Scary Santa: Anya reveals that far from being a benign and cuddly giver of gifts, the real Santa Claus was a creature from the 16th century who would disembowel children. The parts about the chimneys and the reindeer are apparently true, however.

Foreknowledge: Joyce's death had been planned at least as far back as the end of season three. Planning to depart the show (or at least scale down her role) during season four and spend more time in Italy, actress Kristine Sutherland was told by Joss Whedon that he he had plans for her in season five.

"He said, "But you have to come back. I need to kill you, and it's really important,'" she revealed in an interview with SFX magazine.

Christmas Credits: Joss created the Christmas party flashback scene at the episode's start purely as a means of keeping the episode credits away from the main action and therefore not distract viewers from the action during the subsequent 911 sequence.

Silent Witness: The body is unique for a Buffy episode in that it features no incidental music.

"The lack of music, the no cutting, every act in one scene... it was all supposed to be relentless, almost a kind of boredom to create what I wanted to capture," Joss told us.

You can see more of Joss discussing The Body in this exclusive video clip or read a text version.

The Kiss: This episode features the first full Willow and Tara kiss on camera. Hating shows that make lesbian-related events a gimmick, Joss deliberately incorporated the kiss into this episode, knowing that it wouldn't and shouldn't be the main focus of attention. "It belongs somewhere where you least expect it," he told TV Guide.

Spikeless: James Marsters is entirely absent from The Body, the first time this has occurred since he became a regular character midway through season four.

Information on bereavement: If you would like further information of the subject of bereavement and how to cope should a loved one pass away, you may wish to check out the Cruse Bereavement Care web site or the BBC's own Bereavement Support Index.