‘Days of our Lives’: Susan Seaforth Hayes on Why This Christmas Is ‘Extremely Sentimental’

Michael Maloney December 22, 2023, 7:00 am

Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes of 'Days of Our Lives' — Amy Shaughnessy

Soaps have changed a great deal over the years but, thankfully, one tradition on Days of our Lives remains a constant. We’re talking about the Horton family gathering to hang ornaments with names on them on the Christmas tree. That episode is now streaming on Peacock.

TV Insider chatted with Susan Seaforth Hayes, who plays Julie Olson Williams, about why this year’s gathering is especially emotional. Viewers will see Julie and Doug (played by Bill Hayes, the actress’s reel and real-life husband) share some precious alone time. Julie will also dole out some words of wisdom this holiday season to a character who needs it the most. Read on to get Seaforth Hayes’s thoughts about this year’s very, merry Christmas in Salem.

It wouldn’t be Christmas on DAYS without the Hortons gathering to hang ornaments on the tree.

Susan Seaforth Hayes: This year is an extremely sentimental year for Billy and myself. As Doug and Julie, we have a few minutes alone – just us talking with the tree there. We recall the people who preceded us. This is one time where we allowed ourselves to really, really experience the past, which is mingled with the people we’ve lost in real life. Moments that are so real.

I think the audience will be as engaged as we are in the actual meaning of Christmas. We’re always talking about family on our show and the emotional links that we hope the audience still has to the characters we only speak of because they are, in fact, gone. This is also a day where [the show] gave Bill a celebration around his 98^th birthday. They made a beautiful cake with his face on it.

How was the likeness of Bill’s image on the cake?

It was a beautiful likeness! He looks great on the show, and he looks great on the cake. You can’t ask for much more than that. We were surprised and delighted [by the gesture]. These shows with us are few and far between, and they mean a lot to us. I think they mean something to the audience, too. We always love doing the Christmas show.

Susan Seaforth Hayes, Bill Hayes, and Ken Corday — 'Days of Our Lives'

Amy Shaughnessy

What else can you preview that we’ll see with Julie?

She’s going to give advice to Chad [Billy Flynn], and she’ll encourage him to pull himself together and to live a happy and productive life.

He still misses Abigail [Marci Miller] a great deal.

We are carrying on with that storyline. That has not gone away. The mourning period for all of us continues – as it would in real life. Nobody’s over that loss.

Viewers have always connected to soap operas because of the families. What do you think Doug and Julie represent to the DAYS audience?

I think [Doug and Julie] prove that love and faithfulness are precious and that the example of people who are partners in every aspect of life is genuinely uplifting. It’s a goal to aim for. We’re in the decline of our mortal days and the fact is that the support and tenderness [we feel] has not gone away. I’m happy that we are here for each other and that the show is here for us. The show is very respectful of us. There’s a lot of kindness for us here. We have our imaginary home in Salem but it’s actually not imaginary to us or to the people who have been here for so long. It’s not imaginary either to Ken Corday [executive producer], who has showered us with so much kindness. We both love working at this job.

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Do you and Bill have any real-life traditions as Doug and Julie do?

Yes. One year, I made ornaments with people’s names on them for people who were attached to the show. I’m still visiting the homes of the people who have them.

Days of our Lives, Weekdays, Peacock