Episode 491 (9th January 1979)

==Plot==
Preparations get underway for Christmas at Emmerdale Farm. Dolly is disappointed when Sam and Annie are unenthusiastic when she voices making her own Christmas puddings based on her grandmother's recipe. Joe practices his lines for the Christmas pantomime, worrying that he will slip up. Henry dresses The Woolpack up for Christmas to Amos' annoyance. Florrie Arnold is annoyed with Donald, following a sermon he gave the previous week encouraging people to not leave their relatives on their own at Christmas. Florrie believes he was hinting to her directly as her mother is in a home. She complains to Sam who unwittingly encourages her to confront Donald. Jessie surprises everybody by arriving at the farm early. Annie's horrified when Jessie and Matt suggest Annie should put her feet up for Christmas and let Dolly take care of the cooking. Dolly is thrilled when Annie eventually agrees. Amos begins to take care of plans for his and Henry's Christmas, when Henry agrees to spend it with him, not expecting to be invited to the farm this year. Sam and Henry are forced to listen to Len Arnold complaining about Donald's sermon. Dolly's peturbed when Annie starts interfering with her plans for Christmas dinner. Maurice Westrop arrives in The Woolpack and introduces himself to Henry and Sam, he tells them he's in the village on business. Sam voices to Annie that he wants to invite Nellie, Amos and Donald to the farm for Christmas. Florrie and Len confront Donald about his sermon and are surprised when he tells them that his sermon was supposed to reach people's consciences. Len angrily tells Donald that Florrie won't be cleaning for him anymore, leaving Florrie annoyed with Len. Maurice arrives at the Vicarage to see Donald. The Sugdens are visited by a children's carol service.
==Cast==
===Regular cast===
*Annie - Sheila Mercier
*Joe - Frazer Hines
*Matt - Frederick Pyne
*Sam - Toke Townley
*Wilks - Arthur Pentelow
*Amos - Ronald Magill
*Dolly - Katharine Barker
*Rev. Donald Hinton - Hugh Manning
*Maurice Westrop - Edward Dentith
===Guest cast===
*Aunt Jessie - Kathleen Helme
*Florrie Arnold - Sheila Fay
*Len Arnold - Jackie Shinn
==Locations==
*The Woolpack - Public bar
*Village Hall - Interior
*Beckindale Vicarage - Hallway and lounge
*Emmerdale Farm - Farmhouse kitchen/living room and parlour, barn and milking shed
==Notes==
*First appearance of Maurice Westrop.
*A strike at Yorkshire Television over productivity which began on 18th December 1978 (some sources state 17th December) was not called off until Wednesday 3rd January 1979 with transmissions resuming at 5.45pm. This episode was the second of three episodes which were intended for broadcast in December 1978. On the same day the strike ended, Yorkshire Television quickly set to work to get the programme back on the air and the outstanding episodes broadcast before the schedule resumed as normal on 16th January 1979.
*This episode was broadcast in the London region at the earlier time of 5.15pm
*Although a TV Times synopsis appeared in the magazine for this episode, the events listed were actually part of Episode 493, broadcast on 16th January.
Category:1979 episodes
Category:Emmerdale Farm episodes