25 December 2023 (1st) 🎄CHRISTMAS DAY🎄

Iolo sits gloomily

Iolo is glumly listening to the weather forecast on the radio and hears that an amber warning has been issued for strong winds and heavy rain as the winter’s biggest storm so far reaches them.   He protests when Siôn changes the radio channel to some Christmas carols, “I was listening to that!”

"Carol's are more Christmassy"

His father regards the carols as being more Christmassy, while Greta is playing with one of her toys on the sofa 

Greta is definite about that

and seems quite enthusiastic about the change.

Iolo objects to Siôn concentrating on the Christmas meal;  “How can you just carry on as if nothing’s wrong?”   

"We have to carry on, Iolo"

He is told that they have to simply carry on.

"Cai's out there somewhere!"

“Cai’s out there somewhere, in who knows what state – because of me!” Iolo snarls, but is reminded that his little girl is facing her first Christmas without her father.   

"You have to think about Iolo today"

Siôn appreciates that it is not easy, but Iolo has to think about Greta today, not Cai.

While the thunder sounds outside, Kath is on a FaceTime call with Brynmor;  “I’d do anything to have you here with me today,” she tells him, and he agrees with this sentiment;  he was hoping to be back.   

The image of Brynmor pixillates . . .

"I'd do anything to have you back here"

Then the image on her phone freezes again 

. . . and then completely disappears

and the screen indicates that she has no Wi-Fi connection.

"The Wi-Fi has stopped working"

Kath explains the problem to Cassie, who checks the oven, to find it is not working.   

"And the oven's off"

“It’s off,” she exclaims, “And the turkey has another hour to cook!”

Mark's Christmas jumper

At Maes-y-Deri, Mark is trying on the new jumper from Cheryl and does not know how to thank her.   

"What did you get me?"

“Come on, then, what did you get me?” she asks, and he pretends that, as they have not been together very long, 

"I didn't know what to get . . ."

he did not know what to get.

". . . only joking!"

Then he reveals that he was only joking;  “Gotcha!” handing her a Christmas jumper, 

"It's hideous – I love it!"

which she describes as hideous, but she also loves it.   She predicts that this is going to be the best Christmas she has had in ages.

Gaynor is out of the way . . .

“Thanks to Hywel and Esther, Gaynor’s in a spa retreat, so all we need to do is eat, drink and enjoy ourselves!” Mark declares.   

. . . so they are all set for the evening . . .

As they are revelling in the peace and about to kiss each other, Gaynor comes in.

. . . when she returns unexpectedly

“Wow – it’s horrible out there – the roads are all closed and I’m soaking!” she informs them.   

This does not go down well with Cheryl . . .

As she goes to look for a towel, Cheryl 

. . . or with Mark

and Mark look at each other with obvious disappointment.

Dani takes the children next door

Dani is very impressed when she goes next door to number 9 with Gabriel and Seren (whose birthday on Christmas Day seems to have been forgotten).   She comments that something smells lovely.

“Cooking turkey and potatoes isn’t quite as easy as cooking pizzas,” Jinx tells her, 

He has presents for Seren and Gabriel

“Hey, kids, I’ve got presents for you here.”   

He gets into the parcel-opening

The children start unwrapping their parcels, while Jinx tells Dani that he also has a little something for her.

She finds a charm bracelet

She finds a charm bracelet with the children’s initials, as well as a slice of pizza;  she is invited to add her own.   

"I can change it if you don't want it"

“I can change it if you don’t like it – there’s no problem,” he adds, but she insists that she loves it;  now it is his turn for a present.

"I know you live in that Delyth Boy coat"

“I know you live in that Del Boy coat, but I saw it and it just thought that it would suit you.”   

He agrees that he likes his old Del Boy coat, but it is a good idea to have a more practical coat, especially in this weather.   

"Yes, that's just right"

When he tries it on, she is very complimentary.

A timer sounds in the kitchen, which he explains is for the stuffing 

The tree lights will not switch on

and Dani goes to switch on the Christmas tree lights, but nothing happens.   

"The electric is off!"

Jinx discovers that the electricity has gone off.

In Maes-y-Deri the electricity is still working

At Maes-y-Deri, Gaynor considers it fortunate that they can make a cup of tea, as has she has been told that the electricity is down in the village.   

"This is supposed to be hilarious"

Cheryl hands Mark his present, which he discovers to be a ‘Mouthguard’ game.   “I’ve seen this and it’s supposed to be hilarious,” he says;  Cheryl points out that it is the adult version which is said to be ‘a right laugh’.

"Come and have a can with us!"

Gaynor has made tea, but her sister maintains that she should have a can with them, as it is Christmas.   Mark has a text from his mother to say there is no electricity in the village.

"I'm going to leave the two of you alone"

Gaynor is going to leave the two of them alone, and go upstairs to read the book she was given for Christmas, which Mark thinks is a good idea. 

"Thinking of you, like a sad granny!"

However, Cheryl thinks otherwise, arguing, “I won’t be able to enjoy myself here, thinking about you upstairs, like a sad granny.”   

"Perhaps she wants a bit of space"

Mark imagines that Gaynor simply wants a bit of space.

"Nobody has space to Christmas time"

“Nobody has space at Christmas time – the whole point is to sit in front the telly, getting slowly sloshed with your family.   Come and sit down!”   

Mark is not very pleased about this

Having been persuaded, Gaynor sits down beside Mark, much to his annoyance.

"Everything's off in the rest of the village"

In the Deri flat, Kath reports that everything is off downstairs and is off in the rest of the village as well;  

"The turkey's raw in the middle"

Cassie complains that they will have to throw the turkey away as it is raw in the middle.   The freezers in the kitchen will also have to be carefully watched.

“Well, we have plenty of cheeses, a pie and a bit of salad,” says Cassie, but Kath strongly objects to eating salad on Christmas Day.   

"People can come to the Deri, can't they?"

It is pointed out to her that everyone else is in the same boat, which gives Kath the idea, as she gets out her phone, “People can come to the Deri, can’t they?   

"If everyone brings a plate of food"

“If everyone brings a plate of food, we’ll be fine.”

"They won't want to come out in this weather"

Cassie is sure that people will not want to come out in this weather;  “Neither will they want to sit at home in the cold and the darkness,” Kath replies, and when reminded that till will not be working, she adds, “Cash is king!”

"I was hoping to have a day off today"

“I was hoping to have a day off today!” moans Cassie

"It's like Siberia out there!"

Next door, at number 21, Colin comes inside from the wind and rain;  “Good grief – it’s like Siberia out there!” he tells Britt 

Rather primitive heating system

and when he sees the candles on the table, 

"I'm not sure I'm in a romantic mood . . ."

he adds, “I’m not sure I’m in a romantic mood – and it is a bit early in the day, 

". . . but I'm willing to give it a so!"

“but, well, I’m more than willing to give it a go!”

"This is the warmest thing I've got in the house"

Britt is once again dressed as the MFC chicken, which she says is the warmest thing that she has got in the house.   He has been to the shop to check things, but there was no electricity there either, so a lot of stock from the fridge will have to be thrown out.   

"I shall have to do the same at MFC"

Britt assumes that she will have to do the same at MFC.

As they huddle round the pathetic little candles for warmth, Colin complains, “It’s a shame, isn’t it?   

"Christmas dinner is the highlight of my year"

“Christmas dinner is the highlight of my year.”

"Lucky we cooked the turkey last night"

She reminds him that there is plenty of stuff in the fridge to eat, “And it's lucky we cooked the turkey last night.”

Delyth is feeling the cold

In the pharmacy flat, Delyth is freezing cold, and remarks to Maya that is is a good thing she cooked the turkey earlier.   

"Shame there's nothing to go with it"

“Yeah, but it’s a shame there’s nothing to go with it.”

They had been looking forward to their first Christmas there;  

"Our first Christmas together – ruined!"

“Our first Christmas together – ruined!” Delyth snarls.   Maya says that her phone has still got full battery, so they could watch a movie and snuggle up on the sofa under the blankets.

“And eat cold turkey!” Delyth groans, “But Kath has just posted that they have opened up the Deri – and they’re inviting anyone to come over and bring a plate of food.”   

"Not in this weather"

Maya does not fancy doing that in this weather.

So that's what this 'Mouthguard' is all about

At Maes-y-Deri, Mark, complete with his mouthguard, is taking part in the game, but Gaynor is reluctant to join in.   Evidently what he was trying to say is, “Ceri McDonald, who was my first kiss at school, form two, behind the canteen.”

His question for Gaynor is inappropriate . . .

Then it is his turn to ask Gaynor the next question, but he is anxious to put it back and try another one, which Cheryl informs him is against the rules.   

. . . so he is going to get another one

“Well, it’s a bit . . . you know,” he says.

"Who was the last person you slept with?"

She grabs the card and reads out the question, “OK, I know the answer to this, but I’ll ask anyway – ‘who was the last person you slept with?’”

"Hywel, of course!"

Gaynor, in a most embarrassed manner, maintains that it was Hywel, but her sister senses that she is not speaking the truth.   “You kept that quiet, didn’t you?   

"Come on, out with it!"

“Come on, out with it – who was it?   It’s obvious it was someone else – it must be someone from the village – you haven’t been anywhere else.”

"Leave it, Cheryl"

When Mark intervenes, telling Cheryl to leave it, she wonders why the two of them are acting in such a weird.   

"This is a silly game"

Gaynor merely describes it as, “A silly game.” 

"Oh, my God!"

Cheryl reaches a conclusion;  “Oh, my God!” she gasps.

"Who's going to come out in weather like this?"

“Who’s going to come out in weather like this on Christmas Day?” Cassie demands, and Kath says that you never know, stressing that a lot of people are very lonely at this time of year.

Anita and Ieuan are the first to arrive . . .

They hear the door open and the first to arrive are Anita and Ieuan, 

. . . with a trifle, cheese and crackers

who have brought a trifle and some cheese and crackers.   Kath is confident that a few more will be along soon.   

Then Delyth and Maya come in

Sure enough, they are followed by Delyth and Maya, who advise that the weather is supposed to be getting worse.

They have brought turkey, bread and cheese;  

"The first one is free for everyone!"

Kath gets her phone to play some music and tells Cassie to ask them if they want a drink.   “The first one is free for everyone,” she announces, 

"I'll have a large whisky"

so Ieuan predictably takes up the offer by selecting a large whisky, although complaining that there is no hot food, as this weather they need to warm up.

Cassie remarks, “I’m sure your wonderful personality will warm us all up!”   He tells Anita that they will stay for an hour and then go home.

Gabriel is having a nap

At number 9, Gabriel is having a nap upstairs and Seren is playing;  Jinx appreciates that there is not much they can do without electricity.   “Come and sit down down,” he invites Dani.   

"And without Gwern as well"

She has been dreading Christmas;  “The first Christmas without Tyler,” says Jinx, and she adds that it is without Gwern as well.

"You've had a terrible year, Dani"

She sent him a present, but has not heard from him.   Jinx appreciates that she has had a terrible year, as he puts his arm around her.   

"It hasn't been all bad"

“It hasn’t been all bad,” she says, “I feel calm when I’m with you.”   He is glad about that and kisses her.

"No, the pizza oven doesn't need electricity"

Then there is the sound of a mobile phone;  he wonders what Kath wants.   “No, the pizza oven doesn’t need electricity – why?”

"It was a huge mistake, Cheryl"

At Maes-y-Deri, Mark is trying to explain that it was nothing – only a huge mistake, something which is echoed by Gaynor, 

"The biggest mistake of my life"

who regards it as the biggest mistake of her life.   “We’d had a lot to drink – 

"I don't even like Gaynor like that"

“and I don’t even like Gaynor like that,” he goes on.

“You’re no Brad Pitt, either!” she growls, while he insists that she is no Angelina Jolie.

"Oh, shut up!"

This is too much for Cheryl;  she simply shouts, “Oh, shut up!   Why didn’t either of you tell me?”   Mark was scared that she would not want to be with him.   “Oh really – after sleeping with my sister?” is her angry retort.

"Don't ruin things for us now!"

“Oh, come on, Cher – we’ve only just started going out – don’t ruin things for us now,” he pleads.

"I haven't ruined anything, mate!"

“I haven’t ruined anything, mate!   Just get out, will you?”   When he brings the state of the weather to her attention, she assures him, “Trust me, you’ll be a lot safer out there than in here!   Go!”

Mark leave the house

He sadly puts on his coat and leaves the house, 

"Cheryl . . ."

after which Gaynor attempts to speak to her, 

"Don't!"

but she simply replies, “Don’t!” and goes upstairs.

"I'd rather drink something at home"

The food is arriving at The Deri and Ieuan is complaining that he would rather go home and drink something there.   “Kath and Cassie are trying to do something nice here,” says Anita, “We should stay and support them, just for a while.” 

"This trifle's lovely, Anita!"

Delyth comes across and compliments her on her trifle, which she says is one of Nigella’s Italian ones.

Sioned arrives with a lot of food

Sioned has arrived with a stack of food from the fridges in Tamed, which would otherwise have to go in the bin.   There is plenty of cheese, quiche, salads, sausage rolls, cheesecake.

"Shame to see all that food going to waste"

“I thought you wanted to go home,” comments Anita, but Ieuan is adamant that it would be a shame to see all that food going to waste.   Sioned notices Maya and they both wish each other Merry Christmas.   

"I hoped that you would be here"

Sioned had been hoping that she will be there, as she has a small present for her.

"You shouldn't have done that"

“You shouldn’t have done that,” is the reply and Maya hopes that Delyth has not noticed.

An exciting game of Snakes and Ladders

At Y Felin they are playing snakes and ladders;  Siôn has just found himself sliding down a snake, and now it is Iolo’s turn, but he is in another world.   

"Dad, you're next!"

“Dad, you’re next!” Greta tells him, and when he does not respond, Siôn alerts him.   He cannot even remember which counter he is.

Siôn takes Greta elsewhere

Siôn suggests that Greta could play another game for a while then returns 

"Listen, Iolo, you have to try!"

to encourage Iolo, “Listen, you have to try!”

“You shouldn’t have stopped me, Dad – I should have gone to the police!” Iolo insists, then there is an urgent knock at the door.   “Do you think it’s him?” Iolo asks.

"We're checking you're all right"

In fact it is Ffion and Arwen;  Ffion is not sure if it will be a Merry Christmas as the electricity in the village has gone off.   “We thought we’d call in here to check you were all right,” she says and Siôn confirms that everything is fine there.

“How’s Cai – I thought Christmas morning might be hard for him,” 

"He's not here"

but Iolo mutters that he is not there.

"He's on holiday  – in Thailand"

Siôn improvises wildly, “No, he’s on holiday – in Thailand.”   

"He didn't mention anything!"

Ffion thinks it strange that he did not mention anything.   “It was a last-minute deal –  and off he went.”   She is very surprised by this and Iolo tries to keep quiet.

"It's here to be eaten, isn't it?"

Ieuan is getting stuck into the free food at the Deri and is reprimanded by Anita, “That’s the second plateful you’ve had now!”   He points out that it is here to be eaten.   “I don’t want people to think we’re greedy,” she scolds him.

"Have you tried this sushi?"

He is only response is to ask, “Have you tried this sushi?   It’s wonderful!”   

She tries some and agrees with him;   “I think I’ll have some!”   

Jinx's pizzas have arrived . . .

The large pizzas arrive, two Margheritas, a large pepperoni and a large veggie.   Kath points out that Jinx is going home to get his guitar and invites them to take advantage of the hot food, 

. . . which sounds very good to Ieuan

which sounds like a good idea to Ieuan.

Sioned comes across to ask Cassie, “We’ve got a generator at Penrhewl we don’t use – do you want me to bring it down?”   Cassie is amazed that Sioned will go and fetch it in this weather, but is told, “I’ve got the 4x4.   

Maya is invited to go with Sioned 

Do you fancy coming with me?” she asks Maya.   Cassie predicts that it might get colder later.

Of course Delyth volunteers to come with them, 

"You stay here and keep warm"

but is told to stay there and keep herself warm;  

"Don't touch my quiche!"

Maya warns Delyth not to touch her quiche 

Delyth does not like this

and Delyth does not like to see them together one little bit.

"Then – puff – the electricity went off"

As they sit on the sofa in Y Felin, Ffion relates, “And then – puff – the electricity went off, the turkey was still raw in the oven and not a potato or sprout ready or anything”   Siôn says that it is lucky they are outside the village;  he hopes that the electricity comes back soon and seems very eager to get rid of Ffion, as the storm is predicted to get worse.

"Who did you say Cai had gone with?"

“Yes, we’ll go in a minute – who did you say Cai has gone on holiday with?” she continues 

"He went on his own"

and is told that he has gone on his own.   

"Not very wise in his state of mind"

She doubts that is wise in his state of mind, 

The sun and relaxation will do him good"

but Siôn suggests that perhaps the sun and relaxation will do him good.

"You were terribly worried about him"

“You were terribly worried about him last week,” Ffion reminds him and is told that Cai is a man in his 40s who will not listen to anything Siôn tells him.   “Yes, I know that – I just wanted to make sure he’s all right.”   Iolo concurs that is what they all want.

"What are we going to do about lunch?"

Arwen comes downstairs and informs her mother, “I’m starving – what are we going to do about lunch?”   Ffion tells her that they have cheese and pies in the fridge.   

"On Christmas Day?"

“On Christmas Day?   Are you serious?”   

"Can we eat with you?"

Then she turns to her supposed grandfather;  “Can we eat with you?”   Ffion reprimands her that she cannot invite herself to lunch, but she is sure that they have plenty of food.   “You don’t mind, do you, Grandad?”

"Yes, I don't mind"

He replies rather unconvincingly that he does not mind, as Iolo glowers at him.

"The parcel will arrive today?"

In the Deri, Cassie receives a cryptic phone call;  “Right, so you’re saying that the parcel will arrive today – well, there are some very disappointed people here, all right?”

She tells Kath that it was the postman and says that she is sorry that her present has not arrived in time.   

"A postman, on Christmas Day, during a storm?"

Kath thinks that talking to a postman on Christmas Day, during a storm, is stretching her credulity a little.   “Yes, his name’s Mark – do you know him?” Cassie answers.   Kath comments that he has a nice family.

"I've been trying to phone them"

Delyth is becoming anxious about Sioned and Maya;  “I’ve been trying to phone them.”   Kath says that the phone signal is dodgy up at Penrhewl at the best of times, and Delyth proposes going to look for them, but is advised that it is safer to stay where she is.

"I'll ring Eileen shortly"

The storm is allegedly at its worst, so Cassie will give it 15 minutes and then ring Eileen to see if they are on their way back.

Things are pretty quiet at the moment, so Kath enquires if anyone has a joke;  

"I've got a good ghost story"

Ieuan maintains that he has a good ghost story.   “Who wants to hear a ghost story at Christmas?” Kath sneers, and he says that he can make it Christmassy.

"Dad, I can't do this!"

Iolo is becoming exceedingly edgy;  “Dad, I can’t do this – if she’s not asking about Cai, she’s talking about Tyler – tell them to go!”   Siôn says that then she would suspect something.

“Why did you say Cai was on holiday?” he demands, and his father replies that it was the first thing that came into his head.   

"What if he turns up now?"

“What if he turns up now?   We’ll be caught out!”   

He is told that he needs to calm down, but he finds that impossible;  “She’s asking too many questions – and I just . . .”   

Iolo conducts a desperate search . . .

He searches vainly in the drawer, in case there are any tablets left, 

. . . but Siôn has the Diazepam

so Siôn produces them from his pocket and gives one to his son, 

"Just to get you through lunch"

just to get him through lunch.

Ffion is going to fetch the Christmas pudding

Ffion advises that she is just going to pop home to get the Christmas pudding;  “And Arwen wants her new iPad.”   She invites Iolo to accompany her – to help with carrying things.   

Siôn is reluctant to let Iolo go

Siôn is not in favour of this, but she has heard that the worst of the storm is coming tonight, and they can get there and back in no time.

Siôn is worried

The two of them leave the house, with Siôn still looking very concerned.

"Bong – a church bell"

As he continues with his ghost story, Ieuan goes, “Bong!   A church bell – 

"No church for a hundred years"

“but no church has stood on the site for a hundred years.   Some people think the soul of the old Reverend was ringing the bell – 

"Trapped between this world and the next"

“because he was trapped between this world and the next world.”   

He is told that was very entertaining, 

Kath is very critical

but Kath wonders what sort of ghost story starts with, ‘One sunny summer morning’?   

"I'd like top see you do any better"

He would like to see her do any better.

“Well, I couldn’t do much worse, could I?” she snarls, and takes the candle from him.   “When I was a little girl – OK – I had this friend – 

"You know, an imaginary friend"

“you know, not a real friend, an imaginary one.   Every night when I was in bed, 

"I knew it was Mam, you see"

“I’d go, ‘knock, knock, good night’ and I heard an answering knock.   “Well, I knew it was Mam, you see.   

Madge is listening carefully

Anyway, years later, when I was emptying Mam’s house to sell it, I found this old newspaper which had a story in it about our house.   

"She had been murdered!"

And the story was that the woman who lived in our house before we moved there had been murdered.   

"If you go 'knock, knock, good night' . . ."

“They still say, if you go ‘knock, knock, good night,’ you can hear . . .”

A sudden, ear-splitting crash

At this point there is a loud crash, which frightens all the listeners, 

"That was nothing to do with me"

and Kath insists that it was not anything to do with her.   

A black-clad figure

And then she turns and sees an apparition, dressed all in black, who removes his hat to revealed that he is in fact Brynmor.   

"Surprise!"

“Surprise!” he says 

Kath is absolutely dumbfounded

and Kath is astonished.