Episode 4528 (20th December 1998)

Plot
The Hortons invite the Duckworths to spend Christmas in Blackpool with them. Jack warns Vera that Alec won't let them have the time off. Deirdre sees Jackie stealing knickers from the factory. With her house sale having gone through Natalie is depressed that she and Des won't be able to spend all her money together. Sally tells Kevin she wants to be involved in the girls' Christmas but he tells her she can only see them at set times. Steve is stunned but Alec delighted when Vicky arrives on a visit. She tells Alec she's going into a partnership to open a restaurant and wants him to look over the figures for her. Hayley confides to Gail that she's bought Roy a load of presents but feels none of them suit so she's returned them all. Gail advises her to buy him something warm. Roy is puzzled by an ever increasing number of Santa Claus who sit about in the cafe. Charlie West is one of them and explains they're all rent-a-Santa to deliver presents. Nick and Leanne agree not to take sides in their families dispute and to spend Christmas together. Martin suggests to Gail that she gets Roy to buy her out of the cafe as they may end up needing all the money they can find to live on. Roy cooks Hayley an early Christmas dinner and rents a Santa (who turns out to be Les) to give her her present. They discover they've both bought each other the same scarf. Alec is flabbergasted when Vera announces she and Jack won't be available behind the bar over the Christmas period. He forbids them to go.