It has long been a tradition in England to get special holiday episodes of shows that either aren't typically airing at that time of year, or to allow for a cozy check-in with favorite characters that acts as a seasonal coda. In the case of Sense8, it's also a preview of what is to come. The Netflix series, from Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski, and J. Michael Straczynski (with Grant Hill replacing Lilly as an EP for the new episodes) is set to return for Season 2 in the spring of 2017, but fans will get a little interlude to help pass the time with the two-hour Sense8 Christmas Special.

The new trailer for the special, which will launch on December 23rd, also comes with a separate message from Lana Wachowski, who explains what these Christmas special episodes mean to her. Here in the U.S. we get plenty of holiday-themed episodes as part of the regular broadcast schedule (sometimes too many, as they all pile up, of course, in the same week), but there is something really nice about getting a stand-alone special that is made for the season, and that tells a very specific story for the characters.

Check out the new trailer and Lana's message below:

The Sense8 Christmas Special debuts Friday, December 23rd at 12:01am PT on the streaming network. Season 2 will then continues with 10 new episodes launching globally on Friday, May 5, 2017 at 12:01am PT.

Here’s the synopsis for Sense8: A Christmas Special:

The journey continues as these eight singular hearts and minds weave in and out of each other’s lives finding deeper connections, learning darker, more desperate secrets about one another and struggling to identify with more than just oneself.

And here’s the synopsis for Season 2:

Picking up where season one left off, Capheus (Toby Onwumere), Kala (Tina Desai), Lito (Miguel Angel Silvestre), Nomi (Jamie Clayton), Riley (Tuppence Middleton) , Sun (Donna Bae), Will (Brian J. Smith) and Wolfgang (Max Riemelt) come together both physically and mentally, plunged into the middle of each other’s tragedies and triumphs. On the run from Whispers (Terrence Mann), and forced to question their very identity, it’s a matter of survival as the Sensates must find a way to live with, understand and protect one another against all odds.