Valentine #30 December 1961

Lena Blair is furious when a department store Santa tells her nephew he’ll get two train sets for Christmas—especially when she learns the boy’s father, David Garner, is the store’s owner. She demands to see him, but her resolve wavers when David admits he may have to fire the Santa. The next day, after a quiet afternoon and evening spent with David, Lena returns to thank the jolly man for the gift—but the Santa she finds is not the one she remembers. As she pieces together the truth, she realizes the man behind the red suit had been David all along.

In "Shame on You," Peg finds herself torn between her growing feelings for Roy and his stubborn devotion to his football games and friends. When she asks him to skip the big match for a weekend visit to her aunt and uncle, his refusal leaves her heartbroken—but not unscathed. As she tries to move on, memories of Roy linger, and a chance encounter at a dance forces a reckoning neither expected.

Dawn finds herself caught between her practical fiancé Eric and the unexpected charm of Canadian soldier Mike Hammer, whose playful spirit and thoughtful gifts bring a new warmth to her family’s Christmas. As carol singers arrive and Eric dismisses them as beggars, Dawn makes a quiet choice that shifts everything—leading her to invite the children in, and perhaps herself, into something more open, more alive.

Ethel flips through her old diary, memories of Christmas Day 1958 swirling as she recalls running into Stan while fleeing her quarreling family. From that chance meeting to their engagement the next year and their wedding the year after, the two have built a life together. Now, as another Christmas nears in 1961, Ethel and Stan face the season with quiet joy, ready to welcome their relatives into their home—this time, on their own terms.

In "null," Greg and Jill step aside from a year-long romance contest, leaving Prudence Neil and Nigel Shaw to face an unexpected twist: a piglet, a house, a car, and a New York honeymoon, all tied to a 500-year-old will. As the town clock strikes, their rivalry over the piglet threatens to end their chance—until Mr. Doxworth’s descendant surprises everyone by honoring Greg and Jill with the prize, moved by their quiet devotion.

Carol arranges her flat for Christmas, setting a table for two—just as she did the year Tony proposed—though he’s not coming this year after their breakup. When Zena, the girl from upstairs, sees the table, she assumes Carol’s been stood up and invites her to her party, which soon moves to Tony’s place. There, both Carol and Tony stand frozen, each having set up a table for two, hoping for a miracle.