king ♪ ♪ let every heart from every group and heaven and nature sing and heaven and nature sing ♪ ♪ and heaven and heaven and nature sing ♪ ♪ and let every heart rejoice and wonders of his love and wonders of his love ♪

♪ and wonders wonders of his love ♪ this was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration period. >> there is a collision -- >> i have decided to recuse myself. >> i think there's blame on both sides. >> i think the president needs to step up. it's unacceptable. >> the stunning no vote sinking the gop's vote to repeal obamacare. >> there's a reason that the stock market is at an all-time high. >> the president ought to stop tweeting and start leading. >> we've got a-plusses on texas and florida, and we will also on puerto rico. >> dammit, this is not a good story. this is a people are dying story. >> everything has burned down. >> historic year for california

wildfires. >> wouldn't you love to see one of these nfl owners to say "get that son of a bitch off the field"? >> al franken -- >> harvey weinstein facing allegations -- >> together we rock the world. >> this is "new day." good morning, and welcome to a special christmas day edition of "new day." merry christmas to all of you. i'm chris cuomo along with alisyn camerota. we have a big show. we'll look at 2017 and the big news stories. we can't talk about the past year without focusing on the dominant news story. that is, of course, president trump's first year in office. from firing his fbi director to overseeing a booming economy, we're going to break down the defining issues of the trump presidency so far. >> and another one of the year's

big stories, of course, the hurricane that's devastated houston, florida, puerto rico, and the caribbean islands. we'll check in with nfl superstar j.j. watt. he raised more than $37 million for hurricane harvey relief. so how is houston doing today? plus, the show would not be complete without talking about holiday challenges like returns. we'll share some tips to make that process less painful. and on this christmas, we'll look at the role faith has played this year. how do people live with their faith amid political fighting and national crises? we'll check that. first to headlines at the newscast. >> reporter: good morning. merry christmas to all of you. i'm alison kosik. right now pope francis delivering his christmas day address and blessing to the city of rome and to the entire world. cnn's john allen is live in rome. i know this is a pontiff who's been especially outspoken on international issues. what is his message today?

>> reporter: hi there, merry christmas to you and yours. this is important to remember that to the city and world, the address that francis is giving today, isn't just the pope saying merry christmas, and it's not an exclusively religious message. there's a lot of politics in there, too. kind of a 360-degree review of the global situation. in light of the tensions over jerusalem and the vatican's long-standing support for a two-state solution to the israeli/palestinian conflict, it's reasonable to think the pope may touch on that today. i would expect him to touch on other areas of the middle east, especially iraq and syria, with which the vatican has been concerned this year. probably parts of africa and asia, as well, especially the korean conflict. even on this holiest day of the year for christians, this is a pope who will remain determined to try to press the ball on his diplomatic and political agenda.

a pope who sees himself as a peace pope. and he will be at it again on christmas day. >> john allen live in rome. thank you very much. guatemala announcing plans to move its embassy in israel to jerusalem. the president spoke to prime minister benjamin netanyahu and instructed guatemala's foreign ministry to initiate the process to make it possible. the central american nation is the first country to announce it would move its embassy from tel aviv to jerusalem since president trump issued his announcement earlier this month. the u.n. voted overwhelmingly last week to condemn the u.s. move. at least ten people killed and five injured in a suicide bomb attack in afghanistan. it took place near afghanistan's intelligence headquarters in kabul. the site is close to the u.s. embassy and several other diplomatic missions. at this point, no group has claimed responsibility. i'm alison kosik. more headlines in 30 minutes.

merry christmas. let's begin this morning talking about the role of faith during such a politically charged time. families can sometimes clash over the heightened feelings surrounding issues that affect their lives. what is at root of these disagreements? is there a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, or is it just the train? we have a special group with us. cnn religion commentator father edward beck. senior rabbi of central synagogue, angela bookdall, and founder and president of the religious house, imam. father, let's start with you. where do you think we stand from a spiritual speck? >> i'm interesting that if you go to mass today, catholics, the gospel is not about the nativity. it's the gospel of john that says, a light has come into the darkness, and the darkness shall not overcome it.

for me, it's a season about where is light coming to the darkness. if you look at what's happening now in our country and the world, take the #metoo women. thousands of women coming out of the shadows, out of the darkness, into the light. that's a christmas message. you saw the pope this month in myanmar and bangladesh. there to visit his small children communities. is that where he's shown the light? no. on a small muslim oppressed group, the rohingya. and he said the presence of god's name is rohingya. yet a kid being bullied, and they posted a video on line of his mother, and millions of people said this is darkness. this cannot stand. the tax bill, the president saying this is the christmas gift. a tax bill. well, the u.s. bishops have come out against it for a reason. most of the united states populus does not support it,

why? because it disadvantages the working poor and advantages the rich. this is a story about holy family leaves, why do they go to bethlehem? to register in a census. it's about taxation of an oppressive regime. then they have to flee as refugees to another country? this is not just about reindeer and snowflakes. this story is about refugees. it's about taxation. it's about fleeing oppression. it's a hard political message, but that is the story in light and darkness. >> there's no getting away from politics. there isn't. it's become intertwined with everything in our lives. and i like that you find beacons of light obviously through this year because it's been a bitter toxic year, rabbi. so what is the message for people? how will 2018 be different when we feel so sort of dug in to thi

this? >> the political has been personal. i think you see this with families. families are at each other's throats at holiday celebrations, which should be uplifting times for love and celebration. and oftentimes you bring up one topic, and the family doesn't want to speak and go to separate rooms. >> if you're lucky. >> or they leave and cut the turkey without me. i think the issue is being able to find points of not just connection but trying to hear each other with what i would call resilient listening which is the kind of listening that's not just so that we can argue with each other or make our point or prove that we're right. but actually to truly understand where people are coming from. and i'm reminded that there is a light of divinity in every human being, and of course in our family members. i think the goal here is to be able to listen with the goal of understanding why did they think this way, what is the pain or fear that they're speaking with, and to have a different kind of compassion when we listen. that to me is a form of light and is a spiritual practice in

the season when we're with our family and arguing and with our friends and arguing a lot. >> look, nowhere is the sensitivity more acutely felt than in your commute. to be muslim in america, we hear it all the time. america has millions of muslim americas. and they feel very much like they're in the cross hairs, that they're blamed for terrorism. that there's an overshadowing of it. what's the message to your community? >> the most important message to learn is that every prophet was a window to god. that every human being needs to connect with god. it's the connection to god that unites us not only with god but with each other and with creation. it's the disconnect from god that divides us and that causes such division. to me, the thing that we have lost, many of our -- even muslims themselves have lost, is that spirituality. the connection to god. we revere jesus as a prophet. revere mother mary as a prophet.

we believe that every prophet came with a particular signature. and jesus' message was particularly strong in the spiritual aspect. he was taught to speak through and with the power of the holy spirit. and when we fill ourselves with this connection, the connection to god actually and spiritual practices fill us with not only this light of god unites us, it brings an intensification of love. it help us overcome divisions. it gives us hope because prayer itself, prayer itself is the embodiment of hope. our christian brothers say love is hope and charity. this unites us together, and it's the need to recapture that, to intensify it, to do practices together that intensify, heighten, amplify our spirituality that will enable us to enjoy power diversity,

celebrate our -- enjoy our diversity, celebrate our diversity, and as we call ourselves american, epl pluplu s epluribus unum. while we celebrate our diversity. >> that is beautiful on. that note, imam, rabbi, father, thank you very much for giving us hope today as we celebrate christmas. thank you all very much for being here. >> thank you. >> thanks for having us. next, the year in politics. what were the defining issues of the trump presidency this year? we discuss next. ♪ ♪ give a little bit ♪

♪ give a little bit... -hello. ♪ give a little bit... ♪ ... of your love to me oh, haha. ♪ there's so much that we need to share ♪ ♪ so send a smile and show that you care ♪ ♪ i'll give a little bit of my love to you ♪ they appear out of nowhere. my secret visitors. appearing next to me in plain sight. hallucinations and delusions. these are the unknown parts of living with parkinson's disease. what stories they tell. but for my ears only. what plots they unfold. but only in my mind. over 50% of people with parkinson's will experience hallucinations or delusions during the course of their disease. and these can worsen over time, making things even more challenging.

but there are advances that have led to treatment options that can help. if someone you love has parkinson's and is experiencing hallucinations or delusions, talk to your parkinson's specialist. because there's more to parkinson's. my visitors should be the ones i want to see. learn more at moretoparkinsons.com -ahh. -the new guy. -whoa, he looks -- -he looks exactly like me. -no. -separated at birth much? we should switch name tags, and no one would know who was who. jamie, you seriously think you look like him? uh, i'm pretty good with comparisons. like how progressive helps people save money by comparing rates, even if we're not the lowest. even if we're not the lowest. whoa! wow. i mean, the outfit helps, but pretty great. look at us.

♪ listen to our. [ music playing ] and beautiful graphic for christmas day. merry christmas, everyone. so there were too many defining moments to count during this eventful first year of the trump presidency. let's focus on four big issues that have had a real impact on the white house and the country. and let's talk about it with cnn political analysts david gregory and john avalon. great to see both of you. >> merry christmas. >> let's start with the firing of james cocoa and what has led

-- james comey and what has led to the russia investigation and ripple effect. that has been a defining moment, i think fair to say. >> no question about it. here are you in the first full month of the trump administration. coming in with his american carnage inaugural. really an administration taking shape, michael flynn goes, there's a comey firing, and all the dominoes start falling with that dominated the year. the investigation, the fights between the president and press. and an investigation that normally doesn't happen in the first year of the presidency. this is serious stuff. >> the notable piece is that the president then brings upon an obstruction of justice investigation on to himself. what was a real investigation into whether the campaign was somehow working with the russians to influence the election became an obstruction case which is much easier to prove, and which has led to a level of paranoia on the par of the president that he brought on himself. and -- >> if he hadn't fired comey, he

wouldn't be in the potential jeopardy that he may or may not be in. >> absolutely. no. and he also had pretext to do it given how politicized jim comey had made the fbi who certainly made a lot of mistakes. an incredible moment in this investigation. >> on the probe in 2018, what do you think? do we believe it wraps up this year? do we believe it happens early this year? what do you think happens? >> i actually think that it will wrap up sooner rather than later. my hunch is that mueller and his team will be streamlined, focused about. this they understand at the end of the year all the criticism of investigators, bias, even among mainstream conservatives. i think you have to believe this takes on a financial dimension. i think the potential financial relationship between russia and the trump campaign and his

family, this an s -- that's an area of inquiry. we got information regarding banking relationships. that's something i'll be looking for in the year ahead. >> by any measure, this investigation is moving fast, but it's vast. >> see what i did that -- >> i saw that. like that. >> he did it -- >> not wearing a christmas vest. that's all i know. >> i don't have the skills to pull off that ver-- >> i agree that i think it will be a key part, with the indictments of manafort and gates, that's an aspect. but the president needs to draw a red line saying, look, it's got to be contained. if you go into the financials and raising the specter of firing mueller. but that's another thing to watch, will congress try to make it more difficult for the foot do? are we head -- for the president to do? are we heading for an

investigation, or will he respond as a deliberate democracy is supposed to do? i think it will come to a ahead. i don't think it's mueller's intent to stretch it out. >> one point about the attack on mueller. i mean, at the end of the year, the president made clear he doesn't want to fire him. make no mistake, this is -- they are following the clinton playbook on discrediting mueller, when they did to star. next defining moment -- in a year of incendiary talk, charlottesville and what happened and the protests in charlottesville stood out. listen to this -- >> we condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, baghdad on theory, and violence -- bigotry, and violence on many sides often many sides. >> it was the " on many sides" people objected to. >> it was repugnant. it harkened back to the hatred of races that was part of the country, to anti-semitism. it was ugly.

and for the president of the united states to engage on that i think was if not shocking, it was -- it rattled the ground that people stood on even in his own party to think this is a guy who does not have a sense of moral authority in this office. and is sufficiently disrespectful. to engage in the kind of talk that gets people digging into conspiracy theories, who start questioning the press and the very nature of truth, this was more tyrannical talk than anything else. this is not the stuff of democracy. it was just awful. >> look, the oval office is primarily an office of moral leadership. different presidents have succeeded or failed by that standard. charlottesville made us confront the specter of the neo-nazi next door. >> yeah. >> there were white kids in polo shirts holding torches talking about blood and swell. and it was so repugnant, and for

any equivocation to occur, i think that really crystalized the dangerous forces we've been playing with in our politics in a way that was absolutely undeniable. i think that was a crystallizing moment for our nation for what we're confronting. >> sadly, for the haters, too. those who loved what the president said most was the white supremacists. the trade was, he'll be good for the economy. the economy by just about every metric other than wages, is doing great. what does the president deserve, and what is the forecast going forward? >> you know, it's hard to say. he gets the credit that any incumbent should get, right? just as no incumbent should get the blame if things experience a downturn. there are things around the world -- there's a global advance in economies around the

world which is great. lots of underlying problems about wage disparity and so forth. but there was, interestingly, an expectation throughout the year that drove the bull market around tax reform. an incredibly mixed picture. but still this expectation for him to deliver in some ways that did fuel the economy. i think that's true. this other point about politics that is about blaming other people for economic circumstances is still the ugly underside of what we've seen in terms of the strength of the economy. >> what i think you can say is the business of a businessman president who wanted to focus on deregulation and cutting taxes did give a boost to the economy. there had been a slow recovery under president obama. after the election, there was a lot of expectation that the inherent destabilization of this man in the markets would make people nervous. there's specters on the global

stage that would make people feel skeptical. the gap is wages, and the ski this president campaigned appealing to main street, not wall street. people who felt left behind from the recovery of the great recession. and can he actually reach out, and can those folks find relief and optimism in real terms? that's going to be one of the real tests of 2018. >> it is, but the nature of the tax plan and how this president -- not just the president but republican leaders screwed it, screwed blue america, went out of their way to punish wealthy people living in big blue states through, you know, all the things we've talked about around deductions and things like that is a striking feature of how he's tried to navigate the economy. and those in the business -- >> fitting with the christmas season. >> yes. >> they scrooged them. scrooged. >> that's when he meant. >> scrooged. >> north korea, we have to end on this. it's reached a boiling point. it feels as though it's reached several boiling points in 2017.

where are we? >> this is as of yet unresolved, but it's accelerated. i think from the trump administration's perspective, they are trying to avoid repeating the mistakes they believe the previous administrations have done, effectively kicking the began, getting north korea closer -- kicking the can, getting north korea closer to a missile that can hit the united states of america. we're at a tipping point, and the rhetoric has escalated on both sides at time. trump has tried to pull together a global coalition. here's where you see that gap between what the pentagon says and what the president says. >> right. >> i think in 2018 we've got the olympics at the beginning of the year. just, you know, incredibly close to the dmz. but the real question will be do they feel they have an obligation to contain kim while they can, and what it means for 2018. high stakes in the world. >> does the united states sit down with north korea this year? >> i think so. i mean, i think if there's a willingness, i think they'll do it. i actually think -- there's two sides to this. obviously, plenty of alarm. i think there's been a real process here that they should get credit for for operating at

different speeds. still, my fear in all of that, despite the diplomacy, is that the administration might be willing to do something preemptively, what i think would be catastrophic. i hope and pray that the north does not put america in a corner where it feels it can't not do it. >> yeah. >> teddy roosevelt used to say speak softly and carry a big stick, but this president seems to speak loudly. that could backfire. >> thank you very much. the political landscape in america is shifting. what does that mean for democrats? do you think they'll be able to keep momentum going? do you think they're looking good going into midterms? let's discuss next. ♪ with expedia, you can book a flight, then add a hotel, and save. ♪ everything you need to go. expedia a trip back to the dthe doctor's office, mean

just for a shot. but why go back there, when you can stay home with neulasta onpro? strong chemo can put you at risk of serious infection. neulasta helps reduce infection risk by boosting your white blood cell count, which strengthens your immune system. in a key study, neulasta reduced the risk of infection from 17% to 1%, a 94% decrease. applied the day of chemo, neulasta onpro is designed to deliver neulasta the next day. neulasta is for certain cancer patients receiving strong chemotherapy. do not take neulasta if you're allergic to neulasta or neupogen (filgrastim). ruptured spleen, sometimes fatal as well as serious lung problems, allergic reactions, kidney injuries, and capillary leak syndrome have occurred. report abdominal or shoulder tip pain, trouble breathing or allergic reactions to your doctor right away. in patients with sickle cell disorders, serious, sometimes fatal crises can occur. the most common side effect is bone and muscle ache. so why go back there? if you'd rather be home, ask your doctor about neulasta onpro.

this i can do, easily. i try hard to get a great shape. benefiber® healthy shape is a clear, taste-free, 100% natural daily fiber... that's clinically proven to help me feel fuller longer. benefiber® healthy shape. this i can do! ♪ tired of wrestling with seemingly impossible cleaning tasks? using wipes in the kitchen can be ineffective. try mr. clean magic eraser. simply add water, to remove burnt on food and grease. try mr. clean magic eraser. the markets change... at t. rowe price... our disciplined approach remains. global markets may be uncertain... but you can feel confident in our investment experience around the world. call us or your advisor... t. rowe price. invest with confidence.

i use herpecin l.re, it penetrates deep to treat. it soothes, moisturizes, and creates an spf 30 barrier, to protect against flare-ups caused by the sun. herpecin l. good morning. welcome back to this christmas day edition of "new day." if you are unwrapping packages, you may want to turn up the show so not as to distract from all of the greatness that is about to come out --

>> right, or forget your gifts. this is our gift to you. >> we are the gift to you. you're welcome. you're welcome. >> yes. >> okay. what are we lookinga let i looking at this year? 2018 is going to be a big year. the midterms coming. face, it preside , iit, the pre campaign is coming up up. and j.j. watt raised more than $37 million for houston after the city was devastated by hurricane harvey. first, we'll check the headlines. >> good morning, pope francis delivering his christmas day address and blessing to the world. the pontiff praying for children around the world, including those dealing with renewed tensions in jerusalem. earlier the pontiff celebrated christmas mass at st. peter's square and touched on the plight of migrants and refugees, comparing their struggle to mary and joseph's journey to bethlehem. in afghanistan, at least ten people are killed and five injured following a suicide bomb

attack. the blast taking place near the compound of afghanistan's intelligence agency in kabul. the site of the attack is close to the u.s. embassy and several other diplomatic missions. at this point, no group has claimed responsibility. u.s. ambassador nikki haley celebrating a $285 million budget cut to the u.n. she slammed the world body for what she called bloated management. the cut to the overall u.n. budget happening after the u.n. voted overwhelmingly to condemn president trump's decision to recognize jerusalem as the capital of israel. rescue crews racing to save 150 skiers who were trapped on a broken ski lift in the french alps. the incident happening in the french ski resort. images showing two helicopters flying to the gondolas. emergency crews then forcing open the roofs and lowering the stranded skiers back on to the ground.

this is amazing video. the rescue operation taking nearly two hours. fortunately, no one was hurt. no word on what caused the incident. i'm alison kosik. more headlines coming up in 30 minutes. merry christmas. welcome back. 2018 shaping up to be a momentous year in politics. the midterms coming in november. you'll have everything that leads up to it, about playing to advantage. so what should we be looking for? what should we expect? how about additional members of congress? is anybody else going retire? let's discuss. we have cnn political analysts david gregory and john avalon. we have a checklist of big things to watch for. let's put it up for people here. repealing obamacare,

infrastructure program, reforming welfare entitlement programs. david, do you think we have those in a right order, or they may come in a different order? >> i think they may come in a different order. and i would add the unexpected. whether it's the mueller investigation, another supreme court vacancy, the investigation around the mueller investigation or supreme court vacancy or some other shock, something in national security and foreign affairs. could make any kind of agenda just stand still or never get started. i still think that the potential promise of a trump presidency is to take on something that he may know something about which is infrastructure. a way to work with democrats. maybe the well has been too poisoned at this point. you know, welfare reform is certainly an area that i think certainly the speaker of the house, paul ryan, would like to take on. he's taken it on before. in an election year when it hurt him, the last time he took it on, and a president who probably doesn't want to do draconian things that timely reformed

require, and he pledged not to. that doesn't mean as much. but i think he'd be less inclined to do it. so i still think there's a big undertaking, infrastructure could make sense if there's any room to do those. >> how do you see it -- >> that was the great lost opportunity of 2017. and what remains an opportunity for this administration. it's an area where there's theoretically bipartisan support, and the president has credibility as a lifelong builder. they've put that to the side in '17. and as you head to midterms, this crowds out policy. that would be the smart thing to focus on. republicans are also trying to regain credibility on one of their core issues which is deficit and debt. generational responsibility. they've given that away. whenever they seem to be in power, they care a lot about it when a democrat's in the white house but find excuses not to deal with it when a republican is. will they try to regain credibility on that issue? many sincerely believe that it's an existential threat.

then you got to deal with it. obamacare reforms are perennial. i mean, you know, that for them -- i mean, they will keep voting on it until they can feel -- rename it. >> a sweeter spot to campaign on as opposed to being demagogued on, you know, medicare or social security which they don't want to face. >> yeah. but they should -- look, it's ultimately governing should be about principles, but also about helping people. so you got -- if you're going to repeal, you got to replace. >> you raised the issue of midterms. let's talk about that. does the clock for midterms start january 2nd? is that -- that's where we'll be focussed? >> yeah, 2017 it started. yeah. no question about. it i think what we've seen as the year ended in alabama and virginia, you see a democratic coalition that doesn't have leadership but has enthusiasm. they don't have an alternative to trump other than opposing trump. but they've got enthusiasm. at a fever pitch. at all ages poempi inages. polling has shown at the end of

the year as a rejection of trump by democrats. and in a midterm, i think trump could be shellacked. i think it could be potentially a difficult year. >> sure. normally i'd say it you're below 50%, stay away from the midterms. you could be talking to your party -- instead, we're talking about a president in the low 30s. that's unprecedented. democrats who are taking a lot of comfort from the strong wins in virginia and alabama need to realize that they have to confront democrats -- and taking back the senate and house is difficult. it's not impossible. the enthusiasm's on their side. but they'll have to put forward strong candidates. >> do they want candidates like doug jones and -- virginia -- i'm forgetting his name -- you

know, these are more conservative democrats. they're not bernie sanders. >> you have two aspects. first thing is that -- what are they going replace it with? being anti-trump will help the democrats a little, but it's not going to be enough. they keep using as an analogy what happened in '94. i remember well that's what my father lost. there was something bigger coming. the economy was soft, it wasn't working for the working class. there was a culture issue, the death penalty. and the republicans put together the contract with america. there was something big they had to offer. what is the big thing the democrats have to offer? you don't have the answer. >> no. >> they need to come up with something more than just not trump. the other aspects -- you whiffed on the first one, the other aspect is that the president had gotten heat for tweeting, we're doing pretty good with the congressional races. we're like 5-0. he forgot that the senate is part of congress. the senate will matter, too.

they have such a slim margin there that they have to be on their game. i would disagree that i don't know that there's as much of a legislative push. i don't think there's consensus around that, as there is rejecting trump and rolling back trump. i mean, if you think back to the midterm in 2016, that was the anti-iraq war. >> right. >> he looms that large, as this kind of big, amorphous issue, trump and trumpism. that is the ideology of the democrats. >> yeah. i think, look, the way elections tend to be opposition in this country, right? wave elections tend to be opposing something, not enough about proposition, one of the deeper problems in our country, in our politics. we're not focussed on what we're for as much as we're against. that said, democrats will need to reach out to moderates and the middle class. there is a deep divide in the democratic party between the bernie sanders wing and what had been the hillary clinton wing. that's not going to be solved, and they can paper it over by opposition to trump. you'll start to see candidates who want to run in 2020 try to take leadership roles in this

midterm. how can they square that circle? can they play out beyond the base? they can't just play the blue states and win a national election. that ill have to think bigger and reach out beyond the base. >> thank you very much. merry christmas. >> thank you. the hurricane season was devastating, of course, this year. there is a silver lining, and we will talk with houston texans star j.j. watt who raised nearly $40 political to help people impacted, next. ♪ ♪ give a little bit ♪ ♪ give a little bit... -hello. ♪ give a little bit... ♪ ... of your love to me oh, haha. ♪ there's so much that we need to share ♪ ♪ so send a smile and show that you care ♪ ♪ i'll give a little bit of my love to you ♪

to find smarter solutions. to offer more precise and less invasive treatment options than before. like advanced genomic testing and immunotherapy. see how we're fighting to outsmart cancer at cancercenter.com/outsmart pain from a headache whcan make this...ld, ...feel like this. all-in-one cold symptom relief from tylenol®, the #1 doctor recommended pain relief brand. tylenol®.

merry christmas. welcome back to a special christmas day edition of "new day." it's been exactly four months since hurricane harvey made landfall in texas. a category 4 storm. one person trying to help texans get back on their feet is houston texans star j.j. watt. the nfl player raised more than $37 million for his home state. j.j. watt joins us now from houston. merry christmas, big man. >> hi, merry christmas to you.

>> so the money that you have raised, how is it helping people during the christmas season? >> it's all i work. the money's out of work, now we're working with four great organizations. sbp is helping rebuild homes, and throughout the next couple of years they'll rebuild hundreds of homes. we're partnering with americares who's giving out medical care, physical and mental health care, both equally important during this time. we're working with feeding america to give out food and drinks, obviously during this tough time. people are going through so much, they need the nutrition. we're also working with save the children to get over 1,000 childcare centers back up and running. that's one of most important things is parents need a place to get their kids to be safe, and obviously to get themselves back to work. and some of the childcare centers provide food and community services, as well. it's extremely important that we get those back up and running. it's a long process. it's obviously going to take a long time, we're working over the course of the next two

years. the money is at work. i've visited and seen the sites. and it's truly incredible what these people went through. but also the positivity and the energy that they have throughout it all. and it's really inspiring. i can't thank everybody who donated enough because your money is doing great things. >> you're a young man. you're young in your career still, yet you're known for taking on community efforts are real passion. what was the most where you knew you had to step up here? >> i mean, these people support me throughout my whole career. i've been in houston for seven years. they've supported me on the field and off the field. and when you see your city going through something like that, you see the people that support you going through something like that. you have to step up. you have to find a way. you know, i heard a quote, if you can, you must. and i feel like it was just my duty, i'm grateful for everything they did and to see them going through such a difficult time. i wanted to be right there with them side by side going through it and doing whatever i could to

use my platform for good. >> you were named "sports illustrated" sportsman of the year for lifting up the people of houston for a difficult time. what did that mean to you? >> i think it's so much bigger than a single-person honor. i'm humble and honored to receive that and share it with jose altuve and the astros for what they did for the city. it's bigger than either of us. it's a city. it's a culture. it's an entire -- over 200,000 people donated to the fund, and so many more helped out whether it was physically, getting in boats, helping people, firemen, policemen, stepping up, and it's continuing moving forward. i think everybody deserves the award. i'm fortunate enough. to be the mouthpiece. i want to give everybody credit. >> good for you. it's always about team. like you said, if you can, you must. you have special talents and brought them to bear. the reason i say you're still young in your career is i've been following you all along since college. you're seven years in. but you ain't normal, big

brother. let me tell you something. the way that you handle yourself as an athlete, the way you train makes you special. how you're doing in coming back from -- how you doing in coming back from your injury? >> i appreciate that. that's very kind of you. i'm doing good. it was a gruesome injury, but the recovery process is going really well. and i have a lot of optimism. you know, i have a lot of excitement and optimism for what the future holds and getting back on the field and helping my team out. i can't wait. every day is a new step. it takes a lot of single steps to climb a mountain. i'm working up the mountain one day at a time. i can't wait to get back to the top. >> i look forward to videos that make me feel great and terrible at the same time where you do amazing physical skill sets. i love watching you, even when you dunk the basketball. i've never seen anybody make it look as easy as you do at your size. you're a big man. you got a big heart, as well. >> thank you. >> you're helping people who deserve it. we look forward to you getting back on the field. you're not a jet, but you can't

have everything in life. you're good with a community, you got to take your blessings where you find them. >> thank you. i appreciate it. feel free to send the videos. i'll take any of those. >> sadly, there are none. that's why i need you. the only thing i dunk is doughnuts and coffee. you be well. >> that's all right. thank you. happy holidays. >> all right. let's say you've received a gift you do not like. should you re-gift it or return it? christine romans joins us with what to do next.

she's nationally recognized for her compassion and care. he spent decades fighting to give families a second chance. but to help others, they first had to protect themselves. i have afib. even for a nurse, it's complicated... and it puts me at higher risk of stroke. that would be devastating. i had to learn all i could to help protect myself. once i got the facts, my doctor and i chose xarelto®. xarelto®... to help keep me protected. once-daily xarelto®, a latest-generation blood thinner... ...significantly lowers the risk of stroke in people with afib not caused by a heart valve problem. it has similar effectiveness to warfarin. xarelto® works differently. warfarin interferes with at least 6 blood-clotting factors. xarelto® is selective, targeting just one critical factor interacting with less of your body's natural blood-clotting function. for afib patients well-managed on warfarin, there is limited information on how xarelto® compares in reducing the risk of stroke. don't stop taking xarelto® without talking to your doctor, as this may increase risk of stroke. while taking, you may bruise more easily,

or take longer for bleeding to stop. it may increase your risk of bleeding if you take certain medicines. xarelto® can cause serious, and in rare cases, fatal bleeding. get help right away for unexpected bleeding, unusual bruising, or tingling. if you've had spinal anesthesia, watch for back pain or any nerve or muscle-related signs or symptoms. do not take xarelto® if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. tell your doctor before all planned medical or dental procedures... ...and before starting xarelto®-about any conditions, such as kidney, liver, or bleeding problems. it's important to learn all you can... ...to help protect yourself from a stroke. talk to your doctor about xarelto®. there's more to know™. but when we brought our daughter home, that was it. now i have nicoderm cq. the nicoderm cq patch with unique extended release technology helps prevent your urge to smoke all day. it's the best thing that ever happened to me. every great why needs a great how.

welcome back, everyone. so if you do not love one of your gifts, you're not alone. 15% of all gifts are returned each holiday season. i'm surprised it's so low. christine romans has the best way to return those unwanted items. >> i return none of my gifts. i love everything you all are going to give me. >> yeah. and you've already had some of it to drink. anyway, is returning -- are

stores prepared, or do they think it's a hassle? >> they do think it's a hassle. they're careful because there is return fraud that happens when people buy or -- they steal or buy stolen goods and return it or wear or use somethings and try and return it -- use some things and try and return it. keep the receipts, put items in the box, don't take the tags off. logical, common sense kind of advice. but be organized, and return it as quickly as you can. >> i wanted to ask about the timing. people should go out tomorrow and make returns? >> no, you don't have to go tomorrow. i would say two weeks is the max here. places like apple will extend you a couple of two weeks return it. they general have a pretty short return window. most places have, you know, maybe 30 days. after that, you would get store credit instead of your money back. and you want your money back. the most generous windows are places like nordstrom, kohl's, generous -- >> forever?

>> not forever, but they will give more time. what it somebody bought you this gift back in november, right? >> right. >> so you want to make sure that you keep as much of the details as you can together. >> have return policies become tougher? >> yes, because of return fraud. people trying to figure out how to get a different price for something. they have gotten more stringent. and you heard of restocking fees, especially for electronics, restocking fees. maybe the company will charge a little because they've had to adjust inventory because you bought something and then returned it. i mean, just always make sure you get a gift rooeeceipt for t gifts you're going to give and keep receipts as much as you can. >> say you didn't get everything you wanted, or say you didn't get everything on your list for other people, is now a good time to still go shopping, or do prices tick back up? >> this is a great time. there will be a lot of really great sales here because you're going to see all these retailers trying to adjust inventory.

clothing, apparel, this is a great time for apparel. sometimes you're having a hard time finding sizes, but when you return to stores, great deals. holiday decor, 75% off. video games, a good time, and electronics. those are the best deals. i will caution everybody, when you're going to return your gifts, don't load yourself up on other debt. be careful that you're not buying what you don't need. >> how we do that? >> you never do that. >> you go to the store and see things and get inspired. >> i know. >> what about gift cards? i have a bunch of gift cards i've never used. >> there's a debate about whether gift cards are the essence are the gift giving, if you're giving a gift card. we'll leave that aside. say you get five or six, there's a surprisingly large percentage of people who don't use them. they go in a drawer, and they forget them. there are card-swapping sites where you can go and trade one card for a different brand or

cash it in. i would say look for 80 cents to 90 cents on the dollar is pretty much what you should expect. if you're swapping a card, sometimes there's a fee to do that. don't let that money go to waist. >> and tell us the naims mes, a you allowed to tell -- >> i would like to specifically vet them before i put them out there. there are two or three that are well regarded. >> good. after you've got them, maybe you'll tweet it or put it on maybe? >> how about i do that? >> i appreciate it. merry christmas to you. >> research. you know what that is -- homework. when we come back, the big political stories of the year and what to expect in 2018.

♪ ♪ give a little bit ♪ ♪ give a little bit... -hello. ♪ give a little bit... ♪ ... of your love to me oh, haha. ♪ there's so much that we need to share ♪ ♪ so send a smile and show that you care ♪ ♪ i'll give a little bit of my love to you ♪

they appear out of nowhere. my secret visitors. appearing next to me in plain sight. hallucinations and delusions. these are the unknown parts of living with parkinson's disease. what stories they tell. but for my ears only. what plots they unfold. but only in my mind. over 50% of people with parkinson's will experience hallucinations or delusions during the course of their disease. and these can worsen over time, making things even more challenging. but there are advances

that have led to treatment options that can help. if someone you love has parkinson's and is experiencing hallucinations or delusions, talk to your parkinson's specialist. because there's more to parkinson's. my visitors should be the ones i want to see. learn more at moretoparkinsons.com this american carnage stops right now. >> sean spicer, our press secretary, gave alternative facts. >> regardless of recommendation, i was going to fire mueller. >> drop any investigation connected to flynn. >> the nomination is confirmed. >> i regret that our efforts were simply not enough. >> my [ bleep ] paranoid schizophrenic, paranoid -- >> we have come so far, and the people of alabama have spoken. >> rocket man is on a suicide mission