when was rudolph the reindeer created

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created by Robert L. May in 1939. The story was first published in the Montgomery Ward department store catalog, and it quickly became a holiday classic. Rudolph's story tells the tale of a young reindeer with a glowing red nose who was teased and ostracized by the other reindeer. But when Santa's sleigh became lost in a blizzard, it was Rudolph's glowing nose that led them to safety. The story was adapted into an animated film in 1948, which has since become an iconic Christmas special.