It is Bank Holiday Monday, and the Essex contingent arrives for a sunny day out at the beach; even Doris gets her sun dress on.

Gavin's heart-to-heart with his dad gives him something more to think about, and a dark cloud looms on the horizon when Dave arrives to find Nessa and Smithy enjoying all the fun of the fair.

It has been ten years since we last went to Billericay to spend Christmas with the Shipmans and the Wests. This year we're off to Wales for the festivities, where Bryn is cooking dinner for over 13 people. Understandably he's tense. Pam would secretly prefer to spend Christmas in Essex, as she finds Gwen's house a bit lacking. But the deal has always been that they alternate every year, and this time it's the turn of the Wests to host Christmas with everyone under one small roof.

For Gavin and Stacey, parenthood continues to present them with several challenges, their 'baby' now being ten. Smithy, too, continues to commit to his fatherly role, making the journey to Barry at weekends and every second Wednesday to see 12-year-old Neil the Baby. Nessa, on the other hand, adopts her own brand of Nessa-style mothering, whilst Pam, Mick and Gwen have become the epitome of doting grandparents.

On Christmas Eve, Dawn makes a shocking discovery about Pete that jeopardizes their marriage (again), and a visit to the pub that night is an eye-opener in more ways than one.