Monday, December 24, 2007, Episode #5214

Eric has holiday plans in mind.

At the Forrester mansion, Stephanie turns on some music but flips it right off when she finds nothing but Christmas music on. Eric drops by, and Stephanie immediately knows why he's here. She reminds him that she already said she's not celebrating Christmas this year, so she's sorry to see that he's here to change her mind. After telling him yet again that she's not up to celebrating, she excuses herself to go to church - alone! Once she leaves, Felicia comes in, decked out in one of Eric's designs. Eric tells her that they better get to work if they want to give her mother a Christmas she'll never forget. Felicia thanks her dad for doing this and can't wait to see her mom's face when she gets home.

Brooke tells her kids to go on to Grandma's without her.

Brooke arrives home, feeling down after visiting her dad in jail. Ridge has just the thing to cure her funk; he holds up some mistletoe and kisses her. They both seem glad that Ridge's "antidote" works. Ridge then gets a call from Eric. After hanging up on his dad, Ridge informs Brooke that Eric is gathering the troops at the mansion to get it ready for Christmas. He thinks it will be a good idea for them to join in the fun, since the kids have been asking to see Grandma. Brooke doesn't want to deprive the kids, since seeing Stephanie is a holiday tradition, but she doesn't think she's up to facing Stephanie; she tells Ridge to take the kids and go on without her. Hope and R.J. come downstairs with a Christmas card they made themselves for Brooke. Brooke is thrilled when she opens the card, which reads, "We love you, Mommy." The kids inform her that they have a card for Grandma and ask when they're going to Grandma's house. Brooke tells them to go without her, since Grandpa Eric needs their help. Hope asks Brooke if she's coming, too, but Brooke says she has some work to do and promises to meet up with them later. Hope and R.J., however, fear that it won't be the same without their Mommy there.

Stephanie searches her soul in church.

Stephanie arrives at her church and approaches the altar. She silently prays to the Lord, recalling how she always loved Christmas since it's always been filled with joy. She thanks God for looking out for her when that bullet hit, but she can't help but wonder how her life became so miserable. She looks heavenward for answers, but then she realizes that her obsessions caused her travails. She wonders if God saved her from the bullet just to punish her by making her rattle around in her big house all by herself while her children go on with their lives and her husband moves on without her. She decides to stop feeling sorry for herself, but she wants to know why everything she loves is drifting away, especially when she tried to make amends. "Isn't Christmas supposed to be about love, giving and forgiveness?" she asks, praying for God to give her a little guidance as to what he has in store for her.

Bridget and Rick bring food for the celebration.

Back at the mansion, Thorne and Aly have arrived and are helping Felicia decorate the tree. Rick, Bridget and Phoebe arrive with the food. Eric checks to make sure they parked around back so Stephanie won't see their cars when she returns home. Rick confirms that they went around back as Eric asked, so Eric asks them to take the food to the caterers in the kitchen. Ridge arrives with Hope and R.J., so they help Thorne and Aly with the tree. Rick, Bridget and Phoebe return from the kitchen and admire how everything looks. Rick compliments his dad on the great job he did pulling this all together. Felicia brings some more decorations she found and pulls out a popcorn chain that the kids made last year, so the kids take that and put it on the tree.

R.J., Aly and Hope are glad to see Stephanie.

As the family gets in the holiday spirit with their decorating, Stephanie returns. Standing in the doorway, she's irked to see what her family has been up to. When Phoebe sees that her grandmother is back, R.J., Hope and Aly rush over to greet Grandma. When her kids wish her Merry Christmas, Stephanie asks what they're all doing here. "The North Pole delivers. Who knew?" Thorne laughs. R.J. and Hope give Stephanie the card they made for her. Stephanie says she can't wait to see it, but she still seems bothered by all the attention. Aly asks her Grandma if she's OK and Rick says he was wondering the same thing. Stephanie says she's fine, but she needs to talk to Grandpa. Eric asks Phoebe to take the kids in the kitchen for cookies and cocoa and then goes outside with Stephanie, who reams him for dragging the whole family in here against her wishes. Eric thinks he knows how much this holiday means to her after all these years, but Stephanie argues that everything has changed now. Eric asks if he's supposed to just send everyone away. Stephanie says that he should never have brought them. Eric opens the door and tells her to listen to the sounds of her children and grandchildren inside. He insists that she should feel that joy, too, especially this year, because life is beautiful.

Ridge thanks Brooke for making his Christmas.

Inside the house, Brooke comes in through the terrace doors. Hope and R.J. are thrilled to see their mommy and run over to her. Ridge comes over as Brooke remarks on how amazing the room looks. Ridge reminds her how determined his dad is. Brooke tells him that she felt like she had to be here with the family today. Ridge thanks her for making his Christmas with a kiss. Felicia then greets Brooke, who asks where Stephanie is. Right on cue, Stephanie comes in and says that she's glad Brooke is here. R.J. asks his Grandma if she opened his and Hope's card yet. Stephanie says she did and thanks him and she sits down and thanks Phoebe, Rick and Bridget all for coming. Then she talks with her kids, laughing about the end of a long year arriving and about how Dominick will turn Felicia's hair gray before he's 10. "Kind of like I did to you?" Felicia asks. Yes, Stephanie agrees, warning that Felicia will turn into her.

The family gathers around the piano; click here to view the festivities.

Last, but not least, is Brooke. Stephanie looks at Brooke and mouths, "Thank you," to her. Stephanie knows how hard is twas for Brooke to come over with Ridge and the kids today, so she appreciates the gesture. "I owe you a debt," she tells Brooke, "and if there's ever anything that I can do to help you, I will." Stephanie then admits how bullheaded and selfish she was thinking she could skip Christmas and thanks Eric for bringing the family together today; when Eric says she's the glue that holds the family together, she brushes the comment off. Felicia then proposes a toast to her parents, after which everyone gathers around the piano to sing, "Joy to the World."