While we've all been struggling through this holiday lull in regular TV programming, soap fans can take solace in the fact that the action is still happening in daytime. No show has more action going for it right now than All My Children as the 40th anniversary approaches.

On January 4, 2010, All My Children will turn 40 years old. In honor of the event, the celebration will be stretched over two days, Monday and Tuesday -- January 4th and 5th -- with former AMC stars Kelly Ripa and husband Mark Consuelos anchoring the festivities.

On Monday, Hayley and Mateo -- Kelly and Mark's characters -- return to Pine Valley with much fanfare. They're there to film an episode of Hayley's TV show, The Wave, because Pine Valley has been named "The Most Congenial Town in America."

There's reason to be hopeful about All My Children's move to Hollywood. Oh, yes, Thorsten Kaye has decided not to go -- bye, bye Zach -- but there's a list of stars lining up for the anniversary that's pretty spectacular.

In honor of All My Children's 40th Anniversary, Julia Barr is coming back as Brooke English. Also slated to appear are a bunch of other former AMC stars, including Eva LaRue, Taylor Miller, Laurence Lau, Eden Riegel, Leven Rambin and the previously announced Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos.

Julia's return is a big get because she was such big part of the soap for so long. The two-time Emmy winner was on AMC from 1976 to her exit in 2006. This anniversary show will be a chance for fans to hear what Brooke -- Erica's rival for all those years -- has been up to.

Next in line is Eva LaRue. She's become a prime time star with CSI: Miami. She did two stints with AMC as Dr. Maria Santos Grey.