Hey, Answer Girl -

Are reindeer real?

- Kaylee from Evergreen Elementary in Wisconsin

Actually, reindeer are real.

And while the reindeer on reindeer ranches in the United States can't fly (that talent is reserved for Santa's reindeer only), they do look just like those you see in your favorite Christmas movies.

Female reindeer can weigh anywhere from 130 to more than 300 pounds, and males are usually a bit bigger.

Most reindeer, unlike Rudolph, do not have red noses. However, their noses are still pretty awesome machines, which warm incoming air before it's allowed to enter the lungs, saving the reindeer from frostbitten lungs in cold climates. Their hooves adapt to the season as well, and their coats have two layers of fur.

All reindeer grow large antlers.

Oddly enough, male reindeer lose their antlers just before the holiday season. So reindeer as you picture them, with snow resting on giant, chandelier-like antlers, are all girls. Apparently, Santa is an equal-opportunity employer.

Hey, Answer Girl -

Last year, and the years before, Christmas music played from the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas on a radio station in Casper. This year, the station isn't playing any. What happened to that Christmas music?

- Missing Music in Douglas

The radio station in Casper that used to play Christmas music full-time is now "Rock" 96.7.

Unfortunately for Christmas music lovers in the greater Casper area, the station's format changed this year from a national to a local format, and all of the Christmas music was part of the national format. It won't be returning.

However, as an alternative to all-holiday-music-all-the-time, the station does provide an online Christmas music channel. Music choices include old-fashioned Christmas, Celtic Christmas, classical Christmas, country Christmas, holiday jazz, the season's new releases, religious Christmas classics, holiday rock, R&B/gospel Christmas and Christmas standards.

Find the holiday music by visiting www.rock967online.com and clicking the link to the Casper Christmas channel. While you can't listen to these songs in the car, it's still nice to have all the holiday music you could hope for right at your fingertips.

Contact reporter Megan Lee at (307) 266-0616 or megan.lee@trib.com

Ask Answer Girl

Answer Girl tackles questions about Casper, the universe and everything else. Submit your questions by e-mail to megan.lee@trib.com, or call Megan Lee at 266-0616. You can also write to Answer Girl, Box 80, 170 Star Lane, Casper, WY, 82602.