FIRST DOCTOR
"Grandfather?"
The Doctor looked up from the TARDIS console where he had been tinkering.
"Susan, get that thing off your head."
Susan was wearing a Santa hat. She pulled it off glumly.
"Grandfather, do you know what today is?"
"My dear, we are time travellers! Any day could be today!"
"I know, but from our point of view, isn't today a very specific day?"
"What are you going on about my dear? If you want to say something say it. Don't delay it."
"Grandfather..." Susan began but then dropped off. She looked at her feet for a time before she plucked up her courage and spoke up. "Grandfather, today is Christmas Eve."
"Bah! I don't have time to celebrate a silly human tradition!"
"But Grandfather-"
"No! I won't have another word on the matter. We are not celebrating Christmas and that is final!"
Susan's eyes began to water. She hid it as best she could and left the console room. The Doctor watched her leave, a curious expression on his face.
"Well... he's a right old Scrooge isn't he?"
"Ian!"
"I'm sorry Barbara, but it's true. He's been nothing but a grouch ever since we first met him, but this takes the cake. Making poor Susan cry like that, he should be ashamed."
They were sat in the comfortable armchairs near the fire in the library. Barbara was hugging a crying Susan while Ian paced in front of the fire.
"Why did he say he didn't have time for Christmas Susan?" Ian asked.
"He said... he didn't have time" Susan answered between sobs.
"Well that's ridiculous. He's a time traveller! He has all the time in the universe!"
Ian sat down a deep scowl on his face. After what felt like an age, he spoke.
"Well, there's only one thing to do isn't there?"
"What?" asked Barbara.
"We're going to celebrate Christmas."
"But what about Grandfather?" Susan asked.
"He can do what he likes Susan. It doesn't have to affect us. Now!" Ian got to his feet, "Let's have a look around. There's got to be a Christmas tree on this ship somewhere."
They eventually found a tree. It had been shoved rather harshly in the corner of an old storeroom. Ian was certain that he'd moved a genuine Picasso painting out of the way at some point. With Barbara and Susan's help, he'd moved the tree to the library. Susan then left the room and returned with a box of decorations. Eventually, the tree was done. It looked nice. It didn't look particularly amazing, but it looked like a typical Christmas tree. Ian, Barbara and Susan sat back to admire their handiwork.
"A job well done I'll say" Ian said, leaning back in his armchair.
Barbara smiled and stood up. She left the library and returned several minutes later with three hot cups of tea. The three sat back sipping tea when the library door opened again.
"Now now, what's all this?"
The Doctor had entered the library.
"Chasterton! What's the meaning of this...tree?" The Doctor demanded.
"It's a Christmas tree. But I don't expect a scrooge like you to understand."
The Doctor narrowed his eyebrows.
"Susan my dear, I thought we agreed that we had no time for this nonsense."
"Grandfather..." Susan began "It's Christmas... please..."
"Doctor, Susan's only a child. Indulge her please" Barbara pleaded.
"Why are you so against Christmas Doctor?" Ian asked.
"You want to know? Then follow me. I'll show you." With that, the Doctor wheeled around and left the library, beckoning for the others to follow.
He led them into the control room where he clicked on the scanner.
"Tell me, Chesterfield, what do you see there?"
Ian moved to look. He saw a street on Earth, but it wasn't his time. It looked too advanced for that. He watched as people moving in and out of shops decorated with Christmas decorations, coming out laden with more and more bags.
"I see people preparing for Christmas."
"Really Chesterman? I see people being easily distracted by exchanging gifts, putting money in the pockets of those who don't deserve it and ignoring all the real problems in the world."
"Grandfather... I see people buying gifts for the people they care about most. I see them preparing to spend time with those nearest to them. I see them showing love. And that is why I'm going to give you this and go to bed." Susan gave the Doctor a wrapped box and left the room. Ian and Barbara followed.
The Doctor looked hard at the box. After what felt like ages, he undid the wrappings. Inside was a small, silver fob watch and a note. The note read:
Grandfather,
I know you don't like Christmas but I'm going to give you this, because I love you with all my heart.
Lots of love,
Susan xxx
The Doctor looked up, he knew what to do.
The next morning, Susan woke up and made her way to the library for a morning read before Breakfeast. As she opened the door, she almost thought that she took a wrong turn. The room was covered in Christmas decorations, a table was set for Christmas dinner and at the table sat Ian and Barbara, both of them smiling and laughing. In the centre of the room stood the Doctor. Wearing an Santa hat and a warm smile.
"Merry Christmas Susan."
"Merry Christmas Grandfather." She smiled.
The Doctor looked up from the TARDIS console where he had been tinkering.
"Susan, get that thing off your head."
Susan was wearing a Santa hat. She pulled it off glumly.
"Grandfather, do you know what today is?"
"My dear, we are time travellers! Any day could be today!"
"I know, but from our point of view, isn't today a very specific day?"
"What are you going on about my dear? If you want to say something say it. Don't delay it."
"Grandfather..." Susan began but then dropped off. She looked at her feet for a time before she plucked up her courage and spoke up. "Grandfather, today is Christmas Eve."
"Bah! I don't have time to celebrate a silly human tradition!"
"But Grandfather-"
"No! I won't have another word on the matter. We are not celebrating Christmas and that is final!"
Susan's eyes began to water. She hid it as best she could and left the console room. The Doctor watched her leave, a curious expression on his face.
"Well... he's a right old Scrooge isn't he?"
"Ian!"
"I'm sorry Barbara, but it's true. He's been nothing but a grouch ever since we first met him, but this takes the cake. Making poor Susan cry like that, he should be ashamed."
They were sat in the comfortable armchairs near the fire in the library. Barbara was hugging a crying Susan while Ian paced in front of the fire.
"Why did he say he didn't have time for Christmas Susan?" Ian asked.
"He said... he didn't have time" Susan answered between sobs.
"Well that's ridiculous. He's a time traveller! He has all the time in the universe!"
Ian sat down a deep scowl on his face. After what felt like an age, he spoke.
"Well, there's only one thing to do isn't there?"
"What?" asked Barbara.
"We're going to celebrate Christmas."
"But what about Grandfather?" Susan asked.
"He can do what he likes Susan. It doesn't have to affect us. Now!" Ian got to his feet, "Let's have a look around. There's got to be a Christmas tree on this ship somewhere."
They eventually found a tree. It had been shoved rather harshly in the corner of an old storeroom. Ian was certain that he'd moved a genuine Picasso painting out of the way at some point. With Barbara and Susan's help, he'd moved the tree to the library. Susan then left the room and returned with a box of decorations. Eventually, the tree was done. It looked nice. It didn't look particularly amazing, but it looked like a typical Christmas tree. Ian, Barbara and Susan sat back to admire their handiwork.
"A job well done I'll say" Ian said, leaning back in his armchair.
Barbara smiled and stood up. She left the library and returned several minutes later with three hot cups of tea. The three sat back sipping tea when the library door opened again.
"Now now, what's all this?"
The Doctor had entered the library.
"Chasterton! What's the meaning of this...tree?" The Doctor demanded.
"It's a Christmas tree. But I don't expect a scrooge like you to understand."
The Doctor narrowed his eyebrows.
"Susan my dear, I thought we agreed that we had no time for this nonsense."
"Grandfather..." Susan began "It's Christmas... please..."
"Doctor, Susan's only a child. Indulge her please" Barbara pleaded.
"Why are you so against Christmas Doctor?" Ian asked.
"You want to know? Then follow me. I'll show you." With that, the Doctor wheeled around and left the library, beckoning for the others to follow.
He led them into the control room where he clicked on the scanner.
"Tell me, Chesterfield, what do you see there?"
Ian moved to look. He saw a street on Earth, but it wasn't his time. It looked too advanced for that. He watched as people moving in and out of shops decorated with Christmas decorations, coming out laden with more and more bags.
"I see people preparing for Christmas."
"Really Chesterman? I see people being easily distracted by exchanging gifts, putting money in the pockets of those who don't deserve it and ignoring all the real problems in the world."
"Grandfather... I see people buying gifts for the people they care about most. I see them preparing to spend time with those nearest to them. I see them showing love. And that is why I'm going to give you this and go to bed." Susan gave the Doctor a wrapped box and left the room. Ian and Barbara followed.
The Doctor looked hard at the box. After what felt like ages, he undid the wrappings. Inside was a small, silver fob watch and a note. The note read:
Grandfather,
I know you don't like Christmas but I'm going to give you this, because I love you with all my heart.
Lots of love,
Susan xxx
The Doctor looked up, he knew what to do.
The next morning, Susan woke up and made her way to the library for a morning read before Breakfeast. As she opened the door, she almost thought that she took a wrong turn. The room was covered in Christmas decorations, a table was set for Christmas dinner and at the table sat Ian and Barbara, both of them smiling and laughing. In the centre of the room stood the Doctor. Wearing an Santa hat and a warm smile.
"Merry Christmas Susan."
"Merry Christmas Grandfather." She smiled.