Christmas day has come at last and the parents are gathered in front room while the children open their gifts. Marvin, Emma, and Viviane are enjoying themselves, while Steffi is incredibly happy to have her husband Kevin at home as they have so little time together since he opened the pub.
Unfortunately, Kevin is finding it almost impossible to relax. Barbie, Ken, and Barbie’s cousin Francie, who has arrived for Christmas, have volunteered to run the pub’s Christmas Day dinner and Kevin, who is something of a control freak, can’t stop wondering what is going on there.
Upstairs, Esmée prepares for dinner while Layla plays with her new doll.
Downstairs in the kitchen, the childless family members are gathered to prepare the Christmas dinner. Steffi’s sister Bonnie has prepared a fruit cake and Yvette, who has the day off from her barmaid job as well, is checking on the food in the microwave.
Lara’s brother, Nick, who we met very briefly in the last episode, is sitting at the table talking about his trip to Australia with Monique, Marvin’s cousin, who had rather he were helping instead of talking, and Skipper, Bonnie and Steffi’s youngest sister. Nick, unfortunately, is horribly jet lagged and not thinking very clearly, and, even worse, the airline has lost his luggage. All he has to wear are his pyjamas and his work uniform, along with the shorts and short-sleeved shirt in which he arrived. Although it is unseasonably warm this Christmas day – 13 degrees Celsius – he has had to put on his work trousers. They don’t look particularly smart so he’s happy just to sit at the table and hope his shirt, which he’s worn for three days now, is not too stinky.
Nicole has convinced Midge, Sam, and Sasha to join her for Mira’s buffet lunch in the yoga studio. She explains that in the USA, it’s a tradition for Jews to eat Chinese food on Christmas day and this is the closest thing for them in the doll house. Mira has put on the luncheon for all the Asian dolls, many of whom are students far from home but she welcomes anyone and everyone.
Sasha things the buffet looks yummy, especially all those desserts!
Midge is concerned that Sam, who isn’t Jewish, might rather be at the pub, which is having a roast beef dinner. But Sam would rather be with Midge than anywhere else, and tells her so.
Yuki is attending the luncheon and seeks out Pierre. It’s time for him to explain to her why he has suddenly become so cold and distant, Yuki has decided. She’s not at all happy to see Nicole is also there but manages to confront Pierre anyway.
Yuki can’t believe what Pierre’s response is! He has nothing to say except to tell Yuki that this isn’t the time or the place for this conversation. And then he joins the queue for the food.
There’s another new face in the crowd in the yoga studio. Jenny’s younger brother Hari Takara has arrived to start school in the UK in the new term after the holidays. He’s 14 years old and is in Year 9. Rikki thinks he’s pretty cute. But where is Jenny, now that we mention her? I don’t see her in the crowd.
Jenny is in the garden with her boyfriend Jake. The snow has melted in the warmth and there’s a cosy fire burning in the barbecue grill. Jenny has a present for Jake.
Jake tries to guess what it is while he opens it.
It’s a dazzling guitar that he can wear around his neck!
Jenny helps him put it on.
I think Jake likes it. At least one romance in the doll house is going well!
Now let’s have a look in the pub and see how Barbie, Ken, and Francie are managing as bartenders. Things look under control so far.
As usual, Steven is not too far behind Sandra. Liam and Sutton are chatting. The roast beef looks good, as do the jacket potatoes. Luna and her sister Merida share a toast. Robin B. Gee is chatting to Charlotte while Sutton and Liam look on. Why does Charlotte look slightly bemused? Is it because she’s sitting next to Luna and remembers that Liam has been busy chatting up both of them?
Stay tuned for our next episode, when we spend New Years Eve with the dolls. It’s always a night for romance – but for whom?
NB: Jake’s fabulous guitar necklace came from DollJewelsbyApril on Etsy.
Dirks' Dolls 