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The Eleventh Doctor claimed to know Santa and at a Hollywood party in 1952, he flashed a photo showing them both in the company of Albert Einstein! But our first apparent glimpse of Father Christmas came shortly after the Doctor defeated Missy and left Clara on Earth. Lost in thought and seemingly alone in the TARDIS, he was astonished to see the larger than life figure in the entrance of his time machine, dressed in the iconic red and white garb and complete with silvery beard. ‘…tell me,’ the new arrival said, ‘what do you want for Christmas?’

The Doctor discovered that the events which ostensibly followed were part of a dream induced by the Kantrofarri. But that doesn’t mean that the Santa ‘encountered’ by Clara on her rooftop was not a real figure, as we know Shona, Bellows and Ashley existed but just happened to be caught up in the nightmare, along with the Doctor. So what kind of a character was this ‘beardy-weirdy’, as Shona branded him?

Some of his traits were expected and reassuring. Tangerines were his ‘signature gift’, he had a flying reindeer called Rudolph and, of course, he made sure that children across the world received Christmas presents. This Santa was kind, helpful and heroic but there was a slightly difficult side to him, as well. He bluntly told the Doctor to shut up, relished revealing that he was on his ‘naughty list’ and could be brusque to his helpers – two elves called Ian and Wolf. He certainly knew how to irritate the Doctor and when asked how he managed to fit so many gifts in his sledge, he outplayed the Time Lord by answering in an ‘isn’t it obvious’ tone of voice, ‘It’s bigger on the inside!’

The Doctor and Santa bickered whilst events in the Polar Base apparently played out, but ultimately the two became friends. As his sleigh flew over the snowy streets of night-time London, Father Christmas asked if the Doctor would like to the reins. ‘You’re a dream construct, currently representing either my recovering or expiring mind.’ Unfazed, Santa shot back, ‘Yes, but do you want a go?’ and the Doctor, disarmed and delighted, beamed. ‘Yeah!’ he replied, ‘All right!’

That ‘version’ of Santa disappeared from the dream and moments later, back in the ‘real world’ Clara was reunited with the Doctor. ‘I don’t even know who to thank!’ he reflected, but on Clara’s window ledge, a solitary tangerine could have been a clue…