<P> On Christmas Eve , around 1812 , Pip , an orphan who is about seven years old , encounters an escaped convict in the village churchyard , while visiting the graves of his parents and siblings . Pip now lives with his abusive elder sister and her kind husband Joe Gargery , a blacksmith . The convict scares Pip into stealing food and a file . Early on Christmas morning Pip returns with the file , a pie and brandy . During Christmas dinner , at the moment Pip 's theft is about to be discovered , soldiers arrive and ask Joe to repair some shackles . Joe and Pip accompany them as they recapture the convict who is fighting with another escaped convict . The first convict confesses to stealing food from the smithy . </P>
who did pip live with in great expectations
with his abusive elder sister and her kind husband Joe Gargery