Special Sub-Topic: Christmas by Christmas Click Here To Play: Christmas by Christmas

1985. Who bought five pounds of sprouts for a Christmas dinner for two people?

Kelvin. Kelvin and his father, Tony, were alone for Christmas for the first time, and had been overwhelmed by the intricacies of shopping for the season.

1986. What did Ian get for Christmas from his parents?

a motorbike. Along with this, he received accessories, helmet, gloves etc., from the rest of the family.

1987. Den popped into the Beale/Fowler celebration with presents for the children, and while he was there took part in the charades they were playing. What did he mime?

'Coronation Street'. He pulled a paper hat onto his head and Michelle guessed the programme title. Coronation Street has been running in the UK since the early 1960s, and since 1985 has been EastEnders' biggest competitor in the soap ratings.

1988. What was the name of the man who shared a cell with Den and Nick?

Barnsey. Godber and Fletcher are names taken from the highly successful comedy 'Porridge'. Den and Nick found themselves banged up together over Christmas 1988, and it is during this time that we learn what happened to Reg Cox, who was the first person seen in 'EastEnders.'

1989. Who did all the running around placing clues for the Boxing Day Treasure Hunt?

Diane and Michelle. The Hunt was Arthur's idea. He worked it so the hunters would end up in Pauline's hospital room to cheer her day.

1990. Who dashed into their kitchen to rescue an exploding Christmas pudding?

Eddie. Eddie Royal was the Landlord of the Vic at the time, and at one point in this episode we hear a loud bang, and this is followed by cries of 'your pudding's exploded!' and Eddie rushing upstairs to see what had happened.

1991. What was wrong with the dolls Nick had sold to the EastEnders?

they spoke Korean. This was just one of many Christmas 'bargain' horror stories over the years. In 1997 every tree caught alight with dodgy angel decorations!

1992. Christine Hewitt was having an affair with one of the residents of Albert Square, taking him away from his wife on Christmas Eve. Who was this?

Arthur. He fell asleep and did not return home until the early hours of Christmas morning, forcing him to some quick thinking to cover his tracks. When Pauline eventually found out what had been going on, she and Arthur had a fight which culminated in the famous frying pan scene.

1993. What was the 'must have' present as sold in Bridge Street Market this year?

musical knickers. Every time Bianca sat down it was obvious what present her boyfriend Ricky had given her - but as far as I could ascertain, she was the only person who actually wore the pants that season.

1994. Who came into the Jackson house, saw the silent gathering around the table and asked, 'Are you having a minute's silence for the turkey?'?

Nigel. It was a fraught occasion. Because Bianca and Ricky were an item, Carole invited Pat and her family to dinner, but the number of undercurrents was too much. The relationship was complicated; Bianca was David's daughter, making her Pat's grand-daughter, and Pat was married to Frank, who was Ricky's father.

1995. Which board game was the inspiration for Nigel's Christmas T-shirt?

Monopoly. The T-shirt read: 'Collect £200 salary as you pass GO'- it was clearly seen in all the scenes in which Nigel took part.

1996. Which member of the family did Peggy want to speak to when she went to the Fowler house on Christmas Day evening?

Mark. Peggy had reacted badly when she learnt of Mark's HIV status, and went around to apologise to him. They had a long chat about HIV and cancer. Peggy was later to have a mastectomy.

1997. After Grant and Phil had re-snatched Steven and Peter from their mother, Ian was a single parent with the three children, and as such had hired a Nanny to help care for them. Who was the Nanny over this Christmas period?

Mary. Mary was Connor's daughter, and Connor was the son of Pauline's long-lost sister. As Ian's father was Pauline's twin brother, this made Mary and Ian's children second cousins.

1998. Tiffany had just come out of hospital and wanted to get Courtney back from Grant, but she did not see her husband until the very end of the episode. Who was she with?

Beppe. The heavily pregnant Bianca went to fetch the child from the pub, and went into labour while she was there. Grant stayed with her while Phil went looking for Ricky. Meanwhile Tiffany had contacted the police and told them that Grant had pushed her down the stairs - she witnessed his arrest at the close of the episode.

1999. The main story of the Christmas season was Phil's selling of his half of the Queen Vic for £5, but there was also a reconciliation of an engaged couple, Barry and Natalie. After their break up Barry was devastated, and on Christmas Day he drove to see her - where did they sit down and talk?

in a pub. In a very cheesy close, the whole population came out to stand in the snow, and among them was a heartbroken Irene and Terry, and the happy couple Barry and Natalie, who were to marry on New Year's Eve in a double ceremony with Ian and Mel.

2000. The unexpected birth of Chloe to Sonia almost destroyed any chance of happiness between Sonia and Jamie, and on Christmas Day Jamie insisted on knowing the identity of Chloe's father. Reluctantly, Sonia told him. Who was it?

Martin. Jamie left Sonia there, in spite of his promise to take her to deliver her present to Chloe. He burst into the Fowler home and smashed Martin on the nose before telling them all that he had fathered the child.

2001. Jim had been accepted by Dot when they were on the London Eye, and he planned to announce their engagement on Christmas Day, but where had he put the ring?

in a Christmas cracker. The crackers got mixed up and Sonia thought it was for her, from Jamie. The whole family was delighted to hear about the engagement and wished the couple all the best. Later in the episode Dot asserted her authority and ordered Jim home from the pub - the men he was with thought it highly amusing when he obeyed.

2002. Billy had a lot to cope with on this Christmas Day, for as well as his wedding, his nephew Jamie was dying. No wonder, then, that he was suffering from severe indigestion and resorted to the bottle - an antacid. What colour was it?

pink. He kept it in his breast pocket, and when an elderly relative gave him a bear hug outside the church it broke the bottle and left a large pink splodge on his waistcoat. Arriving at the front of the church, Little Mo commented, 'Like your waistcoat,' to which he looked at her shocking pink shoes and said, 'Like your shoes.' 'Match, don't we?' she came back with, and then they were married.

2003. Who telephoned the police to tell them that Phil was still at large?

Kate. Phil's mate had been arrested in Portsmouth as a decoy, to allow Phil to visit Kate and Den in the Square. Kate took the gun from him, and gave him an hour to leave before she phoned the police. As it was, he had to dodge the police cars as he spent that time waiting for, and then seeing Den in Angie's Den.

2004. Who was kicked out of the Queen Vic on Christmas Eve, with hardly any warning?

the Moons. Sam Mitchell, left with the Mitchell businesses, was conned out of them all by the family solicitor, Marcus. Den Watts was later found to have been behind the scam, and he had bought the Queen Vic in the process. Determined to spend Christmas in the pub with his family, he moved them in on Christmas Eve, kicking out the Moon family.