Ariana Grande and Cher SNL Recap
And a fond farewell to Bowen Yang.
Saturday Night Live's Christmas episode delivered festive chaos, powerhouse vocals, and heartfelt goodbyes — all led by a host who continues to prove she’s one of the show’s most natural fits. Ariana Grande, returning for her second hosting stint, brought humor, heart, and vocal precision to a night that doubled as a holiday spectacular and a love letter to the cast. The episode doubled as Bowen Yang’s farewell, giving the longtime cast member several moments to shine throughout the night.
Across the episode, Grande anchored a Mariah Carey-inspired Christmas monologue to ensemble-heavy sketches, seamlessly weaving music into comedy. Cher’s presence elevated the night even further, bringing classic star power to both the musical performances and the episode’s final moments.
From a Trump Christmas address cold open to holiday sketches riffing on Home Alone, Love Is Blind, and last-minute gift panic, the episode balanced big laughs with reflective beats. Yang’s sendoff was threaded through multiple sketches, including a musical goodbye set in the Delta One Lounge, making the night feel less like a standard holiday episode and more like a celebratory curtain call.
From Grinch-adjacent romances to espresso martini-induced mania, here is a full breakdown of highlights from Ariana Grande’s Christmas episode of SNL.
Trump Christmas Address Cold Open
The episode opened with James Austin Johnson reprising his Donald Trump impression for a Christmas address to the nation. Forgoing stunt cameos, the cold open leaned into Johnson’s portrayal of the president’s rambling, self-congratulatory, holiday-themed grievances.
Watch Trump Christmas Address Cold Open here.
Ariana Grande Monologue
Grande kicked off the night with a pitch-perfect parody of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” reworked into a relatable anthem about the stress of buying gifts for people you barely know. (“Is it wrong to just buy socks?” quickly emerged as the unofficial tagline.) Midway through, Yang joined her onstage, and the two reflected warmly on their time filming Wicked and Wicked: For Good together, turning the monologue into a charming duet.
Watch Ariana Grande Monologue here.
Elf on the Shelf Support Group
A darkly funny group therapy session brought together traumatized Elf on the Shelf figures recounting their annual suffering — from being wedged between couch cushions for weeks to getting torn apart by family pets. The sketch leaned into escalating misery with deadpan delivery, turning a wholesome holiday tradition into seasonal horror.
Watch Elf on the Shelf Support Group here.
Weekend Update
Colin Jost and Michael Che covered the week’s headlines, including commentary on the newly released (and heavily redacted) Epstein files. Guest segments elevated the desk: Kam Patterson appeared as Che’s brutally honest 12-year-old nephew, while a surprise return from former SNL cast member Aidy Bryant brought back her trend forecaster character alongside Yang, declaring what’s “in” and “out” as 2026 approaches.
Watch Weekend Update here.
Dancing 101 ft. Ariana Grande
Grande and Marcello Hernández starred as self-serious dance instructors proudly claiming responsibility for choreographing multiple Jardiancecommercials. The lesson spiraled into absurdity as they demonstrated how anything — hunger, vaccination status, even bathroom habits — can be expressed through movement. The sketch thrived on commitment, improv energy, and intentionally overconfident choreography.
Watch Dancing 101 ft. Ariana Grande here.
Black Santa
A holiday courtroom riff on Miracle on 34th Street put Kenan Thompson’s Black Santa on trial for breaking and entering. As the evidence piled up, Thompson flipped the script by launching into a Christmas-themed rendition of Cher’s “Believe,” throwing the court — and logic — into chaos. Grande, presiding as judge, anchored the sketch as the musical number reframed Santa’s entire case.
Watch Black Santa here.
Cher Musical Performances
Cher took the SNL stage for the first time in decades to perform “DJ Play a Christmas Song,” delivering effortless star power. She later returned for a rousing “Run Rudolph Run” alongside Lenny Pickett and the SNL Band, reminding everyone why her presence alone qualifies as a holiday event.
Watch Cher’s performances of “DJ Play a Christmas Song” here and “Run Rudolph Run” here.
Love Is Blind Reunion
Grande portrayed “Janelle,” returning for a Love Is Blind reunion after discovering her fiancé was — literally — the Grinch. What began as a breakup recap took a turn when the couple reunited, revealing they were back together and expecting.
Watch Love Is Blind Reunion here.
Delta Lounge
In one of the night’s most emotional moments, Yang reprised his Delta One Lounge attendant character for a farewell sketch. As he offered eggnog and broke down mid-shift, appearances from Grande and Cher helped send off his character with a heartfelt rendition of “Please Come Home for Christmas.” Grande played his elderly wife, grounding the sketch with sincerity amid the humor.
Watch Delta Lounge here.
Home Alone
Grande stepped into the role of Kevin McCallister as increasingly violent booby traps accidentally took out her returning family one by one. The escalation bordered horror before landing a clever final twist, punctuated by nostalgic holiday music and Ashley Padilla as a visibly exhausted mother.
Watch Home Alone here.
Random Duet Christmas Spectacular
A musical showcase built around unlikely celebrity pairings allowed Grande to unleash a string of vocal impressions, including Céline Dion and Katy Perry. Standout moments included Johnson as Andrea Bocelli, Chloe Fineman as Björk paired with Post Malone, Thompson as Stevie Wonder, and Patterson’s Lil Jon opposite Jane Wickline. The laughs came less from punchlines and more from anticipation waiting to see who would appear next.
Watch Random Duet Christmas Spectacular here.
Espresso Martini
Grande led a glossy PSA warning about the dangers of espresso martini-fueled chaos, introducing the Espresso Martini Safe Room, a fully padded, pastel refuge designed to contain caffeinated holiday mania. Complete with unicorn décor, fake phones, and a Lover-era listening station, the sketch was one of the night’s most visually committed bits.
Watch Espresso Martini here.
Last Stop Christmas Shop
Closing out the night, Grande and Sarah Sherman played desperate shop owners catering to last-minute Christmas Eve procrastinators. With options ranging from a sad pineapple to a barely standing ornament stick, the message was clear: You’ve blown it, and this is what you’re getting.
Watch Last Stop Christmas Shop here.
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