Christmas Came with Reindeer
What began with a rescued fawn grew into an unexpected family adventure for Gordon and Jean Poest. One of their daughters found the orphaned animal in the woods, and caring for it sparked Gordon’s interest in raising deer.
Animals were already central to life in the Poest household. Gordon grew up on a dairy farm and was active in 4-H. When he learned that people were beginning to raise domesticated reindeer in the lower 48 states, the idea caught his attention.
The entire family became involved. Jean helped care for the reindeer, while Gordon studied their health and behavior. Because few people in the country were raising them at the time, he connected with other owners through a national association and became a trusted source of information. After retiring from teaching, Gordon turned what he had learned into a book that sold out and was later updated.
For these appearances, Gordon wore a traditional Sami-style outfit that Jean sewed using photographs as her guide.
Their growing expertise eventually took them far beyond Michigan. They traveled to Alaska with other reindeer owners, where they met researchers and families whose lives were closely connected to the animals. The experience led to friendships and adventures they never expected when they first brought home that orphaned fawn.
Animals and education had always shaped the life Gordon and Jean built together. Gordon spent his career teaching middle school, while Jean worked for about 25 years at Fleetwood in Holland. They raised two daughters in a home where there was often a new animal to care for or a project to explore.
The reindeer years eventually came to an end when Gordon’s eyesight made driving difficult and their property became less suitable for the animals. Letting go was hard, but the memories remained.
Today, Gordon can turn almost any question about reindeer into a story, and Jean often adds a detail from one of their holiday appearances or travels. Their home still holds photographs, antlers and keepsakes from those years.
For Gordon and Jean, the reindeer were part of their family life and a reason to keep learning. For the children who gathered around them during the holidays, they also brought a little Christmas magic to life.
