Number 28 back garden
Naked Doug is shouting through the back screen door at Pam; he won't give in to blackmail. Pam asks if a little bit of romance is too much to ask for. Brad appears in the garden and is amused.

BRAD: Mum said you were hanging here. Now I know what she meant!

Doug, holding a potted plant for modesty, asks Brad to go in and get him some clothes. He will pay him, but Pam has offered him double not to do so! Doug calls him a traitor.

Number 22
Paul is holding Andrew and telling him he's blown it. Caroline comes home and congratulates Paul on winning Businessman of the Year; it's great for Lassiter's. Paul is depressed and unenthusiastic but Caroline tells him the hotel is still up and running and she needs him to come and sign the insurance renewals. Paul says they need to shop around and start economising. Caroline says they can't afford to not be covered and Paul blows up, telling her to run the hotel herself. Caroline tells him he will recover but Paul says he is finished. Caroline tells Paul that Christina and the company need him.

Number 28
Helen drops off a Christmas pudding and she and Pam discuss how happy Glen and Gaby are. Doug starts yelling from under the house. Pam yells through the floor that Helen is here and Doug changes his tone. Helen asks if he's alright and Pam says he's fine. Helen shouts goodbye to Doug through the floor and leaves. Pam jumps up and down on the floor to annoy Doug and he calls her an evil woman.

Number 26 driveway
Lucy and Josh are washing the car and Josh asks Lucy if she's upset about Gaby and Glen. Lucy throws a sponge at him and says of course not. Brad sneaks up and picks Lucy up but she screams at him. Josh tells Brad to lay off, reminding him that Denton is still out there. Dorothy calls across the street that Josh can wash her car next if he likes but Josh is planning to go in Brenda's pool. He offers Dorothy a hand with her bags and Lucy asks him how he can be so nice to her; once a headmistress, always a headmistress!

Number 30 back garden
Dorothy finds Doug wrapped in one of the sheets on her washing line and wants to know what he's doing as it's Christmas not Halloween; the time for ghosts and ghouls has passed.

DOUG: I suppose you wouldn't believe I was rehearsing for the part of Julius Caesar?
DOROTHY: Frankly, no. That's the sort of lame excuse I get from a year seven student. We have come to expect more from the Willis clan. Your school report will read, 'Could do better'!
DOUG: Oh. I had to do it. You see, I've got a nun coming in a minute!
DOROTHY: Now that's really inventive. Tell me more!

Number 28 back garden
Pam sees Doug wrapped in the sheet through the window and says that's a nice outfit. Doug asks how he can talk about the convent renovations looking like this. Pam says it's not her problem. She tells Doug that dancing isn't enough; she wants real romance. They hear a knock at the door and Pam says it must be the mother superior. Doug agrees to the dancing, dinner and flowers and Pam goes to answer the door.

DOUG: Don't go! The door, the back door! Open it!
PAM: Oh, that? I unlocked that ages ago!

Number 28 inside
Pam lets the mother superior into the house as Doug dashes into the bedroom! Pam asks her if she'd like a cup of tea but she seems speechless.

Number 22
Caroline finds Paul has pulled himself together and is sorting some files. He tells Caroline she was right and asks her to go to the office and get some papers for him.

Number 30
Dorothy is pouring tea for Helen and telling her about Pam locking Doug out. They discuss how quickly the year has gone and Dorothy thinks it might be nice to have a real Christmas tree this year with Toby staying. Helen says Christmas will be strange without Jim, and Dorothy is jealous of him sailing back from Japan. He'll have a lot to catch up on including a wedding coming up. Helen is glad to have some good news for him, especially after what happened to Lucy. Dorothy says Lucy is still quiet.

Number 24 pool
Brad is cleaning leaves out of the pool while Lucy and Josh sunbathe. Lucy says she's so bored. Josh says he'd like to get away for a couple of days and Lucy says a holiday would be good.

Number 22
Paul and Caroline are eating Chinese while they work. Paul says they've had some wins lately and getting rid of Martin was a good thing. He apologises that things didn't work out between Caroline and Martin. Caroline thinks the hotel will make money over Christmas and New Year but Paul says he's going to have to employ some drastic measures.

Number 26 / Surfers Paradise
Helen is on the phone to Madge who has moved into a friend's house to give Scott and Charlene some space as the baby is nearly due. However, Lou Carpenter has found out where she's staying and is being a nuisance. She would like to spend Christmas in Ramsay Street but can't leave the house unattended so asks Helen if she fancies a free holiday. Helen says she can't with Jim away but she'll spread the word in case anyone else is interested.

Helen comes off the phone and Josh says he and Lucy will look after the place for Madge. Lucy isn't keen on being away from home at Christmas but Helen thinks she should go. She will still have Glen, Paul, Christina and Andrew here for Christmas. Lucy agrees.

Number 28
Pam and Doug are dressed up ready to go to dinner and Pam is still amused about the look on the nun's face. Doug says it's lucky she still gave him the job. Pam reminds Doug that tonight is for romance; she wants to be swept off her feet. Doug goes to the fridge, pretending to be getting a beer, but it's actually a corsage for Pam. Dorothy knocks at the door, looking for Toby and Bouncer, and comments how nice Doug and Pam look.

DOROTHY: I must says Doug, it's a vast improvement on your earlier outfit!

Number 22
Caroline brings Paul a drink and he says he's got a game plan. They need to cut 20 jobs as well as freezing pay. Caroline says he can't do that at Christmas but Paul says there's no other way. There will be no Christmas bonuses either.

Number 26
Josh and Lucy have packed for their holiday and Helen is ready to drive them to the airport. Lucy is irritated to discover that Brad is coming too. Helen wants them all to promise they will act like adults and she goes to get the car. Josh and Brad high- five their impending trip.