Christmas is a time to be around loved ones, reflect on the year that’s coming to an end, and soak up as much festive cheer as possible.
Unless you’re in a soap, that is. In which case it means you end your miserable year in a dramatic and completely depressing fashion, whether it’s through family rows, tears or – on some occasions- disasters that affect an entire community.

While it doesn’t exactly put a smile on our faces, it does make us feel better about our family squabbles over who gets the biggest slice of turkey.

Here are 16 of the most miserable Christmases that Soapland has ever given us…