Herding Santa's Reindeer Helpers

Dec. 24, 2008 — -- A classroom is filled with typical teenagers studying for their future professions in an extremely frigid Norway. But these students, who don reindeer skin boots and boast of reindeer screensavers, are not hoping to become doctors or lawyers as adults.

As the school's antler-adorned sign suggests, the pupils are there to learn about Santa's workhorses — reindeer. Kautokeino is the world's lone educational institution that teaches reindeer herding.

In a place that's nearly twice as cold as a freezer, students like Han Matthas and Jan Mikkel are eager to practice their favorite subject and it's no easy task.

It involves riding to work on snowmobiles, and while life in the open tundra may be ideal for the animals immortalized by Rudolph and company and so closely associated with Christmas, it's not so perfect for people.

Yet for generations the Saami have handed down their trade tricks, and now the reindeer school adds some modern tips. Still some worry the longtime tradition may fade away.

"I am worried about that. But I'm going to keep it up," said Mikkel, who added that he hopes to marry a reindeer herder one day.

Thanks to the co-ed school, his dream may come true some day.