Santa’s Sleigh Bells: The Main Ingredient of Christmas Music
The history of Santa’s sleigh bells goes back hundreds of years, to the time when the horse and carriage was the most efficient way to get around. The bells were used in order to help the driver stay on the right path, since the roads were not always in the best conditions, and, also, to prevent people from being run over when driving on snowy roads. Hitting the breaks was not an option, after all. The sleigh bells are based on the same principle as the bells on a horse harness. The driver would pull a rope with a handle that would create the chime, and the sound would be transmitted to the horses, who would then know if they were on the right path. This is how Santa’s sleigh bells work.
During the middle ages, the sleigh bells were used in the same way, although the bells themselves were more ornate and decorated. Santa started using sleigh bells when he came to the United States in the 1700s. The sleigh was a horse-drawn vehicle, so the sleigh bells were used to keep track of the horse.
The sleigh bells can be seen in the classic Christmas movie, “Miracle on 34th Street”. Santa also used sleigh bells in the movie to help track the reindeer. Nevertheless, the sleigh bells that you see on Santa’s sleigh today appeared in the 1950s. The sleigh bells are actually composed of two separate pairs of bells (one in the front, and one in the back). The bells are attached to the sleigh with a long rope that extends from the bells all the way to the front of the sleigh. This allows Santa to ring the bells, even when the reindeer are moving at top speed. Ringing the bells is Santa’s way of communicating with the reindeer so they know when they are making a turn.
The sleigh bells are made of brass, are about six inches in diameter, and weigh about five pounds. Even though there are actually two sets of sleigh bells on Santa’s sleigh, there is only one set that has clappers. The bells without the clappers are used to keep the sleigh in a straight line, whereas the bells with the clappers are used to signal the reindeer to turn.
Now, Santa's sleigh bells have been a part of Christmas for hundreds of years. They have withstood the test of time and will continue to be a part of Christmas for many years to come.
Every Christmas Eve, as children we were attentive to the sound of their bells, always alert to the possibility of spotting a red light announcing the arrival of the chubby guy in the red suit, accompanied, of course, by his reindeer in charge of pulling his spectacular sleigh. Santa’s reindeer made their first appearance in 1807 in the poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore. It was this writer who gave life to the famous reindeer legend; however, the famous poem does not speak of reindeer but of steeds.
However, this little paragraph laid the foundation for what would become the magical Christmas myth: Santa Claus traveled by sleigh and it was pulled by eight characters with peculiar names, each linked to its main feature. Originally, four of Santa’s guides were females, and four were males: Donner, Blitzen, Vixen, Cupid, Comet, Dasher, Dancer, and Prancer. Rudolph entered the scene thanks to the poem “Christmas Story” by Robert L. May in the late 1930s. It was a work requested by his boss in the advertising company he worked for, which each year gave away small books with cheerful Christmas stories for their buyers. May narrated the story of such a unique reindeer with a red nose, which was the target of ridicule from other reindeer and animals for being different. One particularly foggy Christmas Eve, Santa and his eight reindeer found themselves in trouble, as it was difficult for them to find the right path for their magical journey. It was then that Santa met Rudolph, whose red nose glowed incandescently, and the man from the North Pole asked the reindeer to lead the sleigh, lighting the way for the other reindeer with his shiny nose. Since then, Rudolph has led Santa’s sleigh in every story.
But what makes Christmas music sound… so Christmassy? Well, Santa’s sleigh bells are a fundamental part of Christmas music. Just look at any version of Jingle Bells and you’ll see that. As this VOX video points out when analyzing Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, besides the recurring ii 7 B(5) chord, which gives it a sudden melancholy punch, the sound of the sleigh bells is the main source of percussion, and, at the same time, of Christmas frosty atmosphere.
So, if you want to include the necessary arrangements to make your Christmas song sound superbly Christmassy, contact Enhanced Media, and let’s get to work!
