Everyone in Salem celebrates Christmas.
At Alice's house, we see a photo of Tom and Alice and other Brady photos as the Brady's celebrate Christmas. Bo, Hope and Chelsea decorate the Christmas tree. Chelsea picks Zack's bulb out of the box and gazes out the window. She sees Ford Decker outside and Ford says, "Another year another victim." Chelsea drops her Christmas bulb and Bo catches it. Later, Sami and Johnny arrive and Sami says Lucas will be there soon. Chelsea cries to Hope that she misses Zach and Hope hugs her. She knows it's harder during the holidays. Chelsea cries that it's her fault that he's not here and runs off. Hope explains to Bo what happened and Bo finds Chelsea outside. He comforts her when she says it's been a lousy year and she is worried about Ford Decker.
Kate walks in on Lucas who is emptying a bottle of alcohol into the sink. She's worried immediately and says drinking never helps when you're stressed. He shows her that he says he's throwing it out. Kate throws it away for him and gives him Ali. He snuggles her and tells her he has to go away for a while but she has her mother and grandmother to take care of her. Billie and Philip wander in and Billie notices something's amiss when she sees suitcases packed. She tells them one of them better start talking, when Lucas ignores his cell phone ringing. Lucas lies that Sami brought back some of her belongings from EJ's place. Billie wasn't aware Sami had moved into EJ's place but doesn't press the issue. She takes Ali from Lucas and realizing that he's leaving, she asks him to be safe. She takes Ali and she leaves with Philip. Lucas writes Sami a letter and says now he needs to get out before she gets back. Kate promises to give the letter to Sami and Lucas leaves.
As Lucas leaves, Philip finds him and tries to get him to change his mind. Lucas puts out his hand to shake but Philip draws him into a hug. "Take care of mom." Lucas asks.
At the DiMera mansion, EJ wheels himself in and surprises his father, who thought he'd be alone at Christmas. EJ says he has good and bad news. Stefano wants the bad first. EJ says Sami left him and has gone back to Lucas. Stefano is unimpressed,"She has betrayed us and will pay dearly." he says. EJ shows him some tricks on the wheelchair to cheer him and then gives him the good news. He gets up from his chair and walks to Stefano who thinks it's wonderful that EJ can walk and says it's the best gift he could have given him. EJ gives Stefano a photo of he and Johnny for Christmas, since Stefano has everything else! Stefano gasps in delight, and then finds the perfect spot for it on his desk. He sadly tells EJ he has an empty house and children who don't call on Christmas. EJ comforts Stefano. "You have me and Johnny." He thinks this will be a brand new year for the DiMeras. Stefano says it will be if the Brady's reap their rewards. Stefano takes a walk down memory lane with EJ and they hug and then EJ leaves, using a cane.
Stefano asks if "he" is prepared and Rolf replies in the positive. Stefano wants to put the finishing touches on "him". They head to the lab and Stefano injects their patient hard, with a syringe, into a large brown mole. "A new life, a new year," he says and watches the heart rate monitor climb. Stefano stares at the person under the sheet and welcomes them home. Suddenly the patient's eyes open.
Marlena goes to get John's dry cleaning from the cleaners. She realizes that nobody is there, since it's Christmas Eve and starts to walk away, but a woman (Crystal) walks up behind her and says she knows why she has come. She asks if Marlena believes in psychics but Marlena says she has a friend (Celeste) who is a psychic but doesn't believe you can contact the dead. Crystal says, "I can bring him to you." Marlena thinks Crystal ought to be ashamed of herself and turns to walk away, but Crystal says she sees a man in a forest reading a plaque with his name on it. "John?" Marlena asks. "His name was Forrest for a while." Crystal says, "Black?" Startled, Marlena asks, "What?" Crystal continues, "I see a black robe. Is he a priest?" Marlena says he was at one time but he's now dead. Crystal says, "He's not dead. He is very much alive." Marlena wants to know what she means and Crystal asks if she always believes what she sees. She says John is still out there and they'll be together again. We hear Steve call to Marlena before we see him and Steve finds Marlena almost in tears. She tells Steve she was picking up dry cleaning and met this woman. She turns and notices Crystal has disappeared and with a smile she says the woman has given her hope. It starts to snow and Steve tells her the first Christmas is the hardest. He's been thinking of Benjy and John and Marlena says John is always with her. She holds a hand to her heart and smiles.
Sami waits for Lucas at Alice's place and when she calls, he doesn't pick up. Later, Billie and Ali show up, Billie says Lucas isn't coming. She tells Sami of the earlier conversation she had with Lucas and how he wanted her to take care of Ali if something happened to her. Sami cries and runs to find Lucas. Doug, Julie, Maggie, Sami all put up their Christmas bulbs. Belle, Shawn and Claire hang theirs while Bo and Hope hang their own. Maggie notices that Jeremy's is broken and they agree to fix it later.
Nick gives out candy canes and does magic for the children at University Hospital. Kayla tells Max not to give up on Stephanie and asks him not to give her daughter space. Max wonders if there is something she's not saying but she lies there isn't. Caroline, Steve and Abe arrive with Roman and they discuss how Marlena is not here. They wonder if Lexi has seen her, since today's Lexi's day to volunteer at the hospital. They later find out that Marlena went to the dry cleaners, so Steve goes off to find her. Once he leaves, Kayla tells Max that he has to play Santa because Steve's out looking for Marlena. Max dresses in a Santa suit and Nick starts to laugh and takes photos until Kayla elects him to be an elf! The guys sit down later, in costume later and read the children a Christmas story.
Chelsea shows up at the hospital and grins when she sees Nick and Max dressed up. Some of the children perk up and announce they're Jewish and wonder if Max can read them a Hanukah story. Another child wants them to read a Kwanza story to him. Max isn't prepared for this so Nick takes over and tells the children that this story is more about hope, love and peace and is for everyone. Max and Stephanie's eyes meet. When Nick finds Chelsea dressed in black, he asks where the funeral is. Chelsea admits this isn't one of her best Christmases and Nick takes her aside to give her a special gift. He shows her a photo album he has made on their computer, of them. This cheers Chelsea until Ford appears again and asks her who her next victim will be. She closes her eyes tight and he's gone.
Elsewhere in the hospital, Stephanie finds Santa-Max and says she knows things have been tense lately but that it's her fault. Max says he'd do anything for her and touches her face, but Stephanie pulls away, in fear and cries that it'll never work for them. Max asks her for a chance, but Stephanie isn't ready and runs off. Max is confused. Stephanie runs to Kayla who snuggles her.
Sami arrives home to Philip and Kate. She asks where Lucas is and Kate hands her a letter and they leave. Sami reads that this is the hardest thing Lucas has ever tried to do but he hopes she understands. He says he loves her and the kids and she has to be strong for them. He says he'll do anything to protect them, even if it means saying goodbye. She re-reads it and falls to the floor sobbing.
Back at Alice's house, Doug sings a lovely rendition of "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas" while Chelsea and Nick arrive. Billie and Ali, Belle, Shawn, Claire, Bo, Hope and Ciara, Chelsea and Nick and Alice all listen intently. We see Alice by the piano in a chair and with Hope beside her, Alice holds Tom's photo to her and says, "Merry Christmas Tom". The others say, "Merry Christmas!"
Outside the dry cleaners, Marlena and Steve watch the snow fall.
Next on Days Of Our Lives:
Crawford Decker asks Chelsea, "Where is my son?" Chelsea sits in silence.
Sami says, "I just want you to help me find him." Roman tells her, "We're going to have to arrest Lucas for attempted murder."
Somebody hits EJ over the head with a large object and he falls to the floor!
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