Christmas in EastEnders rarely brings much in the way of festive cheer for the residents of Walford, which, perversely, makes it all the more fun for us viewers.

Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) is probably pretty excited to see the back of a particularly naff 2025. After being hunted mercilessly by step-dad Alfie (Shane Richie) in a bid to reunite her with her mum, Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace), she returned home, got shot, had all of her secrets blown, gained a stalker, accused everybody she’s ever met of being said-stalker and finally got kicked out.

Although she sought solace with ex/current fling Anthony Trueman (Nicholas Bailey), the revelation that his ex-wife had taken a restraining order out on him caused her to flee to the Branning residence, where she then got trapped in a house fire.

I swear, the girl cannot catch a break.

As Christmas fast approaches, and reunited with her family, Zoe’s stalking ordeal shows no signs of ending, and Kat and Alfie make efforts to lift her spirits, putting aside their recent animosity to celebrate the festive season together as a family.

When Zoe’s frenemy, Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) seeks her out, Kat is quick to act as a human barrier, though upon learning that Sam is suffering with breast cancer, she softens, convinced that she’s not behind Zoe’s torment.

Later, Kat and Alfie head to the carol service alone, and Zoe finds something that rocks her to the core.

On Christmas Day, Zoe is still reeling from her mysterious discovery as the community dinner being held in the Vic goes quickly south, when the Slaters en masse clash with another Walford clan as another secret is blown.

While Kat empties the Vic in a bid to protect a vulnerable Zoe, it’s all for naught, as a further situation arises which proves to be absolutely catastrophic for the entire family in a good, old-fashioned horrifying Walford Christmas!

When Boxing Day arrives, and most of us are replacing all of our meals with Quality Street, it’s not so for the Slaters. As the police swarm the Square, they struggle to comprehend how any of them can return to normal.

Those poor Slaters. Still, lucky us, eh?