'Days Of Our Lives' spoilers for Dec. 22: As Christmas nears, Salem deals with a heartbreaking goodbye, a romantic surprise and a new love story

With only a few days before Christmas Day, drama continues to hound Salem on the upcoming episode of “Days Of Our Lives” (“DOOL”). On Thursday, Rafe (Galen Gering) pays Hope (Kristian Alfonso) a visit in an attempt to make her Christmas merry even if she’s still behind bars.

On the other hand, Jennifer (Melissa Reeves) is not feeling the holiday spirit too much, especially when Abby (Marci Miller) decides to skip town after catching the love of her life in an intimate moment with another woman. Other “Days Of Our Lives” characters who will figure prominently on the Dec. 22 installment include Chad (Billy Flynn), Gabi (Camila Banus), JJ (Casey Moss), Nicole (Arianne Zucker), Chloe (Nadia Bjorlin), Brady (Eric Martsolf) and Deimos (Vincent Irizarry).

Spoiler alert! This update contains more "Days of Our Lives" spoilers. Read on at your own risk if you have not watched the latest episode.

"Days Of Our Lives" soap opera spoilers

TV Guide reports that on Thursday’s run of “DOOL,” Rafe visits Hope in prison to bring her some Christmas cheer, while the Hortons stick to their annual tradition of hanging ornaments. Abby bids Jennifer an emotional goodbye, while Chad and Gabi give their presents to each other. Brady, on the other hand, discovers Nicole and Chloe holed up at a motel.

The “Days Of Our Lives” website posted sneak peek photos of the cast for the Dec. 22 episode. Shown here is Abby, who has a dramatic farewell with Jennifer. Click here to see the Hortons, who continue their tradition of ornament-hanging every holiday season.

"Days Of Our Lives" soap recap

In the previous episode, Abby changed her mind about telling Chad that she’s alive after witnessing him kiss Gabi. Andre threatened to tell Chad himself if she doesn't, but Abby countered that she'll tell Chad that Andre set this whole thing up. Later, when JJ arrived home, Abby told him about Chad and Gabi’s kiss. JJ refused to believe it, then left to confront Gabi about it. He found her at the square, and Gabi was all defensive, wondering who told him. When JJ replied that he can’t say, she blew her top, revealing that she heard him keeping another secret from her. Gabi said they’re over and walked away.

JJ headed back home and shared what Gabi said. JJ said he loves Abby but ordered her to fix it. Abby was apologetic and reckoned she should just leave town. Elsewhere, Chad went to Abby’s statue, where Gabi found him. She said she broke up with JJ and they made plans for Christmas Eve. Later, Chad told Andre that he and Gabi have decided to be together. Andre expressed that it's a bad idea.

Meanwhile in Chicago, Nicole tried but failed to get her car to start. When Deimos called, Nicole told him where they are and asked him to call an ambulance. She and Chloe were forced to deliver the baby at the motel. The two friends cried when the baby comes out – a healthy baby girl. Back in Salem, Brady and Deimos scrambled to get to the two women.

Find out what happens next on “Days Of Our Lives,” which airs weekdays in Australia on 12:45PM on Foxtel’s Arena channel. In the US, “DOOL” airs at 1PM on NBC.