As Christmas is celebrated in Salem by various family and friends, it's one man who gets the greatest gift of all
Abe is overjoyed when Theo wakes from his coma on Christmas, and Abe's joy is shared throughout Salem
Abe's fury begins to fade as the joyous news of Theo's improved health lets him refocus on those around him
As others now know about Kate's connection to Theo's activities before the shooting, she comes clean to Abe
Honoring his word, Abe affirms that Hope can resume her position of Commissioner of the Salem Police Department
Though pleased by her placement in the department, Hope has her hands full with Ciara, who continues her crusade against Claire
Hope's also sad to say goodbye to Shawn-Douglas and Belle because they need to return to Hong Kong as their holiday vacation is winding down
A drunken Ciara gets right down to brass tacks at a holiday party and makes a scene that few will forget
Claire proves she isn't afraid to fight back against Ciara, and the two get into a fight over Ciara's attitude toward Claire
A concerned Roman gives some tough love to his rowdy nieces Ciara and Claire, but they may not listen to his stern advice
Now that Theo is awake, Ciara is able to make her feelings known, but his return feelings may not be as mutual as she hopes for
Continuing to feel low because of the shooting, J.J.'s mindset is much improved when he visits with Theo
Still, neither J.J. nor Theo is out of the woods, and J.J.'s loved ones tread lightly as he recovers from the ordeal
Though J.J. hopes to be with Lani again now that Theo is recovering, her one-night stand with Eli might be a deal breaker
The deal quickly changes when Eli discovers that Gabi stayed with J.J. because she was concerned over his suicidal thoughts
Instant regrets plague Eli once he learns the truth about Gabi and J.J., and Lani feels the same when she's updated
Eli hopes that Gabi will never learn of his night with Lani and assures Lani that he won't tell anyone, and their secret should be safe
While Lani continues to look into the night of the shooting, Chad can't get past Kate's part in the entire situation
Chad continues to gun for Kate, but Andre intervenes on his wife's behalf, hoping to save her from Chad's charge against her
Andre's actions are noted by Abigail, who quickly calculates that her brother-in-law is actually in love with his wife
A puzzling find perplexes Abigail as she plans a New Year's Eve bash to remember at Doug's Place
After a warm winter moment is shared between them, Eric is asked to be Jennifer's New Year's date
As Chad and Abigail's party gets underway, several Salemites make a scene, causing a little chaos as the clock ticks down
Just as scandalous as the scenes, several Salemites find themselves in unexpected lip-locks when the clock strikes midnight
And it wouldn't be a Salem shindig without a party crasher (or two), and Chad and Abigail are in for a shock when stunning uninvited guests arrive
Tyler Christopher reveals his first DAYS airdate and gives funny sneak preview of his new character
She's baaaaack: Louise Sorel returns to DAYS as iconic character Vivian Alamain
Jamie Lyn Bauer returns to DAYS; says new material is juicy
The Young and the Restless' Greg Rikaart joins Days of our Lives
Lisa Rinna returning to Days of our Lives
Vivian's bombshell isn't the only shocking revelation to present itself at the New Year's party
Roman delivers a shocker of his own when he arrives at the party with someone familiar on his arm
A rattled Rafe is curious about how much Ciara knows about him and Sami, but he might not be ready for her reaction
Steve finds himself having a serious affliction, but the cause might be more sinister than expected
Vivian slithers into Salem with a shocking revelation that upsets an already disorderly dynasty forever
The murder of a well-known Salemite causes turmoil for the Salem PD as they search for the assailant, hopefully before they strike again
The new year brings new problems for a Salem couple who seemingly has it all, but some "happily ever afters" aren't meant to last
While Will wants to be with Sonny, Paul's draw might (again) be too strong to resist
The return of a Salem troublemaker may make one man's life a living hell all over again
When one Salemite ends up pregnant, she quickly realizes the baby belongs to a man other than her heart's desire
Since Ciara knows about Sami and Rafe's tryst, she puts her soon-to-be stepfather in the hot seat, but the beans might be spilled by the time "I dos" are exchanged
Jennifer and Eric's hesitation to succumb to their feelings for one another may push one of them into someone else's arms
As many still wonder if Andre has changed, Kate may change her mind (and heart) about him
