Episode 3616 (24th December 2003)

Plot
It’s Christmas Eve and the Dingles ‘get rich quick’ plan hasn’t quite worked out. Having stolen the safe from the Tates, they’re frustrated when they can’t get their hands on the loot. However, Sam shocks the clan by having a plausible brainwave suggesting they use his secret stash of dynamite to blow up the safe. After an unexpectedly big explosion, the Dingles dance with joy as bank notes rain down from the sky. The celebrations start early as they crack open the beers and enjoy a game of monopoly with genuine cash! Later, Zak persuades the family to hand over their share of the robbery to Charity so she can pay for her lawyer. Cain is the only family member to keep hold of his cash and is furious with the others for helping Charity. Dawn is excited in anticipation of Terry coming home from the hospital for Christmas day and decorates the house from top to bottom. But when she later visits the hospital Terry is feeling down after the ward’s Christmas party and tells Dawn he’s not sure he wants to go back to the village just to be pitied. Dawn points out that no one ever pitied Chris for being in a wheelchair and eventually Terry agrees with the agreement that he can come back to the ward at any point. Meanwhile, Marlon hasn’t given up hope of spending Christmas with Tricia. Ashley also helps push the couple together by persuading them both individually to attend the Christmas carol service. Vulnerable and lonely, Tricia finally caves in and agrees to spend Christmas day with Marlon. Elsewhere in the village, Scott is annoyed that Zoe is taking Jean on holiday to Florida, meaning that he won’t get to spend Christmas day with his daughter. His Christmas is made worse by the fact he is certain the Dingles are behind the robbery but he can’t prove it.