Despite Netflix announcing upcoming Stranger Things prequel series, fans think

Over 10 months after Stranger Things season 5 ended, it seems that the secret episode theories just won't die. Following the excitement of Stranger Things Day 2026, fans now believe that there is a Christmas special on the way.

If you're thinking, 'wait, hasn't this been going on ever since the show came to a close?' Yes, you're right. But new evidence has fans theorising that the secret episode they had been holding out for may end up being something more festive after finding that some set photos from the final season don't quite add up.

In multiple images, posted by one fan on Twitter, we can see Christmas decorations dotted around Hawkins, as well as a personalised bauble reading 'The Wheelers 1989 .' This doesn't really make sense, as season 5 was set in November 1989, with no mention of Christmas. However, this could just be extra set pieces from filming, but it sure does add fuel to the already wild secret episode theory.

In case you're new here, let me give you a rundown on the situation. When the sci-fi series came to a close on New Year's Day, some fans were so disappointed that they refused to accept the ending. Fans picked out mistakes and 'clues' that looked to suggest that the finale was just a ruse set up by Vecna, theorizing that a secret ninth episode was on January 7. This was known as Conformity Gate. But, of course, the alternate ending never arrived, seemingly bringing Conformity Gate to an end.

However, Stranger Things Day 2026, the annual holiday that takes place on November 6, marking the disappearance of Will Byers, has set the theory alive again. Fans spotted clues that big news was on the way, from secret messages posted by The Weather Channel and The Wheel of Fortune to a cryptic Instagram story from the show's co-creator Ross Duffer. This turned out to be in relation to an upcoming 2028 prequel series titled 'Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure,' which Netflix announced with a short teaser.

For now, Netflix hasn't given any indication that any further Stranger Things episodes are on the bar, bar the upcoming prequel and Stranger Things: Tales from '85 season 2. But fans continue to hold out hope.

Stranger Things is available to watch in its entirety on Netflix. For more, check out our guide to the best Netflix shows, and keep up with new shows on the way.