His gift-giving engagements may be done for another year, but Santa had one last stop to make on the island before returning to Lapland.

As he has done for the last 15 years, Father Christmas appeared at the Playmobil Fun Park in Ħal-Far yesterday, treating nearly 100 lucky children to some festive cheer.

Now an established part of the holiday season, this year’s edition of the Playmobil Breakfast with Santa drew some 90 children and their parents, all of whom were treated to food, drinks, music and games alongside the beloved Christmas figure.

We hold the warmth and loving spirit of Christmas very close to our hearts

Santa Claus himself is now an old pro, having been played by the same actor for 15 years. He was accompanied this year by Mrs Claus and a team of elves, who walked the young children through a number of games and crafts, entertaining them with song and dance and leading them in a Christmas-themed singalong.

The children, not surprisingly, took to the entertainment with gusto – even before the presents were rolled out.

“Christmas is all about warmth and true loving spirit,” Playmobil said. “It’s a time for people to get together and celebrate the festive season, sharing good vibes and of course lots of good food. Despite the difficult times many people all over the world are facing, this is a sentiment which we hold very close to our hearts.”