Reindeer are a way of life for the Sami people of Northern Europe , says Ann Galloway . An Alaskan missionary helped bring reindeer to North America in the 1800s , she says . Santa : In the 1920s an American businessman tried to popularize reindeer meat . But reindeer meat never took off in America for many reasons , most notably pressure from the cattle lobby and changes in laws about who could own reindeer in the U.S. -- the right eventually going in 1937 to indigenous American cultures , excluding even the Sami . His marketing campaign helped create the indelible image of Santa and reindeer , she says .
Reindeer are a way of life for the Sami people of Northern Europe , says Ann Galloway . An Alaskan missionary helped bring reindeer to North America in the 1800s , she says . Santa : In the 1920s an American businessman tried to popularize reindeer meat . His marketing campaign helped create the indelible image of Santa and reindeer , she says .