Our take
The least Christmassy of the specials, and it knows it: an anniversary and a cash gift drive the plot, not the season. Getting the family out of the house is a risk that mostly pays off, and the mother's longing to see a bit of the world against her husband's love of a bigger telly is the show's oldest joke told well. Ralf Little's return as Antony helps a lot.
What happens
It is a special time for Jim and Barbara, their wedding anniversary, and a celebration is planned, with Twiglets and Scotch eggs on the menu. Antony is back, and as the only one of the children with a job he has given his parents a gift of money. The question is what to spend it on. Barbara has only ever been away once, on honeymoon in Ormskirk, and wants to go abroad for the first time; Jim would much rather spend it on a satellite HD box for the telly. Neighbour Mary cannot join the party, while Cheryl and her dad Joe from next door also feature. Tension builds, a family discussion follows about where they should go, and for once the Royles are seen away from the living room, singing along in the car and wrestling with a sat nav on a trip to Prestatyn in north Wales.
Can the kids watch it?
No BBFC record found; BBC iPlayer warns of adult humour and discriminatory language, so best kept for older teenagers and adults.