Christmas in Salem is supposed to glow with tradition, memory, and hope—but this year, the holiday arrives wrapped in grief, fear, and life-altering revelations. As Days of Our Lives barrels toward the end of the year, the residents of Salem find themselves facing one of the most emotionally loaded Christmases in recent history. From Julie Williams’s devastating decision to cancel the Horton family celebration, to the harrowing rescue of Chad DiMera and Theo Carver, and the long-awaited return of Jennifer Horton Deveraux and Jack, this holiday season threatens to reshape families forever.

At the heart of it all stands Julie Williams—keeper of Salem’s most sacred traditions and now, its most broken matriarch.

Julie Williams: When Grief Cancels Christmas

For decades, the Horton Christmas has been more than a celebration—it’s been a symbol. The tree trimming, the ornaments, the shared memories of Tom and Alice Horton represent continuity, comfort, and healing. But this year, Julie simply can’t bring herself to participate. According to spoilers, she doesn’t merely postpone the celebration—she cancels it altogether.

This decision isn’t born of bitterness or stubbornness. It’s grief in its purest, most paralyzing form.

The loss of Doug Williams—and the real-life passing of Bill Hayes—casts a long shadow over the Horton living room. Every ornament Julie touches reminds her of who is missing. Doug’s absence is deafening, and the holiday cheer she once curated now feels like a betrayal of her sorrow. For Julie, celebrating Christmas without Doug feels like admitting the finality of a loss she isn’t ready to face.

Susan Seaforth Hayes’s portrayal promises to blur the line between fiction and reality, making Julie’s pain feel achingly real. She isn’t canceling Christmas because she doesn’t care—she’s canceling it because she cares too much.

Yet her grief doesn’t exist in isolation.

Eli and Lani Return — And Walk Into a Storm

Just as Julie retreats inward, Eli Grant and Lani Price return to Salem with their twins in tow, hoping for warmth, family, and healing. Instead, they walk into a house weighed down by mourning and emotional tension. Their homecoming should be joyful—but Julie’s cancellation casts a pall over what should have been a moment of reunion.

Lani, already carrying emotional burdens of her own, is stretched thin. Her brother Theo has been missing, and Abe Carver’s worry has only heightened her anxiety. This isn’t a carefree holiday visit—it’s a return fueled by fear and urgency. Lani is a mother now, but she’s also a sister, a daughter, and a protector trying to hold everything together.

And then there’s Paulina Price.

If Julie represents tradition and quiet grief, Paulina is unapologetic joy and noise. She wants celebration. She wants laughter. And she wants her family—especially Lani and the twins—to feel surrounded by love. Julie’s decision to cancel Christmas threatens to ignite a matriarchal clash that could fracture the fragile peace holding this family together.

Julie wants stillness. Paulina wants life.

Neither is wrong—but both are hurting.

The DiMera Catacombs: Survival, Secrets, and Scars

While the Hortons struggle with loss, the DiMeras are locked in a fight for survival.

Chad DiMera, Tony DiMera, EJ DiMera, and Kristen DiMera find themselves trapped together in the catacombs—a nightmare scenario engineered to force confrontation, reckoning, and possibly reconciliation. This isn’t just a kidnapping; it’s a psychological crucible.

Each DiMera brings unresolved baggage into the darkness. Chad is frantic, consumed by thoughts of Thomas and Charlotte spending Christmas without him. EJ, ever the strategist, believes power will save him—even underground. Kristen remains unpredictable, dangerous, and emotionally volatile. And Tony, the closest thing the family has to a moral anchor, is pushed toward his breaking point as chaos erupts around him.

Being trapped strips away titles and privilege. In the catacombs, survival demands honesty—and that’s when secrets spill. Longstanding grudges resurface. Buried resentments erupt. The experience bonds them, but not gently. When they are finally rescued by Rafe Hernandez and Jada Hunter, they emerge physically free—but emotionally altered.

Chad, in particular, will not come back unchanged.

Missing Christmas with his children leaves a scar that won’t fade easily. The guilt, the fear, and the anger will follow him into the new year, darkening his outlook and shifting his priorities in ways that could have lasting consequences.

Theo Carver Rescued — But at a Cost

Theo’s rescue brings relief—but not peace. Hospitalized and shaken, Theo’s ordeal sends shockwaves through the Carver and Price families. Abe’s fear for his son deepens, while Lani is forced to confront how fragile life truly is.