Holiday Special (comic story)

Holiday Special was the story published in the Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor Holiday Special comic series.

It is the first full Christmas-themed story to star both the Thirteenth Doctor and her companions (although she had previously appeared alone in the shorter Christmas story 'Twas the Night Before Christmas). Notably, it established that the events of the Free Comic Book Day 2019 story, Meet the Fam!, were in fact a false memory implanted by the story's main villain, Krampus.

It also tied into the brief mention in A Christmas Carol of the Doctor's being friends with Santa Claus and knowing him as "Jeff".

Publisher's summary
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Plot
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Characters

 * Thirteenth Doctor
 * Graham O'Brien
 * Ryan Sinclair
 * Yasmin Khan
 * Krampus
 * Friffle
 * Friffle's people
 * Baxter
 * Minion of Krampus
 * Toy guards

The Doctor

 * The Doctor believes in children's dreams, laughter, general jolliness, and bringing joy to others through space and time despite impossible odds.
 * The Doctor uses a fez to protect herself from the mind traps.

Christmas

 * Graham says that he and Ryan have a Christmas dinner to get to.
 * The Doctor notes the "festive" appearance of her neurological trackers.
 * "Mr Henderson" is dressed like Santa Claus.
 * Children all over the world believe in Santa, and write him letters and send him their wishes.
 * Baxter is an elf, sent by "Jeff".
 * The Doctor wonders if the list of children's names is a naughty or nice list.
 * Names on the list include Dylan Fry, age seven, Jordan Fry, age four, and Lily Jenkins, age ten.
 * The Doctor hangs a wreath on her TARDIS door.
 * The Doctor leaves a mince pie and a carrot for her "old friend".

Leisure

 * Ryan suggests the Doctor take them to Disneyland, or "cool, future, other planet Disneyland".
 * The Doctor recalls how Graham lost a Bevivian game of chance at the amusement park they'd previously visited.

Popular culture

 * Ryan calls the use of the mind trap on the workers "very The Dark Crystal of 'em".
 * Ryan calls Krampus a "regular Grinch".

Miscellaneous

 * The Doctor acted as a gladiator at some point, but "decades" before the scenario that Yaz remembered.
 * Ryan wonders if Yaz would be okay with wearing the festive-looking neurological tracker because of her Muslim faith.
 * Ryan previously had a maths teacher called Ms. Henderson.
 * A human's sense of smell is linked to their memory, as are a Time Lord's.

Original print details

 * Part 1:
 * Previously...
 * Whirling through time and space, the Doctor and her friends - Yaz, Ryan and Graham - took some time off from thwarting nefarious alien plots to enjoy some well-earned leisure time. But theme parks on distant planets aren't always what they seem, and the gang were soon saving victims of a crooked carnival con. Everything is right in the universe again - or so they think...
 * Next time!
 * The Doctor and friends gain an unexpected ally. Together they must stop Mr. Henderson - but who exactly is he? And what is he really up to?


 * Part 2:
 * Previously...
 * Having been plagued by false memories of an alien amusement park, the Doctor and the gang went on the hunt to discover the truth. On a curiously colourful planet, perturbed alien named Friffle reveals his people are being taken by the mysterious the mysterious Mr Henderson - a man who bears a striking resemblance to Santa Claus! Taken as prisoners in his grotto-like lair, the Doctor resolves to find out exactly what he's plotting...
 * Next time!
 * The threat of two deadly enemies - the Weeping Angels and Autons - forces the Doctor to bend the rules and get help from none other than... the Tenth Doctor!

Continuity

 * The Doctor recalls the events of COMIC: Meet the Fam!, which are revealed to have not actually happened, but were in fact a false memory implanted by Krampus.
 * Graham wonders if the culprit may be that "hoarder fellow [they] keep running into". (COMIC: A New Beginning, Old Friends)
 * Ryan suggests going to Disneyland. He previously asked the Doctor if her psychic paper could get them into the park. (COMIC: Meet the Fam!)
 * Yasmin's Muslim faith is brought up. (TV: Rosa, Demons of the Punjab)
 * The Doctor wears her rainbow-coloured scarf. (TV: Resolution)
 * The Doctor and Baxter refer to Santa as "Jeff". (TV: A Christmas Carol)
 * Ryan mentions the Corsair. (COMIC: Old Friends)
 * The Doctor uses her fez to protect herself from the mind traps. (TV: Kerblam!)