Phil and Jill look forward to Christmas at Brookfield. Joe remains defiant about the pole barn.

Radio Times: Lynda’s back on form.

Characters: Alan, David, Jill, Joe, Lynda, Phil, Ruth

• Poor Pip, she has her grandfather standing over her, making sure she does her scales ad nauseam. Boring!
• At the Ambridge Advent service, Alan thanks those who provided photographs of the stolen items and makes a Christmas appeal for less fortunate families in Rumania.
• Joe’s neighbourly interest in events at Brookfield quickly evaporates when it becomes clear that beef rather than turkey is on the menu for Christmas. David and Ruth will be delivering leaflets later. Since Phil will be helping with the milking over Christmas, they decide to ask Phil and Jill to stay at Brookfield.
• Poor Lynda, a drop of wine at lunchtime and she has writers’ block. Alan agrees that a troupe of (well, three) musicians would be an ideal accompaniment for the plays but they may be driven, on cost grounds, to make do with recorded music. Maybe Fallon can help choose something.
• Jill hopes that David and Ruth really want them for Christmas. Phil is more interested in finding some music for Pip. When Ruth calls with some leaflets, she agrees to give Pip the music on the basis that she is under no pressure. Jill offers to help with the turkey, only to be told that there won’t be one. Ruth’s other news is that Heather will not be coming: she and a recently-widowed friend have booked a cruise.
• Poor Joe, he has a call from Lynda asking why he has not started to pull down the pole barn. Ask away, she will get no answers from him. The Environmental Health people know all about his turkeys, so she can stop her self-righteous sermonising and get off his land!