Episode 3952 (25th December 1995)

Plot
Vera has an exhausting Christmas coping with the bar as Jack is sick in bed. Steve tells the police he bought the whisky cheap from a stranger. The police warn him not to waste their time, as he did over his statement about Sean. He is kept in the cells all night but is able to phone Vicky. She pretends to Jim and Liz that everything is okay. Steve returns at 5.00am to find his car has been broken into and his stereo stolen. Vicky despairs of Steve and his attitude. She is amazed when he asks her to buy presents for the family and for herself, from him. Alf goes out collecting with fellow Square Dealers for charity, dressed as Father Christmas. Audrey refuses to buy Alf a Christmas present. Andy chats up Maxine and is surprised when she agrees to go out with him. Curly and Raquel promise each other never to bring up her indiscretion with Des again. Josie is thrilled with her Christmas bike. The Watts and Wolstenhulmes descend on No.7, both sets of parents annoyed that the wedding was such a secret and both assuming Raquel is pregnant. They are relieved when Curly assures them she isn’t. The Duckworths’ Christmas dinner consists of soup and sandwiches and Vera falls asleep in the middle of the Queen’s speech. Curly tries to explain to the parents why the wedding was so quick, saying they just wanted to be together. Larry Watts apologises to Raquel for throwing her out as he senses it was because of that that the wedding was a secret. Raquel is emotional about the reconciliation. Vicky buys herself expensive jewellery from Steve. The family meal is ruined when the police arrive with a warrant to search the flat. Vicky becomes hysterical and is comforted by Liz, who turns on Steve.