Among the surprises Santa Claus left under my tree Sunday morning: The spoiler equivalent of a big ol’ lump of coal.

In a move that is sure to stoke shock and awe among fans, a major (and incredibly popular) character on a hit drama series will take his/her last breath during 2012. And I’m not happy about it.

What’s more, per the Grinch St. Nick the actor/actress in question in not going quietly into the night.

“There has been a lot of tension on the set,” whispers the spy, “because [spoiler] isn’t happy with how [pronoun redacted] is being killed off.”

And while there’s a part of me that admires this program’s willingness to laugh in the face of conventional wisdom by whacking such a pivotal character, it’s tough to imagine the show without him/her.

To put things into perspective, the departure of [spoiler] is as bold and audacious as this recent primetime loss.

Stay close to my Twitter feed for additional clues. In the meantime, hit the comments with your most educated guesses! Oh, and Happy Holidays!