Colin the Caterpillar has been given a new look for Christmas

The best thing about Christmas, I’m sure you’ll all agree, is the subtly different foodstuffs on offer at your favourite restaurant/café/supermarket (delete as appropriate).

You’re unlikely to have to wait until Christmas Day – or even until December – to trade in your usual chicken and stuffing sandwich for a turkey and stuffing sandwich, or to bin off the standard smoked salmon and cream cheese for the much more Christmassy smoked salmon and cream cheese in a red packet with stars.

But it’s not just sandwiches, or eggnog lattes, or mulled everything. Even our dear friend Colin the Caterpillar is getting a new festive look.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Didn’t Colin the Caterpillar officially die, according to Marks & Spencer themselves?

Technically, yes. But Christmas is a time for miracles, and our old pal Col has regenerated.

Not only is he back from the dead, but he’s returned as five smaller Colins, rather than one full-size one.

That means not only is he alive, but he won’t have to suffer the hassle of hungry parents slicing him in half with the sharpest knife they can find.

Honestly, his back must be killing him after all these years, so the new design must come as a sweet, sweet relief for the guy.

According to Good Housekeeping, the Christmas Colins will go on sale from the first week of October at M&S stores.

They’ll cost £2 per pack, which is less than the cost of a full-size Colin cake.

(Images: M&S)