Doctor Who and Christmas are like chocolate and peanut butter — two great tastes that taste great together. Maybe it’s because Who is often as much fairy tale as space opera, or that The Doctor himself bears no small resemblance to some of our culture’s even better-known mythical figures. But regardless of why, sending The Doctor on Christmas-themed adventures just feels right, and has become one of our favorite Holiday traditions here at GFR. This year’s outing, entitled “Last Christmas,” didn’t disappoint, and in the spirit of the 12 Days of Christmas — and the 12th Doctor himself — we’re going to highlight the 12 things we loved most about “Last Christmas.”

1) Nick Frost as Santa Claus
Doctor Who has trotted out characters of questionable reality before — The Doctor bantered with Robin Hood earlier this year, after all — but many were wondering how the show would handle the appearance of Santa Claus. I mean, the idea of Santa is only slightly more preposterous than the idea of a nigh-immortal alien who travels through time and space in a police box, but would the show actually declare Jolly Old St. Nick to be flesh-and-blood reality? The answer proved to be both satisfying and very much consistent with the show’s tone and “reality.” And with Santa played by a perfectly cast Nick Frost — who got some of the best lines — “Last Christmas” proved to be a Christmas adventure we might just have to make an annual tradition in and of itself.

It’s truly a magical time of the year for Whovians everywhere, as we’re only ten days away from the latest of Doctor Who’s annual Christmas specials. And if you just can’t wait, if you need a fix from the long running sci-fi adventure, like bad, here is an explosive (sorry, had to be done) new clip from the upcoming episode.

Ominously titled “The Last Christmas,” this installment promises to be a doozy for a variety of reasons. First, it features none other than the big guy himself, Santa Claus, played by general awesome dude, and frequent Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg collaborator, Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, The World’s End). That alone makes for a rad way to celebrate Christmas and is enough to entice many viewers, but this is the episode that we’ve been told will reveal the ultimate fate of the Doctor’s (Peter Capaldi) latest travelling companion, Clara (Jenna Louise Coleman).

The closer we get to Christmas, the closer Doctor Who fans get to the real reason they’re excited for the holiday season, the annual Christmas Special. It’s still a few weeks off, but it’s never too early to get excited. If nothing else, Nick Frost plays Santa Claus (or does he?), and that should be a pretty damn good time. And just in case you’re about to burst from having to wait so long, the BBC has released another quick new trailer for the special, full of moody atmosphere and peril.

This is going to be an especially interesting installment to watch, because this is where we’ll finally get answers one way or another about the future of Jenna Louise Coleman’s Clara, the Doctor’s latest travelling companion. Back in August we first heard reports that she might leave the show to pursue other career options. Since then there has been news that she changed her mind and is going to stay, but nothing on this front is definite except the fact that the network came out and said that we’ll find out for sure in this episode. As you know, this particular episode is called “The Last Christmas,” which could very well be an ominous sign in that regard.

The Doctor Who Christmas special is one of my favorite holiday traditions. I’m not sure why, but the world of The Doctor just lends itself beautifully to the symbolism and trappings of the holiday, especially when there’s a dark streak and a pinch of tragedy in the mix. This year we got a new Doctor and a whole new set of regenerations, but that doesn’t mean the Time Lord will be tossing aside his fondness for tinsel-tinged adventures through time, space, and dimensions filled with mistletoe. Last year we saw The Doctor battle evil snowmen, but this year’s he’s tackling an even bigger Christmas icon: Santa Claus himself! And now we’ve got an official — and ominious — title for the upcoming special: “The Last Christmas.”

That’s a title that certainly seems to be loaded with potential subtext, especially given all those rumors that Jenna Coleman’s Clara Oswin won’t be sticking around in the TARDIS much longer. Of course, that’s still just rumor at this point, but neither has the actress been confirmed for next season yet, whereas showrunner Steven Moffat did recently confirm that series lead Peter Capaldi will indeed be back for season 9 (no real surprise there). Could “The Last Christmas” prove to be the last Who adventure for Clara? The Who producers are obviously playing it close to the vest, but you never know.

Well, it’s November, which, according to just about every retail outlet in the known universe, means it’s Christmas season. Everyone has their own traditions that range from extensive family gatherings all the way down to somber solo evenings at the local dive bar. One of our favorite ways to celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus, however, is with the annual Doctor Who Christmas Special, and the BBC just released a new trailer for this year’s installment.

While most holiday specials tend to be bright and festive, this is taking the exact opposite route, going dark and somber. In fact, this resembles the set up for a few horror-themed sci-fi movies (or you could probably say sci-fi-themed horror movies if you prefer) that we’re rather fond of. There’s a serious Alien vibe going on here in the tone, color, and overall appearance. Not to mention that creepy close up of a monster’s mouth opening. Set in a blistering blizzard as it is, you can’t help but thing of John Carpenter’s The Thing. And both of those are just fine with us.

We’re only weeks away from our last look at the Doctor for a long while. Unfortunately Doctor Who won’t be returning until later in 2012, but let’s not lament that fact just yet. We still have a Christmas special to watch, and if you just can’t wait then check out the newest clip below.

We still don’t have any real idea what the Doctor will be up to, but the title of the episode strongly indicates a The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe riff. Of course, this is the Doctor and things are going to be a bit more weird and different than a simple adaptation. As the clip we have indicates the Doctor is the kind of man who would dress up a wardrobe to look like a police box. And then use that “wardrobe” to travel as far as your imagination could believe possible.