David makes Ruth’s life miserable. Bert gets Ambridge lit up for Christmas.

Radio Times: Ruth finds she’s not invited to the party.

Characters: Bert, David, Robert, Ruth

• Bert helps David load cattle into the trailer bound for the abattoir. Bert’s embarrassed by David’s actively unpleasant attitude to Ruth, and when David has gone, he goes to help her with the AI procedures. He can’t decide what to have as a farewell present, but is willing to help out at Brookfield over Christmas to give Ruth and David a break.
• Robert and Bert set to work putting up Christmas decorations at the Village Hall. Bert has reminded villagers around the Green, including Ian and Adam, that they should all have their lights up for the great Ambridge switch on. While he was at Honeysuckle Cottage, he saw their huge flat screen TV, and longs to have one like it.
• Back from the abattoir, David launches into another attack about milk yields. Ruth points out that keeping the cows out to grass too long is the root of the problem – and that was David’s own idea, against Sam’s advice. For once, David is forced to climb down.
• Robert is pleased that his card in the shop has produced several DIY jobs, and as he’s telling Bert, his phone rings. It’s another job, and he needs to keep the Village Hall ladder for 10 minutes while he does it.
• Angry and hurt, Ruth asks David what the rumours of a bonfire party are all about. Loftily he tells her that he’s having a belated firework party for the children on Friday, but makes it clear that he’s not bothered whether Ruth comes or not. She asks if she can invite Usha and Alan, but David says it’s a family affair.