These Chicago-area reindeer can fly (with a little help from FedEx), give kisses and draw hundreds to holiday meet-and-greets: ‘They’re like big puppies.’

The 10-member reindeer herd at Whispering Pines Reindeer Ranch in Shabbona stumbled into showbiz when a Chicago-area mall had a Christmas emergency. Three years later, they perform more than 30 gigs a year in the region, posing for family photos at malls, Christmas tree festivals, country clubs and private residences.