' Rudolph ' is off the ration . Only thing wrong with this picture taken at Smithfield Market , London , is the ration book held by the woman in the centre . For the meat drawing a huge crowd to the counter is reindeer meat - unrationed . Not ' Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer ' , the meat is nevertheless a good addition to the family table now anything but groaning under the current 8 - pence - per - person - per - week ration of carcass meat . 14 February 1951