The Young and the Restless fan favorite Beth Maitland is back in Genoa City as Traci Abbott. TV Guide’s Michael Logan caught up with Maitland, who talked about her storyline opposite Abby (Marcy Rylan) and reflected on how previous creative regimes dismantled the Abbotts, while current showrunner Maria Arena Bell put them back front and center.

TV Guide Magazine: Who's the angel over at Y&R who keeps bringing you back? Is it [exec producer] Maria Bell? One of the old-timers on the writing team? READ MORE

According to Soap Opera Digest, Beth Maitland will reprise her role as Traci Abbott on The Young and the Restless on December 23, just in time for the holidays.

Whether you are a crazy woman on the loose firing 3 bullets into the heart of a Genoa City villain, a woman admitted to a loony bin and giving birth to a child at the same time, or an Abbott family member on life support, The Young and the Restless has had it all over the last month. Ratings might not be proving favorable for Y&R, but the writing quality, and the acting, is outstanding. If you had to ask me who I thought deserved the chocolates, I'd have two words - Beth Maitland portraying Traci Abbott. READ MORE

Nikki has guts to ask that family for Colleen's heart... Thanks to tvobsessed2008 for the clip and beautreal for the tip!

The fictious town of Genoa City onThe Young and the Restless will be bustling this month with some new and familiar faces.

Traci Abbott (Beth Maitland) will return once again on Jan. 6, along with big sister Ashley's (Eileen Davidson) best friend Olivia (Tonya Lee Williams). Tom Virtue will also be making an appearance as a judge.

Lisa Waltz will play a sex therapist that Jack (Peter Bergman) will seek out and Sarah Buehler will play a prisoner on Jan. 8. Miekdo Hillman arrives on our screen Jan. 9 as Mariel, while Michael Gross will depart the role of Lowell/River on Jan. 15. READ MORE

My apologies kids, Mama J's a bit under the weather due to a trip to the dentist and mourning the loss of her beloved TiVo.  There is tons of drama heading to The Young and the Restless.

Phyllis/Nick/Sharon: The battle brewing between housewife Phyllis vs. scheming Phyllis starts to heat up. The birthday of the Newman's baby girl Summer is held at the couple's home where Phyllis still is smarting from the revelation that she caught Nick kissing his ex-wife Sharon and her (Sharon) being the one that stopped the kiss. Not even their daughter's party can make Phyllis ease up on being icy with Nick. The party goes from bad to worse when Sharon swings by with a gift that Noah left for his little sister and the one Sharon has for her as well (WTF!?). Nick's the one that intercepts Sharon's arrival and is eager to get rid of her and not have anymore drama between he and Phyllis. Nick decides to speak to Sharon outside where Phyllis finds him after noticing that he's missing when she tries to take a family picture of her hubby and little girl. When Phyllis queries on Nick's whereabouts, Nikki informs her that Nick is outside speaking to Sharon. READ MORE