EastEnders' most memorable Christmas episodes
Christmastime in EastEnders is notoriously lacking in joy and good tidings which is why it has secured itself a spot as a must-watch on the big day.
After a long day of eating, drinking, and quite possibly having a massive row with your own family, there's always time to sit back and watch the misery unfold in Walford.
This year is no exception as the soap gears up to expose the fact that Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) is the father of Sharon Mitchell's (Letitia Dean) unborn baby to Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), who is already furious that his wife has betrayed him with an unknown man. So, when he finds out the daddy is none other than his daughter's boyfriend, murder may well be on his mind.
Read more: BBC One confirms schedule for Christmas Day
EastEnders has a long and illustrious history of delivering exciting festive episodes to the masses, and many of them have left indelible memories.
8. Abi and Lauren's festive fall - 2017
While Christmases have never gone down too well for many of Walford's residents, the Brannings seem to have particularly bad luck come December. Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) and Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) fell off the roof of the Queen Vic in 2017 after trying to talked their troubled dad Max (Jake Wood) down.
The sisters were left fighting for their lives and while Lauren lived, Abi died from her injuries. Although, the baby she was pregnant with at the time managed to survive.
7. Jamie Mitchell’s devastating death - 2002
Albert Square's very own answer to Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Mitchell (Jack Ryder), died a tragic Christmas Day death with Sonia Jackson (Natalie Cassidy) at his side after being mown down by Martin Fowler, then played by James Alexandrou, in an accident.
Read more: John Altman quit EastEnders when producer 'tried to make Nick Cotton gay'
Sonia was naturally devastated and the nation was left bawling with her as lovely Jamie breathed his last.
6. Kat and Alfie's white wedding - 2003
In a rare ray of light on Christmas Day, 2003 finally saw fan favourites Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) and Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) marry.
It got off to a rocky start as Alfie hadn't actually finalised his divorce from another marriage so set up a sham ceremony which enraged Kat when she found out the truth. Luckily his lawyer showed up with his decree absolute just in time and the pair were wed, complete with a fake snow machine and all. Although of course, their marriage is in tatters now.
5. Sean’s Christmas cracker surprise - 2008
There was a nasty surprise waiting for Sean Slater (Robert Kazinsky) in a Christmas cracker in 2008. He believed Roxy Mitchell's (Rita Simons) daughter Amy was his, but lothario Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) was actually the father.
The DNA test results were cruelly hidden by Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb), and poor Sean's world came crumbling down when he learnt the truth.
4. Pauline Fowler's cold demise - 2006
It wasn't a very merry Christmas for Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard) when she collapsed and died under Albert Square's tree one snowy December 25. While it looked as thought Sonia might’ve been responsible after giving her a slap, it later transpired she’d had a haemorrhage as husband Joe Macer (Ray Brooks) had struck her with a frying pan.
Read more: The 10 most searched for TV shows of 2019
The terrible, albeit understated, ending saw the exit of one of the soap's great fearsome matriarchs.
3. The end of Archie Mitchell - 2009
Evil Archie Mitchell finally got his comeuppance when he was bashed on the head with the Queen Victoria bust by a mystery assailant on Christmas Day 2009.
The murderer's identity was kept secret by the soap, sparking a classic EastEnders whodunit. It later transpired that Stacey Fowler was the one (Charlie Clements) who struck Archie, leading to a chain of events that culminated in the death of the sweet Bradley Branning.
2. Den serves Angie divorce papers - 1986
The iconic Den and Angie Watts really set the tone for an EastEnders Christmas as in the soap's second year on air, they had a massive festive fall out.
Read more: Lucy Beale returns to EastEnders four years after her murder
After learning his wife had lied about having a terminal illness, Den served a shocked Angie divorce papers in the Queen Vic.
Den's legendary utterance of "Happy Christmas, Ange" cemented the scene's place in soap history.
1. Max and Stacey's affair exposed - 2007
Max’s affair with daughter-in-law Stacey (Lacey Turner) was finally exposed on Christmas Day 2007. The truth came to light in dramatic - and unforgettable- soap fashion as Lauren Branning, then played by Madeline Duggan, had footage of them getting intimate disguised as Bradley and Stacey's wedding video which was played in front of the whole family.
Of course, chaos ensued as the whole family erupted after the revelation that sent shockwaves through the Square.
