What’s certain is he can’t rely on his age-old sleigh. How could so many reindeer be socially-distanced on the journey? Plus, Santa can’t enter Tier 2 or Tier 3 homes. Would presents be restricted to the Isle of Wight this season?

One solution mooted by AI experts at the University of Southampton is a swarm of autonomous drones. Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can efficiently synchronise their deliveries and are much more obedient than restless reindeer.