2004: Bianca (Eden Riegel) was comatose and getting worse following a tumble from the hotel balcony. Erica (Susan Lucci), knowing the only cure for what ailed Bianca was the return of her baby girl, wrested Miranda from the Chandlers and brought her to her mommy, who miraculously recovered.

2003: A pregnant Bianca wandered into a church, where bonding with an abandoned baby made her realize that even though her child had been conceived via rape, she could — and would — love it dearly. Shortly thereafter, the baby mysteriously morphed into a porcelain statue of the baby Jesus.

2002: As a Christmas gift for his amnesiac sister, Maria (Eva La Rue), Mateo arranged for Julia (Sydney Penny) to slip out of the Witness Protection Program to reunite with her sib — even though he himself hadn't bothered to visit from California since Maria's return from the dead! But surely, it's the thought that counts.

2001: Angel Jesse (Darnell Williams) announced to Tad (Michael E. Knight) that he was returning to heaven, having completed his Earthly mission. When Tad tried to make him stay, Jesse knocked him out with an ornament and headed back toward the pearly gates.

2000: Bianca came out to Erica in front of the Kane Christmas tree.

1999: By posing as Stuart, Adam gained entrance to the Martins' holiday celebration — where the guests made an informal party game of bad-mouthing Adam!

1998: Estranged lovebirds Tad and Dixie separately wished upon a Christmas star that they would find their way back to one another.

1997: Natalie (Kate Collins), in angel form, appeared to Tim (Tommy Michaels) and urged him to forgive Janet, while Edmund's change of heart toward Erica, who was in prison for kidnapping Maddie, earned her an early release from jail — just in time to spend the holiday with Bianca.

1996: With help from Myrtle's (Eileen Herlie) boarder Red (Clifton James), a.k.a. Santa, this was a joyous season indeed: a paralyzed Trevor regained the ability to walk, Liza and Adam entered into marriage No. 1, Amanda invited Janet to spend the holiday with the Dillons, Laura agreed to let Brooke adopt her, Charlie and Cecily phoned home to report that the stork was soon to pay them a visit, and the Wildwind gang got a video greeting from Witness Protection Program members Noah and Julia.

1995: Troubled marrieds Erica and Dimitri called a Christmas Eve truce, while lonely Janet's holiday spirits were restored by a visit from Laura.

1994: Alec kissed Hayley under the mistletoe, Del's condition stabilized after Dixie donated her kidney to her half brother, and Erica and Dimitri reeled from the announcement made by her daughter Kendall and his son, Anton: They'd tied the knot.

1993: Brooke concealed her pregnancy from Tad, who asked for a divorce so that he could reconcile with Dixie.

1992: Miracles abounded this year, as Natalie (Melody Anderson, with James Kiberd as Trevor) got her sight back, Opal and Palmer welcomed son Petey, and the sound of Dixie crying started to jog an amnesiac Tad's memory.

1991: Even though Adam was blackmailing her into remarriage, Erica couldn't bring herself to dump Jack when he gave her a thoughtful Christmas gift. Adam ended up doing the heartbreaking, dropping the bomb to Jack that Erica was Mrs. Chandler.