How does Santa's sleigh fly?

Updated / Wednesday, 24 Dec 2025 09:03 Santa's sleigh uses a special quantum anti-gravity technology Sheila Naughton By Sheila Naughton Look, in the sky - it's a bird, it's a plane, no, look, it's... it's actually Santa's sleigh, sleighing its way around the world. But how did it get there? Look, it's Christmas Eve, and you're hand-making mince pies for the main man, you haven't the time to answer such questions, but we do. The first port of call is to hear what the younger generation thinks. Some of the students at the Leah Moran Stage School in Kildare had some of their own ideas as to how Santa's sleigh gets into the sky. "The reindeer's hooves are magic so wherever they walk, there's an invisible path under them", said eight-year-old Theo. "The reindeers help Santa, the elves give them some magic", said Pippa, aged six. Wynter, also aged six, thinks - "Santa's making the reindeers go up there because he feeds them special food." But are they right? Is it all magic, or do engines and technology play a part? Students at the Leah Moran Stage School in Kildare had some of their own ideas as to how Santa's sleigh gets into the sky Well, who better than Dr Stephen Scully, Chief Sleigh Scientist, and lecturer in engineering at South East Technological University, to explain how sleighs are engineered. He's been working with sleighs since Mrs Claus was just Miss Claus. "So, Santa uses a combination of flying reindeer and magic Christmas dust, and the sleigh is no ordinary sleigh either. "It's designed to be aerodynamic and light and uses a special quantum anti-gravity technology," said Dr Scully. "One of the elements is the 'Rapid Environmental Integrated Navigation Direct Energy Emission Radiator system'. "We call that in the business the 'Reindeer System'. "It is zero emissions, so it's environmentally friendly and combines state-of-the-art aero sleigh technologies and magic elf dust", he explains. But is it safe? Dr Scully said yes due to the use of rocket boosters, which are used for sustained lift and manoeuvring at higher altitudes, as well as turbulence. Furthermore, there is no fear that Santa will miss any homes because new technology means the sleigh is now fitted with "an advanced AI navigation that has optimised the parcel delivery system and means we won't repeat the sleigh-tastrophe of 1647", added Dr Scully. Dr Stephen Scully, Chief Sleigh Scientist, and lecturer in engineering at South East Technological University But it's not all good engineering. From Mrs Claus packing figgy pudding in tupperware for the journey, to air traffic controllers clearing airspace, it does take a team to get Santa around the world in just one night. And of course, as the children guessed, Santa's reindeer are central. Ireland has been trusted with minding two of the VIP reindeer ahead of the big night because of the high standard of care we show animals here. Head Reindeer Trainer at Elf Town in the RDS in Dublin, Daniel...

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