Helen widens her horizons.

Radio Times: Helen widens her horizons.

Characters: Clarrie, Helen, Jill, Lizzie, Pat, Tommy, Tony

• Helen’s home but Pat is still trying to avoid Christmas, but the rest of the family know and are trying to bring her around. They agree to all give over the evening to decorate the tree. Old boxes of decorations and the whole act of preparation serve to remind everyone of their loss, but they all, even Pat, manage to cope. For one evening the problems of the pork and Pat’s concerns that Helen is spending half of her industrial year in Zimbabwe are put aside.
• Jill’s knee-deep in working on the arrangements for the wedding and, as a means of taking her mind off Julia and the Death Watch beatles, Lizzie lends a hand. She’s taking comfort, though, from Bert’s advice that the tapping is unlikely to be beatles at this time of year.