Is Saturday Night Live new tonight, December 18?

There’s only one week left until Christmas — the perfect time for Saturday Night Live‘s holiday show. So should SNL fans expect to see a brand new episode tonight?

Last week, SNL returned from a brief hiatus. Billie Eilish served as both the host and musical guest in an episode that also featured the return of Kate McKinnon.

And now, SNL looks to build on that momentum and close out 2021 strong. There will be a brand new episode of Saturday Night Live tonight. And yes, it’s the Christmas episode.

Paul Rudd serves as tonight’s host. He can currently be seen in the Apple TV series The Shrink Next Door. Charli XCX will also be in Studio 8H as the musical guest. Her album Crash releases in March.

Get ready with some of Saturday Night Live’s best Christmas sketches from recent years

Saturday Night Live always plans something special for its Christmas episode. The show’s holiday sketches typically end up catching the attention of SNL fans and non-fans alike.

Given the popularity of Paul Rudd, we should expect that trend to continue tonight. Don’t be surprised to see a sketch join these other recent SNL Christmas classics:

And of course, there is also another Saturday Night Live tradition that should come tonight. “Weekend Update” anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che typically swap jokes for the holiday, writing punchlines for each other that their partner has never seen before.

This bit has become a fan-favorite over the years. Take a look at some past examples for a reminder of what could be in store tonight:

Saturday Night Live airs tonight at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC. You can also stream the show live with a Peacock subscription.

Are you excited to watch tonight’s brand new episode of Saturday Night Live? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.