There are scholars who have hypothesized that the ancient roots of much folklore and many religions lie in various flora and fungi which posses psychoactive properties. One such myth is that of Santa Claus. His origins are said to be from the peoples of the Lapland region, who would ingest the hallucinogenic amanita muscaria mushroom which was distributed by shamans. Basically, the Santa figure is said to have originally represented a shaman and his red and white attire was inspired by the coloring of the mushrooms. Reindeer, as well, ate them and were known to prance through the woods while on the drug.

It was recently reported in the news that amanita muscaria grow in the gardens of the British royal palace. Imagine if The Doctor and his companion took a trip to the palace and, on purpose or by accident, one or both of them fell under the mushroom’s influence. It is highly unlikely that Moffat has planned on shroom tea with the Queen being the explanation for Santa Claus’s appearance on the show, but it would certainly be an entertaining one.

Santa Claus aside, using psychedelics as a plot device could create endless possibilities for mind-altered adventures. Any character, alive or dead, could be brought back as a hallucination, if only for one episode. And who knows how such substances would affect a Time Lord? Perhaps they could even alter The Doctor’s mind to a point where he gains new and unusual powers, either temporarily or permanently.

Hallucinations, even drug-induced ones, are not unprecedented in the Whoniverse. For instance, both River and Amy had occasionally used a special lipstick to help them achieve their goals. The lipstick is administered through kissing the person whom you are trying to manipulate.

An Alice in Wonderland-esque adventure would be quite fitting for Doctor Who. What sort of things would you like to see?