would skip us. I kind of understand. At the time we lived in a condo in the city. They were worried that the city streets didn’t provide enough landing room for 8 (or potentially 9 with Rudolph in the lead) reindeer. And they were kind of right.
Or another fear was that when the reindeer landed on the roof, the reins could get tangled in the electrical lines.
And once Santa finally landed, how would he know which “chimney” (really a heat duct) to go down any way.
To be honest, I’m surprised that we have been able to keep the Santa tradition alive for as long as we have.
After a couple holiday seasons of concern, I figured there had to be a way to erase all doubts. That’s when I discovered magic reindeer food. This amazing combination of the two things that reindeer like the most – oats and sugar – create the perfect treat for Christmas Eve night.
How Do I Make Magic Reindeer Food?
The recipe is actually quite simple. Making it as a family has become one of our favorite Christmas Eve traditions. Just like when we decorate Christmas cookies for Santa. It’s just another fun project to keep everyone distracted before the big night.
You Will Need
1/2 cup of plain oats
1/4 cup of white sugar
1/2 tablespoon of red sugar
1/2 tablespoon of green sugar
a touch of magic (usually just me waving my hands over it)
1. Place all of the ingredients into a bowl.
2. Mix. It will make a pretty combination of oats and sugar that the reindeer will love. Add a touch of magic (a few hand waves usually does the trick) and you’re done.
Can I Add Glitter?
Many of the recipes that I found when we started this tradition year’s ago called for glitter. It does add a pretty sparkle and makes it look a bit more magical.
The problem is that the magic reindeer food is intended to be sprinkled outside to attract the reindeer. The oat mixture will probably also be interesting to many other wildlife. Glitter is a made from plastic and is terrible for the environment. You especially don’t want to sprinkle it outside.
When I created this recipe, I thought that edible glitter might be an option. It turns out, though, that it is also toxic to wildlife and the environment.
Then, I discovered biodegradable glitter. This type of glitter is made from renewable plant materials and breaks down in the soil. Although probably not perfect, it could work if you wanted to safely add some sparkle.
I love this Milky Way Ecoglimmer or this White Ecoglitter that looks like snow (affiliates). Another idea is to add biodegradable confetti. This snowflake confetti would be a festive addition and will break down too over time (affiliate).
What Do I Do with the Magic Reindeer Food?
As much as we love making things, it’s always a good idea to know what you plan to do with it. After making our magic reindeer food, we take it out back and sprinkle it in the backyard. It’s amazing to watch the kids’ faces light up at the possibility that sprinkling this reindeer food will really help call Santa’s reindeer to our house.
We also like to share our magic reindeer food with friends and neighbors. A few days before Christmas, I will make a bigger batch of reindeer food. We package it in cello bags and attach a Magic Reindeer Food topper. Or sometimes I just have a tag.
The Magic Reindeer Food topper has a special poem on the back to explain what to do with the food. Just in case the recipient doesn’t know the powers of the magic reindeer food yet. You can find our Free Printable Magic Reindeer Food Topper and Tags here.
Love this recipe and want to save it for later. Be sure to pin it below.
Looking for other ways to make Christmas special this year? There are lots of things you can do to make the holiday season extra special. One idea is to host a family craft night and make these Christmas pasta ornaments. Or go on a Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt. Another idea is to play this Christmas charades game. It makes a great after dinnertime game during the holiday season.
Happy Celebrating,
Natalie
