And reader, I loved every second. From the nostalgic aesthetic of the North Pole, ripped straight from the iconic Rankin/Bass claymation films that are positively sacred in the US, where I’m from – to Ferrell’s perfect wide-eyed enthusiasm that manages to be charming and contagious rather than cloying and annoying. Of course, I know I’m probably saying nothing new to you, but it’s just a big warm hug of a movie, isn’t it?

There were certainly some cringe moments, like Buddy scaring Jovie by singing along with her in the shower (“If that was me, I’d probably throw up on the spot,” I told my partner) and the repeated faux pas with Peter Dinklage’s Miles Finch, but Buddy’s wide-eyed joie de vivre makes up for it in spades and is exactly what the season calls for.

“I watched Elf for the first time – Buddy is actually the perfect man”