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Santa?
Rose tugged her faux fur lined hood closer and shivered. Daylight was fast fading and the snow and wind was picking up. She should have known when the Doctor said he had a treat for her it wouldn’t be sunny beaches and tropical drinks.
The Doctor draped his arm around her and tugged her closer. “Just give it a few more minutes, Rose.”
“What are we waiting for?”
“You’ll see.”
“Not likely,” she grumbled brushing snow out of her eyes. Through the whipping wind she faintly picked up the sound of…bells? Turning her head towards where she thought the sound was coming from, she listened. Several minutes passed and a light bobbed into view followed by a sled being pulled by two of the most enormous creatures Rose had ever seen on Earth.
When the driver was even with them, he called his team to a halt and laughed.
“Oh, ho! What are the two of you doing out here? The village is still miles away! Get in the back before you freeze. There are furs and stones to warm you. Hurry now, I can’t be late.” His face was covered by a scarf and blocked by the hood of his brown furred coat, but…it couldn’t be. Rose looked wide eyed at the Doctor.
Laughing lightly, he ushered her into the sleigh. “Time to get the human warm. In you get.”
The ride to the small village passed quickly and soon Rose found herself (and the Doctor) helping the man carry several large bags into the main hall, where it seemed everyone had crowded. Even though she’d expected it, Rose gasped and gripped the Doctor’s hand when the man pulled off his furry hood and revealed white hair and a white beard.
Smiling, the Doctor winked.
“Happy Christmas!” The man bellowed.
The children, right up to teenagers, all ran and surrounded him with hugs.
“Happy Christmas, Uncle Claus!”
Settled out of the way near the fire with mulled wine and listening while Claus told tales of his travels, Rose leaned into the Doctor.
“Santa? Really?”
“Well, not really. No flying reindeer or any of that and this is 17th century Germany and not the North Pole but to this village this man is Santa. He is the spirit of kindness. And that is what Christmas is, isn’t it? Warmth and giving and family?”
She snuggled closer and smiled. “Yeah.”
As the three bundled up to head back out, the snow having stopped and the moon shining brightly in the sky, Claus turned towards the Doctor and Rose.
“It occurs to me that the two of you didn’t get a gift.”
“Oh, no,” Rose shook her head. “Being here with you and the village was more than enough of a gift for us.”
The Doctor nodded. “One of our best trips ever. Top five.”
Claus raised a busy brow. “Very little adventure to be had here. But I do have a small token for each of you.”
Reaching into his great coat, he pulled out two oil cloth wrapped bundles. “Be careful with those.” He looked pointedly at the Doctor. “Don’t shake it.”
Unwrapping hers, Rose gasped when she saw a delicate globe with a wooden carving of London inside. Her London.
Turning to the Doctor in shock, she saw the tears in his eyes. In his hands was a delicate burnt orange glass globe with tiny silver leaves scattered over it that looked almost liquid. In fact, when he twirled the glass around the leaves swirled into clouds of liquid metal and formed back to leaves when still.
“Happy Christmas, Doctor, Rose. Now, hurry up. Let’s get you home.”