HO ho hooray! Santa's coming back to York.

The fat fellow in the red tunic was once a regular fixture in the old Victoria House department store. Since its demise, he has tried the Theatre Royal and St Sampson's Square for size, although he rode off in a huff last year after finding his grotto clashed with the St Nicholas Fayre.

So what has lured Santa back? It could be the new venue, the Rock Church, which has a reassuringly permanent ring about it.

Perhaps Father Christmas is keen to try out the ice rink which is coming to the Eye of York.

Or maybe he has heard that our festive lights are to be brighter than ever this year. We'd better not disappoint him: there's nothing worse than a grumpy Santa.

Updated: 10:32 Friday, November 04, 2005