Father Christmas, Santa Claus, St. Nick or Kris Kringle; whatever you choose to call him, there’s no denying that he represents Christmas and the festive season to pretty much every child around the world, and who better to play him than the evergreen Tom Hanks?

Tom Hanks —often referred to as ‘America’s dad’— just can’t seem to put a foot wrong. For decades, he’s been gracing our screens as some of the most beloved characters in the most iconic movies. From Forrest Gump in the movie named after himself, Woody in the beloved and award-winning Toy Story, Chuck Noland in the gripping Castaway, and Captain John Miller in the ultra-realistic portrayal of WWII, Saving Private Ryan, Hanks has a theatrical resume that few can match.

What makes him so perfect for his role as the jolly red man in The Polar Express? He has a warm and friendly demeanour that makes him believable in the role, a lot of charisma and charm, which helped make his portrayal of Santa Claus more believable and engaging, a strong and authoritative voice that I imagine Santa would have, and he has a history of working on family-friendly films, which makes him a good fit for a film like “The Polar Express,” which is intended for a younger audience. I look forward to seeing Tom Hanks play Santa every year. I associate it with pyjamas and hot chocolate, a happy smiling family in a Christmas bed, and continuing a life-long tradition of going out of my way to make Christmas special, just like Santa himself.