Christmas stories of shining stars will have been told the world over in recent days and racegoers at Kempton Park were treated to a sight of the real thing as Kauto Star lived up to his billing in the Stan James King George VI Chase.
The anticipation of the six-year-old's assault on the famous festive prize had tempered the chill in the air, with Paul Nicholls' exciting youngster locking horns with the up-and-coming Monet's Garden and Racing Demon in front of packed stands.
But neither could live with the Ruby Walsh-ridden 8-13 favourite as he survived horrendous mistakes at both the fourth and last fences to see off Exotic Dancer (9-1) by eight lengths, with Racing Demon one-and-a-quarter lengths back in third.
The triumph took the Clive Smith-owned Kauto Star's unbeaten stretch in top company to three and the bookmakers make him a short-priced favourite to extend that to four in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.
The sponsors were most impressed and went 5-4 about his chance in the blue riband, with Cashmans, William Hill, Ladbrokes and Stan James 6-4, while Coral and Bet Direct offer a standout 2-1.
Walsh had kept his mount close to the front-running Ollie Magern and Monet's Garden in the early stages of the three-mile showpiece, and the pair started to eat into the lead at the 11th of the 18 fences.
A terrible error soon followed and after Monet's Garden cried enough swinging for home, Walsh appeared to have a fight on his hands as Racing Demon went with him and Kauto Star came off the bridle for the first time this winter.
But he has the guts to match his class and after going on again approaching the third-last, he was always making the best of his way home and won in style, despite ploughing through the final obstacle.
Nicholls said: "We planned to ride him like we did in the Tingle Creek here - have him about fourth and be positive.
"His best round of jumping was at Haydock when we just dropped him in. Today we couldn't do that, but he kept galloping.
"He is not 100 per cent foot-perfect so we kept him wide; there was no point creeping down the inner."
Looking back on his charge's final-fence blunder, Nicholls added: "He wasn't concentrating. There's the big crowd and the big screen and he's just taken his eye off it.
"He just stepped at it, but he never looks like falling.
"He can make mistakes, but let's not talk about his jumping as he keeps winning and that is what matters."
And hitting the jackpot in the feature race was a bonus for the trainer, after some of his well-fancied runners earlier in the day failed to read the script.
He continued: "The rest of the day hasn't gone so well, so it was a relief to get this over.
"He will probably have one more run before Cheltenham in the Aon at Newbury (February 10), and if it poured down he could go for the Game Spirit.
"He will then go for the Gold Cup unless it is a total bog, and we will ride him more like we did at Haydock - drop him in and take our time."
A delighted Walsh returned to unsaddle wearing the broad smile that has become associated with the winner.
He said: "He has to be one hell of a horse to do that after missing the fourth-last and the last as well.
"I thought I'd just let him pop the last and he just came up out of my hands, but he's won easy.
"He's a machine. I've never ridden a horse like him. It's a privilege to ride him and he'll be even better going left-handed."
Smith added: "He's obviously a tremendous horse and he's got a big heart and plenty of speed.
"He is a good horse and this is all very exciting. There were a lot of emotions running through me today and it was wonderful to be in the race."
Barry Simpson, racing manager to Sir Robert Ogden, owner of the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Exotic Dancer, said: "I think he has run a career-best.
"He didn't jump as fluently as he has in the past, but we are delighted with that.
"We will run him in a trial race over three miles, but he looks a Ryanair horse."
Henrietta Knight said of Racing Demon: "We were thrilled with him. He needs to jump a bit more economically, but he was one of the least experienced and that will come in time.
"We will take him home from here, but I think he wants at least three miles."
Kauto Star's victory puts him 35 points clear of Noble Request in the BHB's Order Of Merit with a total of 75 points and he is still eligible for the £1million bonus offered by Betfair if he adds the Gold Cup to his haul.