Every Christmas season, soap fans brace themselves for the same bittersweet ritual: preemptions, reruns, and the anxious wait for fresh drama to return. This year is no different—but CBS is adding an emotional twist that makes the holiday programming feel far more intentional than a simple scheduling pause. With The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful both dipping into the archives on Christmas Day, viewers are treated to nostalgia, reflection, and unresolved tension… before the real fireworks reignite on Friday, December 26.

So what exactly is airing, when do brand-new episodes return, and why do these particular reruns hit so close to home for longtime fans? Let’s break it all down.

Christmas Day: A Pause for Reflection, Not Peace

On Thursday, December 25, CBS is pressing pause on new episodes of both Y&R and B&B, opting instead for holiday-themed reruns that do more than simply fill airtime. These episodes are carefully chosen mirrors—reflecting the very themes currently dominating both soaps: power, regret, family fractures, and the consequences of choices long past.The Young and the Restless: Victor Newman Confronts Himself

For Y&R fans, CBS is reaching back to a 2010 classic: the show’s unforgettable take on A Christmas Carol, with Victor Newman at its center. In this episode, Victor is forced to confront his past, his mistakes, and the trail of emotional damage left behind in his relentless pursuit of power and control.

It’s impossible to watch this episode now without drawing parallels to Victor’s current storyline. Once again, he’s under pressure. Once again, his enemies—both personal and professional—are circling. And once again, Victor believes he can outmaneuver everyone.

The holiday rerun serves as a reminder: Victor has been here before. He has felt remorse before. But remorse has never truly changed him.

That’s what makes this episode so compelling in hindsight. It raises a haunting question for today’s Genoa City: if Victor couldn’t change then, can he change now—especially with legal threats, family tensions, and corporate wars escalating around him?

The Bold and the Beautiful: A “Merry” Christmas Wrapped in Tension

Meanwhile, The Bold and the Beautiful revisits a more recent Christmas episode from last year—one that looked festive on the surface but simmered with unresolved conflict underneath.

The Foresters and Logans gathered, smiles were exchanged, and holiday cheer filled the air—but the tension surrounding the company takeover loomed large. Even in moments of warmth, alliances felt fragile, and every interaction carried an undercurrent of rivalry.

In the context of current B&B storylines, this rerun feels less like nostalgia and more like a warning. The fractures between Brooke, Katie, and the rest of the family haven’t healed—they’ve deepened. And the business battles that once hovered quietly in the background are now front and center.

Christmas, once again, proves that peace in Los Angeles is always temporary.

Friday, December 26: The Drama Roars Back to Life

The good news for soap fans? The holiday lull is short-lived. On Friday, December 26, CBS returns to all-new episodes of both The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful—and the timing couldn’t be more explosive.

The holidays may be over, but the emotional stakes are higher than ever.

The Young and the Restless: Secrets, Ultimatums, and Shifting Alliances

Friday’s new Y&R episode wastes no time diving back into high-stakes drama.

Sally Spectra finds herself in a pivotal position as she shares crucial information with Jack Abbott and Billy Abbott. Whatever Sally reveals could serve as a lifeline for the Abbotts—who are increasingly feeling the pressure from Victor Newman’s shadowy maneuvers. Sally’s role is especially intriguing, given her complicated romantic and professional ties. Is she acting out of loyalty, guilt, or self-preservation?

Meanwhile, Michael Baldwin leans heavily on Lauren Fenmore as he faces a difficult decision that could alter his future—and potentially his relationship with Victor. Michael’s loyalty has always been his defining trait, but that loyalty is being tested like never before. With legal and moral lines blurring, Lauren may be the only person capable of grounding him before he makes a choice he can’t undo.

And then there’s Chelsea Lawson, who ends the year by putting Adam Newman on the spot with a serious ultimatum. This isn’t just about love—it’s about trust, stability, and whether Adam is truly capable of change. Chelsea’s demand could redefine their relationship and ripple outward, affecting Victor, the Newman family dynamic, and Adam’s own sense of identity.

This episode feels like the opening move of a much larger endgame—one that could carry into the new year with devastating consequences.

The Bold and the Beautiful: Holiday Toasts, Family Fractures, and Rising Rivalries

Over on B&B, Friday’s episode is also brand new, though the holiday atmosphere hasn’t completely faded.

Steffy Forrester and Finn head to Will’s Beach House, where they toast the season alongside Electra and Dylan. On the surface, it’s a warm, celebratory gathering—but longtime viewers know that these moments often precede major emotional shifts. Beneath the laughter, unresolved issues simmer quietly.

Back in the Forrester-Logan orbit, Donna Logan steps in to calm rising tensions between Brooke and Katie. Sisterly bonds are being tested once again, especially as Katie’s fashion venture continues to shake things up. What should be a moment of empowerment threatens to reopen old wounds, reigniting jealousy, resentment, and long-standing rivalry.

Peace, as always on B&B, is fragile—and fleeting.

What This Holiday Schedule Really Signals

CBS’s decision to pair reflective holiday reruns with explosive post-Christmas episodes isn’t accidental. The network is drawing a clear emotional line between past and present—reminding viewers of how far these characters have come, and how often they repeat the same mistakes.

The reruns invite reflection. The new episodes deliver consequences.

For Y&R, Victor’s past looms ominously over his future. For B&B, family unity continues to fracture under the weight of ambition and unresolved hurt. And for fans, December 26 marks the moment when the gloves come off and the march toward year-end cliffhangers truly begins.

So yes—enjoy the nostalgia. Savor the holiday warmth. But brace yourself.

Because when The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful return with new episodes on Friday, December 26, the drama doesn’t just resume—it escalates.