As Salem moves into the first days of December, the town expects warmth, family, and the comforting glow of holiday traditions. But while twinkling lights begin appearing on porches and Thanksgiving leftovers still linger in refrigerators, a chilling storm is brewing beneath the surface—one that will drag the DiMera family into a nightmare none of them see coming.

Next week on Days of Our Lives, airing December 1st–5th, viewers can expect a gripping blend of holiday emotion, psychological terror, family desperation, and a mystery that reaches into the darkest corners of Salem’s past. What should have been a peaceful week of gratitude and celebration becomes a harrowing race against time as a kidnapper silently strikes, snatching DiMeras one by one and filling the underground crypt with terrified victims.

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A Missing Chair at the Horton Thanksgiving Table

The drama begins during one of Salem’s most beloved traditions: the Horton family Thanksgiving. The annual gathering is usually filled with warmth, forgiveness, and a chance to reflect on the year’s blessings around a beautifully set table. But this year, something is terribly wrong.

Chad DiMera—usually punctual, dependable, and deeply devoted to his children—is nowhere to be found. Julie Williams, the emotional anchor of the Horton clan, instantly senses danger. She’s a woman who believes in showing up for family, and she knows Chad well enough to recognize that he would never miss a holiday with his kids unless something was deeply amiss.

Julie leaves Chad a heartfelt voicemail, hoping he will walk through the door at any moment. But with every passing minute, her unease grows stronger. Jennifer Horton tries to offer logical explanations, suggesting that Chad might simply need space or quiet time with Thomas and Charlotte. But Julie’s instinct—sharpened by decades of surviving Salem’s tragedies—refuses to accept reassurances. Something is wrong, and she knows it.

Their fears intensify when a text suddenly comes from Chad’s phone. Jennifer wants to believe it, but Julie immediately recognizes it as a red flag. The tone is wrong—too generic, too cold. For Julie, a text message in place of a holiday appearance is not just odd… it’s an alarm bell.

And she’s right. Chad isn’t at a peaceful retreat or spending quiet time with his family. He’s somewhere far darker.

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Chad’s Nightmare: Imprisoned in the DiMera Crypt

Unbeknownst to the Hortons, Chad has been kidnapped and thrown into one of the most forbidding locations in Salem: the DiMera family crypt.

For decades, the crypt has been the center of numerous horrors—resurrections, burials, secret imprisonments, and sinister experiments. Now, it becomes a living tomb once again. Chad awakens stripped of control, locked behind cold stone walls, and trapped in suffocating darkness.

But he is not alone.

In a shocking twist, Chad discovers that two other DiMeras are imprisoned with him:

• Tony DiMera, the refined and diplomatic sibling
• Kristen DiMera, unpredictable, volatile, and dangerous even when unrestrained

This unnatural family reunion creates a tense, volatile atmosphere. The siblings must now depend on one another to survive, putting aside past betrayals and decades of emotional wounds. Chad is desperate to escape and return to his children, Tony tries to remain logical in a spiraling situation, and Kristen—chaotic as ever—could either help save them or make their situation ten times worse.

But the kidnapper’s plan isn’t finished. A fourth DiMera is about to be dragged into the darkness.

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Theo Carver: The Innocent Caught in the Crossfire

One of Salem’s most gentle souls is next.

Theo Carver—beloved son of Abe Carver and the late Lexie DiMera—is snatched off the streets of Salem without warning. Kind-hearted, intelligent, and entirely uninvolved in the power plays of the DiMera dynasty, Theo is an unlikely target.

And that is exactly what makes the kidnapping so horrific.

Theo’s abduction sends emotional shockwaves through the audience. When he is dumped into the crypt beside Chad, Tony, and Kristen, his bewilderment is heartbreaking. Why would anyone come after him? He’s not a schemer or a threat.

But that seems to be the point.

This villain isn’t targeting corruption or revenge…
They’re targeting the bloodline itself.

Theo’s fear galvanizes the older generation. Seeing their innocent nephew terrified will push Chad and Tony into survival mode. Protecting Theo becomes their first priority—and it gives them a renewed determination to escape the crypt alive.

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A Grisly Discovery Beneath the Stone

As if the kidnappings weren’t horrifying enough, the situation takes a disturbing twist when the prisoners stumble upon something chilling in the dark:

human bones.

The crypt has always been filled with secrets, but these remains are fresh enough to unsettle even the most hardened DiMera. Tony and Kristen attempt to piece together who the bones might belong to, while Theo’s rising panic adds to the tension.

Is the kidnapper a murderer?
Are these the remains of an older DiMera enemy?
Or a victim of the same person who now has them locked away?

The clue turns their captivity into a gothic mystery, echoing the DiMera family’s long and haunted history. It also reminds them that the crypt isn’t just a prison—it’s a grave.

And they could be next.

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Panic Spreads Through Salem

Above ground, Salem begins to unravel.

Theo’s disappearance is noticed almost immediately. Abe Carver, who has already endured too much loss, instantly fears the worst. His son does not vanish without reason.

But what really sets off the alarm is Theo failing to show up for a date with Detective Jada Hunter. Jada is sharp, disciplined, and quick to read danger. If a dependable man like Theo stands her up, she knows something is terribly wrong.

Together, Abe and Jada launch a frantic search.
Phones are traced.
Questions are asked.
Moments are counted.

The kidnapper has no idea what kind of fire they’ve just lit. A worried father and a relentless detective make a deadly combination—and they will stop at nothing to find Theo.

Their investigation is the first major threat to the villain’s plan, and viewers can expect intense scenes as the search begins to close in.

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Salem’s Week of Terror: What It Means for Fans

Next week’s storyline blends everything fans love about Days of Our Lives:

✔ Emotional Horton family drama

Julie’s intuition and Jennifer’s attempts at calm ground the storyline in heart and history.

✔ Explosive DiMera tension

Chad’s morality, Tony’s diplomacy, and Kristen’s chaos create combustible interactions.

✔ A gothic mystery with the bones

A classic DiMera-style twist brings the past roaring into the present.

✔ High-stakes police investigation

Abe and Jada’s desperate search raises the tension aboveground.

✔ The innocence of Theo

The kidnapping of a character as gentle as Theo raises the emotional stakes sky-high.

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A December to Remember

As Salem’s holiday decorations go up, multiple families are plunged into fear. Chad is terrified for his children. Theo is overwhelmed and scared. Tony is trying to hold everyone together. Kristen is unpredictable, volatile, and likely to explode at any moment.

The clock is ticking.
The crypt is growing colder.
And the danger is growing closer.

Will Julie’s instincts finally lead rescuers to the truth?
Will Abe and Jada uncover the kidnapper’s identity before someone gets hurt?
Can the DiMeras put aside their toxic history long enough to escape?
And whose bones are lying in that crypt, silently warning of the fate that might befall them all?

Next week on Days of Our Lives promises terror, revelations, family loyalty, and a kidnapping plot that will shake Salem to its core.

Brace yourselves.
December is about to begin with a scream—
and a crypt full of nightmares.

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