Several soap operas saw their finales during the days between Christmas and New Years:
Search for Tomorrow: 12-26-1986
Jo (the late and great Mary Stuart)'s daughter Patti (Jacqueline Schultz) got married to Hogan (David Forsyth), most of the show's characters found happy endings, and the unforgettable front-porch scene at the end with Jo reminiscing with Stu (Larry Haines)....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l7kbLbFxMA
The Edge of Night: 12-28-1984
A wedding reception for Miles (Joel Crothers) and Beth (Sandy Faison) was held at Miles' penthouse, where several friends and associates attended. A party was held at Sky (Larkin Malloy) and Raven (Sharon Gabet)'s mansion celebrating Christmas and the engagement of Geraldine (another late-and-great, Lois Kibbee) and Del (Robert Gerringer). Preacher (Charles Flohe aka Charles Grant) and Liz (Marcia Cross) decided to leave town, hitching a ride with a car driving by. After the car drove on, a sign on the road said 'You are now leaving Monticello.' Chris (Jennifer Taylor) returned to the reception with news of seeing several criminals while she was out having coffee; no one initially believed her as most of those she mentioned were dead, in jail, or on the lam, and the sighting was along a street that apparently didn't exist. Fellow detectives as well as longtime D.A. Mike (Forrest Compton), all at the reception, began to make plans to figure out why Chris would have seen the criminals. Geraldine, meanwhile, during a collective toast, raised a glass 'to moments past, and moments yet to come.' A knock was heard at the door later, and Sky and Raven answered it, only to find a sword on the doorstep--a sword Sky had used previously to kill a man that had menaced him....
First Love: 12-30-1955
Another NBC soap not given proper time to find an audience before getting the boot. A married man (Val Dufour; later, Tod Andrews), who worked as an engineer, found himself in daily sagas (including a murder trial) alongside his wife (Patricia Barry).
Somerset: 12-31-1976
The mystery as to the culprit in a series of arsons had been solved, but not before Steve (Gene Bua) would take a gunshot meant for Julian (Joel Crothers), who had figured out the masterminds of the arsons. While recovering from his injuries, Steve proposed to Carrie (JoBeth Williams), who said yes. Julian decided to hook up with Vicky (Veleka Gray), and both came to visit Steve at the hospital. Later they would be joined by Jerry (James O'Sullivan) and Heather (Audrey Landers) to celebrate New Year's--and deliver an announcement: Heather was pregnant.
Texas: 12-31-1982
Ashley (Pam Long) was glad to be home after having been missing and considered dead; she had returned home with a new baby and many in her life considered their safe return a Christmas miracle. A TV station run by Victoria Bellman (Elizabeth Allen) was sold and the new owners fired all the employees (played by several of the show's regulars) at KVIK, where a going-away party was held and glasses were raised in a toast. Victoria's daugther Reena (Carla Borelli) decided to move to New York City and was surprised upon boarding the flight by the man in her life, Grant (Donald May).
The Doctors: 12-31-1982
The finale was different in that it opened without any theme or presentation, just the show's logo superimposed over the beginning of the first scene; while the closing had no credit roll, just a freeze-frame and the logo and copyright. The second of 2 suspects who shot and killed Billy (Alec Baldwin) was revealed. A victim of an anti-aging serum gone wrong confronted the specialist who came up with (and/or administered) the serum. Several of the hospital regulars and friends attended a New Year's Eve party, with the announcement that Matt (James Pritchett) and Maggie (Lydia Bruce) had reconciled after a time of separation/divorce and they'd agreed to remarry. Matt raised a glass in a closing toast.
Sunset Beach: 12-31-1999
Many characters would find happy endings, while others would find a different fate after having been evil or dastardly. Ben (Clive Robertson) and Meg (Susan Ward) got married alongside Michael (Jason George) and Vanessa (Sherri Saum). Casey (Timothy Adams) and Sara (Shawn Batten) got engaged. Maria (Christina Chambers), after having just divorced Ben, decided to adopt a boy. Later, Meg was waking up and she was in Kansas, where she was from, and several local friends and family there resembled the characters previously known to her; before the scene was over, though, Meg *really* woke up, and she was in bed with Ben in Sunset Beach.
Others (Return to Peyton Place, Ryan's Hope, Santa Barbara) missed being on this list by a few days or weeks.
Search for Tomorrow: 12-26-1986
Jo (the late and great Mary Stuart)'s daughter Patti (Jacqueline Schultz) got married to Hogan (David Forsyth), most of the show's characters found happy endings, and the unforgettable front-porch scene at the end with Jo reminiscing with Stu (Larry Haines)....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l7kbLbFxMA
The Edge of Night: 12-28-1984
A wedding reception for Miles (Joel Crothers) and Beth (Sandy Faison) was held at Miles' penthouse, where several friends and associates attended. A party was held at Sky (Larkin Malloy) and Raven (Sharon Gabet)'s mansion celebrating Christmas and the engagement of Geraldine (another late-and-great, Lois Kibbee) and Del (Robert Gerringer). Preacher (Charles Flohe aka Charles Grant) and Liz (Marcia Cross) decided to leave town, hitching a ride with a car driving by. After the car drove on, a sign on the road said 'You are now leaving Monticello.' Chris (Jennifer Taylor) returned to the reception with news of seeing several criminals while she was out having coffee; no one initially believed her as most of those she mentioned were dead, in jail, or on the lam, and the sighting was along a street that apparently didn't exist. Fellow detectives as well as longtime D.A. Mike (Forrest Compton), all at the reception, began to make plans to figure out why Chris would have seen the criminals. Geraldine, meanwhile, during a collective toast, raised a glass 'to moments past, and moments yet to come.' A knock was heard at the door later, and Sky and Raven answered it, only to find a sword on the doorstep--a sword Sky had used previously to kill a man that had menaced him....
First Love: 12-30-1955
Another NBC soap not given proper time to find an audience before getting the boot. A married man (Val Dufour; later, Tod Andrews), who worked as an engineer, found himself in daily sagas (including a murder trial) alongside his wife (Patricia Barry).
Somerset: 12-31-1976
The mystery as to the culprit in a series of arsons had been solved, but not before Steve (Gene Bua) would take a gunshot meant for Julian (Joel Crothers), who had figured out the masterminds of the arsons. While recovering from his injuries, Steve proposed to Carrie (JoBeth Williams), who said yes. Julian decided to hook up with Vicky (Veleka Gray), and both came to visit Steve at the hospital. Later they would be joined by Jerry (James O'Sullivan) and Heather (Audrey Landers) to celebrate New Year's--and deliver an announcement: Heather was pregnant.
Texas: 12-31-1982
Ashley (Pam Long) was glad to be home after having been missing and considered dead; she had returned home with a new baby and many in her life considered their safe return a Christmas miracle. A TV station run by Victoria Bellman (Elizabeth Allen) was sold and the new owners fired all the employees (played by several of the show's regulars) at KVIK, where a going-away party was held and glasses were raised in a toast. Victoria's daugther Reena (Carla Borelli) decided to move to New York City and was surprised upon boarding the flight by the man in her life, Grant (Donald May).
The Doctors: 12-31-1982
The finale was different in that it opened without any theme or presentation, just the show's logo superimposed over the beginning of the first scene; while the closing had no credit roll, just a freeze-frame and the logo and copyright. The second of 2 suspects who shot and killed Billy (Alec Baldwin) was revealed. A victim of an anti-aging serum gone wrong confronted the specialist who came up with (and/or administered) the serum. Several of the hospital regulars and friends attended a New Year's Eve party, with the announcement that Matt (James Pritchett) and Maggie (Lydia Bruce) had reconciled after a time of separation/divorce and they'd agreed to remarry. Matt raised a glass in a closing toast.
Sunset Beach: 12-31-1999
Many characters would find happy endings, while others would find a different fate after having been evil or dastardly. Ben (Clive Robertson) and Meg (Susan Ward) got married alongside Michael (Jason George) and Vanessa (Sherri Saum). Casey (Timothy Adams) and Sara (Shawn Batten) got engaged. Maria (Christina Chambers), after having just divorced Ben, decided to adopt a boy. Later, Meg was waking up and she was in Kansas, where she was from, and several local friends and family there resembled the characters previously known to her; before the scene was over, though, Meg *really* woke up, and she was in bed with Ben in Sunset Beach.
Others (Return to Peyton Place, Ryan's Hope, Santa Barbara) missed being on this list by a few days or weeks.