Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph Characters with Christmas Tree Retro Holiday T-Shirt
$22.95on amazon.com · Oct 27, 2026
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Christmas classics
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph was a department-store promotion. Robert L. May, a copywriter at Montgomery Ward in Chicago, wrote the story in 1939 as a free booklet for the chain's Christmas shoppers, and the company gave away millions of copies.
Shop Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer shirts Kids & adult sizes
- First appearance
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (booklet) (1939), Montgomery Ward
- Created by
- Robert L. May, Johnny Marks
- Also known as
- Rudolph
- Universe
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Appears in
- books, animation, television, film
Who is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?
Rudolph was a department-store promotion. Robert L. May, a copywriter at Montgomery Ward in Chicago, wrote the story in 1939 as a free booklet for the chain's Christmas shoppers, and the company gave away millions of copies. May later obtained the rights himself, and his brother-in-law Johnny Marks turned the story into a song in 1949; Gene Autry's recording made it one of the best-selling songs of the century. The version most Americans picture comes from 1964, when Rankin/Bass produced a stop-motion television special for NBC, narrated by Burl Ives as a singing snowman. It added the Island of Misfit Toys, the prospector Yukon Cornelius and the Abominable Snow Monster, and it has been broadcast every year since, making it the longest-running Christmas television special in the United States. The design that sells is the special's: a small, soft reindeer with a glowing red nose, which works on a toddler's shirt and on an adult's.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: the details
- First appearance
- A 1939 Montgomery Ward promotional booklet
- Created by
- Robert L. May, a Montgomery Ward copywriter
- The song
- Written by Johnny Marks in 1949; Gene Autry's recording was a huge hit
- The television special
- Rankin/Bass stop-motion, first broadcast on NBC in 1964
- Narrated by
- Burl Ives, as Sam the Snowman
- Additions in 1964
- The Island of Misfit Toys, Yukon Cornelius and the Abominable Snow Monster
- A broadcast record
- Widely described as the longest-running Christmas television special in the US
Why Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer endures
A promotional booklet that became a song, a television tradition and one of the defining characters of an American Christmas.
What Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer looks like on a shirt
Signature motif: Small brown reindeer with a glowing red nose, often with the Misfit Toys
A red dot on a brown face is enough to identify him, which makes him one of the simplest prints in the Christmas range. The stop-motion styling is the one buyers expect.
Suits every size from toddler to adult, which makes him a staple of family-matching sets. Stop-motion styling on red, green or cream.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer T-shirts
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Cute Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer for Kids Christmas T-Shirt
$19.99on amazon.com · Oct 27, 2026
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Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph Island of Misfit Toys Varsity Style Retro Christmas T-Shirt
$22.95on amazon.com · Oct 27, 2026
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Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer For Fan Christmas
Cute Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer for Kids, Fan Christmas T-Shirt
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Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph Holiday Wreath Illustration Vintage Christmas T-Shirt
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Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Rudolph and Clarice It's A Handsome Nose Retro Christmas T-Shirt
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Santa & Reindeer Rudolph Ornament Xmas Holiday Christmas T-Shirt
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Buying from outside the United States? Prices shown are amazon.com in US dollars. Links redirect international readers to their local Amazon, where pricing, sizing and availability are shown in local terms.
Price and availability are taken from Amazon at the time shown and can change. The price on Amazon at the time of purchase applies.
Sizes: kids to adult
These links run a live Amazon search for Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer shirts in each US size band. Amazon shows what is currently listed; availability in a particular size is confirmed on the product page, not here.
| Band | Ages | US sizes | Search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toddler | 2–4 years | 2T, 3T, 4T | Search toddler sizes |
| Kids | 4–7 years | XS (4/5), S (6/7) | Search kids sizes |
| Youth | 8–14 years | M (8), L (10/12), XL (14/16) | Search youth sizes |
| Adult | 15+ | S–3XL | Search adult sizes |
US sizing shown. Cut and measurement vary between brands — see the size guide before ordering, especially for youth sizes. Base search: Rudolph t-shirt.
Who has played Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
| Performer | Production | Year | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billie Mae Richards | Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer | 1964 | Voice |
More from Christmas classics
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All cartoons & animation →Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer T-shirts: common questions
Who created Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created by Robert L. May and Johnny Marks, first appearing in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (booklet) in 1939 (Montgomery Ward).
What does a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer T-shirt usually look like?
Small brown reindeer with a glowing red nose, often with the Misfit Toys. Suits every size from toddler to adult, which makes him a staple of family-matching sets. Stop-motion styling on red, green or cream.
Are Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer T-shirts made for children?
Yes — Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer appears on our kids pages, and shirts are commonly made from US toddler 2T up through youth XL.
Who has played Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has been voiced by Billie Mae Richards (Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, 1964).
How much does a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer T-shirt cost?
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer shirts we currently track start from around $13.38 on amazon.com. Every price on this page is dated, because they move.
This profile was compiled from published reference material about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer — first appearance, creator credits and production history — and is a secondary source rather than a substitute for the original publication. Where a detail could not be corroborated it has been left out. We do not physically test garments; see how we work for what that means and what it does not.
Reference. This profile was compiled from published sources. For the character's full publication history see Wikipedia (Wikidata Q965003). Our method and limitations are stated in full.
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