Christmas,” “A Visit From St. Nicholas” is a beloved story shared by every generation. It is in this poem that reindeer were first credited with powering Santa’s sleigh around the globe. Many popular songs, movies, and plays have preserved Moore’s vision of St. Nick, and his reindeer and their names are no exception. (Well, kind of.) Rudolph wouldn’t join the squad until a department store added him as part of their promotions in the 1930s. What’s in a name? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, and Cupid were all brought to life by Moore, but have you ever heard of Dunder and Blixem? Though we now know the duo as Donner and Blitzen, Moore originally named them Dunder and Blixem — the Dutch words for thunder and lightning — but publishing companies wanted names that would rhyme better with the rest of the poem. Still, it was a few decades before Donner and Blitzen made their appearances in the version of the poem we know today. Reindeer burgers, anyone? Moore’s poem paved the way for Santa’s most famous form of transportation, but it was actually Carl Lomen, an Alaskan businessman, who mass-marketed reindeer as Santa’s companions. In the late 1890s, the Sami natives of Northern Europe, who were longtime reindeer herders, made their passage from Norway to the U.S. with a herd of reindeer to invigorate the Alaskan landscape and help their native neighbors. Lomen saw the reindeer as an opportunity and partnered with the Macy’s department store company to create a promotional Christmas parade in which Santa, led by his reindeer, a sleigh, and Sami herders, were prominently featured. Lomen’s goal was to promote his massive reindeer conglomerate for the production and sale of reindeer meat. Instead, a holiday story was born.
WHAT ABOUT DUNDER AND BLIXEM? The Strange History of Santa’s Reindeer
We all know reindeer visit our rooftops every Christmas Eve, but what brings them there? Follow the unique and complicated history of Santa’s reindeer to find out. A visit from who on what night? In the 1820s, Clement Clarke Moore penned a holiday poem that became the foundation for a phenomenon still alive today. Commonly known as “‘Twas the Night Before
Dealing With Harassment During Divorce
Sometimes, a spouse’s behavior leaves a great deal to be desired. They may cross the line into harassment or abusive behavior. When this happens, you do have recourse. What is harassment? This can include a broad range of abusive or disturbing behavior. In California, you make a domestic abuse allegation instead of a harassment claim, but the law itself includes “harass” in the list of behaviors included in the domestic violence definition. Harassment includes threats, stalking, destroying property, calling multiple times with the intent to annoy or disturb you, or disturbing the peace. It isn’t confined to physical or sexual violence. Is harassment against the law? Yes. Harassment can open the perpetrator up to criminal charges, but these charges aren’t always as easy to handle in criminal court. The evidentiary standard in criminal cases is proof beyond a reasonable doubt, while in civil law cases, proof by a preponderance of the evidence is required. This is one reason why a restraining order can be so useful. Police can intervene based upon violations of the terms written in the order — concrete evidence. This is easy to demonstrate and doesn’t rely on scant evidence and subjective accounts. The charge might be contempt of court instead of domestic violence, but your safety is protected either way.
superfluous motions just to cause their ex stress or to rack up legal fees. Fortunately, courts don’t stand for this kind of behavior.
An ex-spouse using the court system to abuse or punish an ex is known as a “vexatious litigant.” According to the California Code of Civil Procedure, judges may institute a wide variety of
sanctions against a vexatious litigant, including publishing a list so judges give the matter extra attention. They may also require vexatious litigants to have every potential motion reviewed prior to filing. Can a restraining order impact the divorce process? A restraining order will play into certain custody determinations. It may also play into the division of marital property. For example, if a restraining order removes one spouse from the other’s home, the spouse who ends up staying in the home may end up keeping the home. If you have questions about harassment and divorce, give us a call at 949.363.5551. We’re here to answer your questions and help you determine the best next step if you are experiencing this type of harassment.
Is it possible to harass someone with litigation? Not in legal terms, but we’ve seen cases where an angry spouse tries to file
For more informative articles like this one, be sure to visit our blog at JustFamilyLaw.com/Family-Law-Expert-Blog
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