The Christmas special begins on Christmas Eve. It is the day before Helen and Hugh's wedding, and James is still heartbroken and trying to hide his pain. But the annual Christmas party is being held at Skeldale House, and James has invited his new girlfriend Connie as a guest. Preparations are going well, Tristan decorates the foyer with mistletoe, and Mrs. Hall prepares a feast in anticipation of her son Edward's return home for Christmas. Siegfried is delighted by Dorothy's appearance and wonders if he should stop being so cautious. As everyone gathers at the house to celebrate the holiday, James receives a call from Bert Chapman seeking help for his dog's delivery. James has to leave the party, but Helen is surprised to say that she wants to go with him, away from all the talk of the wedding. At the Chapmans', James has to deal with a puppy stuck in the birth canal. Helen can see that he loves his career as a veterinarian. When it was time to leave, James was shocked to find that fog had fallen, trapping them high up in the valley and they had to wait until the next morning to leave. James called the mansion and promised to get Helen back to Darrowby before the wedding. At the same time, he struggled with whether he could suppress his true feelings for Helen.