Getting Santa to stop at our house is a big deal here in Autismland. Magic reindeer food has to be one of our dearest activities that we do during the holidays. I received it as a gift when Logan was a year old. I really can’t tell you why I continued it except that Logan loves routine . It also helped me cope during those years that Logan was so uninterested in anything pertaining to Christmas.  

When Madison came along, we still did it out of tradition until she was a toddler who just loved it.  It made my heart leap to see her love for Christmas grow alongside Logan.  If you ask either of my children, Santa can not land in our yard without the magic food to attract the reindeer. 

The recipe is pretty simple.  Seriously, even the craft challenged or cooking challenged mama can do this one.  I even give you a free printable to put on bags and share with friends and neighbors. 

 oatmeal and glitter

Mix together oatmeal and glitter. The ratios are not important. You need oatmeal to “feed” the reindeer and glitter to “attract” them. Now, if you don’t have glitter then you can use colored sugar. And you really don’t need a lot of glitter. Just enough to “attract” the reindeer. Got some glittery fake snow from making cloud dough? That will work too.

I always use more oatmeal than glitter.  To be honest, you can simply use an oatmeal packet and add glitter or colored sugar right to the packet.  This is about fun and tradition.  Don’t make it harder than it needs to be.  If you need simple then do simple.  If you have time to make it more elaborate with the printable tag then have at it.  The point here is that the children remember the activity not the packaging.

We then make our way outside . Before they sprinkle the reindeer food , I read them this poem.  Everyone holds their handful of food until the poem is done. After that,  they are free to run through the yard throwing oatmeal and glitter everywhere.  It’s imperative to Logan that he get it on both sides of the yard so that Santa can see it from anywhere  in the sky.  Sort of like his own personal runway.  He does it the same way every year and I’m okay with that.  It’s hands down one of my favorite Christmas traditions.

Magic Reindeer Food:

Sprinkle on the lawn at night
The moon will make it sparkle bright
As Santa’s reindeer fly and roam
This will guide them to your home.

Then we go inside for our next favorite tradition of setting out  our cookies and Eggnog.  Why Eggnog ?  Logan reasoned one year that Santa would be sick of milk if he drank it at every house. In his mind, it made more sense to leave Eggnog for a little change of pace. Who am I to argue with that?