good morning, america. developing right now, christmas eve storm. floods, tornados and damaging winds poised to savage the season. are your holiday plans about to be wiped out by the severe weather on the way? as a record number of travelers hit the road. new this morning, knocked out. the internet goes down in north korea. their entire system mysteriously collapsing overnight. did the u.s. strike back? vanished. without a trace. the armored truck found without the driver and empty. what happened to the army man behind the wheel? the urgent search under way. looked like one of those unmanned drones was flying right on the final. >> and everyone wants a drone. whether you have been naughty or nice, it's one of the most popular presents flying off shelves.

but a new warning from the government about what you're really wrapping up. ♪ i don't need it in my stocking ♪ and good morning, america. that song is already happily stuck in all of our heads this morning. now it's going to be stuck in yours as well. >> a little gift for you all on this tuesday morning. you know, there's been no breakout christmas song since mariah carey. so we're finally about to get a new holiday hit. >> 20 years ago. 1994. we want to get to the weather right now. so much snow out west. look who's taking a break from christmas prep. it's not us. there it is right there. >> i was just about to reenact it for you. >> rob, that's santa claus. >> that is santa claus. so with technology today, he's able to take a quick break. ahead of schedule, happy to report. he will be busy, and he will have a strong jet stream to ride in on in some cases.

that jet stream is bringing on a couple of storms. actually three of them that are going to come together. one, two, and three. and those things will collide and begin to strengthen as we go through time. as that happens, we have a couple of concerns. namely, severe weather and heavy rain across the south. we're going to tap some gulf of mexico moisture. you know what happens when that happens this time of year. rain in tallahassee, up through atlanta. i-95, a wet go. well, today, yes, and especially tomorrow. and even this morning, there are some pockets of frozen precipitation. and the back side of this, there will be snow in places like chicago. the question is will it stick and give you a white christmas? might be enough to make it festive. but i'll tell you, the travel is certainly going to be a headache. and more specifically today, the severe threat there as well, from new orleans to jackson, mobile, tallahassee to the i-10 corridor. strong thunderstorms, isolated tornados. so we'll be watching this throughout the day today. and of course, the travel weather as we go through tomorrow. guys, back over to you. >> thank you very much. and it's also something of a

perfect storm on the roads. the combination of a strong economy and low gas prices adding up to record holiday travel and traffic. david kerley has the story from a gas station in new jersey. and good morning, david. >> reporter: good morning, lara. that forecast from rob is not good news for millions of us who are going to hit the road. in fact, a record number. there is some good news, though. on the sign you see behind me. gas prices. aaa is predicting nearly 90 million of us will hit the roads in the next week and half or so. and those driving tomorrow could see slick roads with all that rain. why drive? filling sup filling up the roads because gas prices are so low. the lowest they've been in five years. look what's happened in the past year. gas prices down 86 cents a gallon. the weekly government average has it at $2.40 a gallon. that's down 15 cents from a week ago. gasbuddy.com is saying that 27 states, half the states, have gas under $2 a gallon. if traveling by air, if you're

going to fly, there could be delays with the storm tomorrow in some of the big hubs. d.c., new york, atlanta, boston. the good news, it's light travel in the air tomorrow. lara? >> all right. all right. so everybody, bide your time. it's going to happen. we're going to turn now to the latest twist in the sony hack attack by north korea. president obama promised to respond at a time and place of america's choosing. and now, north korea's internet has crashed. u.s. officials are not saying if the government is behind it. tom llamas is here with more. good morning, tom. >> reporter: george, good morning to you. some fearing this may be the beginning of a cyberwar. on the u.s. side, no one is talking. but for most of the day, north korea was scrambling to fix their servers. this morning, north korea back online. the internet coming back overnight, just as mysteriously as it went out on monday. their system collapsing for nearly ten hours. the outage coming amid a war of words between the u.s. and north korea over the sony cyberattack. >> if the u.s. did this, they're

clearly defining the parameters for this kind of activity. this could be devastating if it leads to an escalation for this type of warfare. >> reporter: the u.s. blaming the secretive nation for hacking sony's computers over its planned release of the movie, "the interview." >> you are entering into the most dangerous country on earth. >> reporter: president obama warning there would be a response. but the state department neither confirming nor denying monday that it's behind the north korea outage. >> as we implement our responses, some will be seen. some may not be seen. >> reporter: cybersecurity experts say hacking north korea's system in what's called a denial of service attack is not that complicated because of its limited technology. over the years, satellite photos have shown how little electricity runs through the hermit nation at night. china and south korea, bright, with light. north korea, a black void from space. >> they only have 1,024 i.p. addresses to service that entire country. that compares to hundreds of

millions from a country like china or the united states. >> reporter: meanwhile, back in the united states, "the interview" is not coming to a theater near you. but a small playhouse in new york city is advertising a live stage reading. a two-hour production they claim has an authentic script all in the name of freedom of speech. sony has not authorized that reading. so we'll see what happens. also new this morning, sony threatening to sue twitter over tweets linked to their hacked information. and we want to mention. want to get back to north korea now. the u.s. is not talking. but in the past, many believe they hacked iraq and iran's systems and never took credit for it. so guys, we may never know. what's really wild, one cybersecurity expert i spoke to said, it could be the u.s. it could be a 15-year-old. we just don't know. >> wow. okay, tom, thanks very much. now a call for calm, and an end to the anti-police protests in new york until after the funerals for the two officers executed at point-blank range over the weekend. police using this surveillance video to map out a timeline of

the killer's movements in the hours just before the attack. linsey davis is here with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, lara. baltimore police have talked to brinsley's ex-girlfriend who he allegedly shot in the stomach on saturday morning. she remains in critical condition. she says brinsley gave no indication that he intended to commit violence against police officers. this morning, dramatic cell phone video revealing the frantic moments when emergency workers tried to save wenjian liu and rafael ramos just after they were shot in their patrol car on saturday. >> shots fired. >> shots fired. >> reporter: this as the police try to piece together the gunman's movements just before the ambush. according to the nypd, this newly-released surveillance footage shows 28-year-old ismaaiyl brinsley at a mall, just two hours before the shooting. his gun, they say, in that bag. after that, no sign of brinsley until he opens fire. >> we have a very disturbed young man here. >> reporter: investigators now saying brinsley attended a protest in new york city earlier this month, rallying against

alleged police misconduct. >> put your hands up! >> i can't breathe. >> reporter: while police say brinsley didn't directly participate in the protest, he did reference garner and michael brown in an instagram post discovered one hour before the ambush. writing -- they take one of ours, let's take two of theirs. but on monday, garner's daughter, emerald, rejecting violence in her father's name. joining the hundreds coming to pay respects to the fallen officers. >> i have to come out and let the family know we stand with them. >> reporter: new york mayor bill de blasio and william bratton the commissioner, visiting with the victims' families on monday, including liu's wife of just two months. he had offered to fill in on the shift for a coworker who was running late the day he was killed. >> this is a difficult time for both of our families. but we will stand together and get through this together. thank you. >> reporter: de blasio has been criticized by police officers for being anti-cop.

which prompted officers to defiantly turn their backs on him saturday night. he's urging protesters to hold off until after the officers are laid to rest. >> the assassination of these two officers was an attack on the city of new york as a whole, on our values, on our democracy. we cannot tolerate such attacks. >> reporter: the funeral for officer ramos is going to take place on saturday. both al sharpton and eric garner's youngest daughter are quick to point out that they believe this was a mental health crisis, not part of a larger movement against alleged police misconduct or the result of anything the mayor said or supported. >> thanks very much. and new details about an attempt to smuggle guns on delta airlines. a bag full of them, some loaded, were found on a flight out of atlanta. federal agents now say the guns were part of a trafficking ring. this could be a huge security risk. and pierre thomas has more. one arrest has been made. >> reporter: it appears it was an inside job. arrests have been made.

prosecutors say a delta employee smuggled 18 handguns past security in atlanta's airport. once the guns were inside the airport, they were handed over to a former delta employee inside of a bathroom. from there, the weapons, including seven guns that were loaded, were slipped into carry-on luggage on a plane that flew to new york. it raises serious questions about the vetting of employees and whether there's enough layers of security to catch dirty staffers. in the past year alone, airline workers from delta, u.s. airways, and air ran the have been charged with or convicted of smuggling drugs. we are expected to learn more later today. >> not good news for delta around the holiday travel time. >> reporter: they issued a statement saying they're working with authorities and they take this martyr seriously. >> okay, pierre thomas, thanks very much. now the other top stories from paula faris. in for amy today. we begin with more encouraging news for wall street. word this morning that the economy grew at a rate of 5%

during the last quarter. that is the best economic growth that we have seen in 11 years. and major development in the labor dispute affecting thousands of workers on the west coast. overnight, west coast port operators asked a federal mediator to intervene, saying contract talks with workers are at an impasse despite months of negotiations. a potential port shutdown could cost the u.s. economy up to $2 billion every day. a dramatic rescue at sea to show you. the coast guard rushing to the scene after a small plane crashed off the bahamas. the plane submerged in crystal clear water. they got the pilot out, hoisted him up to their helicopter. he's recovering this morning. and a nrk congressman is expected to plead guilty today for felony tax fraud. republican michael grimm may be best-remembered for this video, threatening to throw a reporter over a balcony for asking about a campaign finance allegation.

today's guilty plea could end his congressional career. and a terrifying case of road rage caught on camera in california. look at this. two women driving on route 80 say a truck cut them off. then the driver started harassing them. weaving back and forth, nearly forcing them off of the road. when both vehicles stopped, the driver, she comes over, starts pounding on their window. claiming she was a police officer. back on the road, it started again. this time her truck hit them. >> oh! >> she just hit our car. she just hit our car. she's pushing us off of the road. >> the women called 911 and met a police officer at the next exit who arrested the suspect. and get this. it turns out she had just gotten out of jail for a hit and run. and speaking of rage, a brawl erupting on the field at college football's miami beach bowl, where punches were thrown, helmets swung, and at least one player, already bleeding, seemed to throw a cheap shot. yes. it followed an overtime win by memphis. their coach later saying they need to learn how to handle

success. i'd say so. but the big sports headline this morning is the shocker from "monday night football." peyton manning throwing four interceptions. the bengals stunning the broncos, 37-28 in cincinnati. and the bengals punching their ticket to the playoffs. you don't see that very often. and finally, a thief with a real, sorry about this, leg up on his criminal pals. we remember the leg lamp from the epic movie, "a christmas story." each year, a liquor store near pu buffalo puts up this display in honor of the movie. but some grinch, he looks left, he looks right, and then he swipes the leg lamp before making a run for it. we can't wait until they catch this guy and put him on trial. because, you guys, he's not going to have a leg to stand on. >> i knew it was coming. >> bad joke. it was a really bad joke. i'm all about bad jokes this morning. do you have leg lamps? >> no. you know -- >> you would. >> i would. if given the opportunity.

>> flea market find. not happening right there. >> thanks, paula. a new health study now that may explain why we can't get a good night's sleep. 43% of americans say it's a struggle. researchers find the problem may be what we do right before bed. dr. jen ashton is here. and jen, the culprits could be the tablets, iphones, computers right here. >> absolutely. this was a study done by a researcher from penn state. they compared two groups of adults, those who read at night from an ereader or backlit electronic book and traditional hardcover books. those who read off an ebook were less sleepy. they had less r.e.m. sleep, that important deep stage of sleep. and they had less morning alertness the following day. all these things can worsen the sleep problem so many of us already have. >> connected to the blue light in the tablet? >> yes, it's the short wavelength blue light. and the theory is that it disrupts the circadian rhythms that are so important to set our sleep and wake cycle.

it suppresses melatonin, the natural hormone that helps us fall asleep. >> no ereader companies have responded yet that we have contacted. is this a matter of unplugging before bedtime? >> right. it's not don't use them at all. it's don't use them right before you're going to sleep. so for all of us, unplug 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. this is not just for us. it's for our kids also. this is a startling statistic, the average american teenager spends 7 1/2 hours a day engaged in a combination of recreational media on their tech device and doing homework, a lot of which is done on a screen. so we need to be aware of this for our kids. >> that's their whole life right now. >> exactly. >> thanks, jen. >> you bet. we want to remember right now, one of the most unique singing voices of our time. joe cocker passing away at the age of 70 and leaving behind a remarkable legacy. ♪ what would you do if i sang out of tune ♪ >> reporter: his distinctive

voice spanned 40 years. ♪ would you stand up and walk out on me ♪ ♪ lend me your ears and i'll sing you a song ♪ ♪ i will try not to sing out of key ♪ ♪ i want to get by with a little help from my friends ♪ >> reporter: a prolific rocker who fronted some of the most memorable anthems of our time. ♪ you can leave your hat on you can leave your hat on ♪ ♪ love lift us up where we belong ♪ ♪ you are so beautiful [ cheers and applause ] ♪ to me ♪ a little help from my friends ♪ >> reporter: his eight-minute performance of the beatles' "a

little help from my friends" stole the show at woodstock, making cocker a household name. ♪ what do i do when my love is away ♪ >> reporter: this morning, paul mccartney remembering his friend as a mind-blowing singer who transformed a beatles' song into a soul anthem. ♪ i get by with a little help >> soulful, raspy, just one of a kind. remember how he moved. like he was dancing in a trance. he was frustrated he didn't play piano or guitar. that's how he got the musicality out of his body. >> that's why i gyrate, too, i think. it's the instrument. >> tremendous energy. we showed santa skiing earlier, we to want give equal due to the mortals among us. check out the video of fresh powder in vail, colorado. my goodness. a gopro camera, a nice stocking stuffer. through the aspen trees there.

with over a foot of it. you gotta love that. enjoy it. we have more. and breckenridge, 2 feet of snow. a lot of face shots, as they say. and there's more snow, i think, coming your way. and here's that low that's actually going to be exiting across parts of the great lakes. a little bit of light snow from minneapolis to chicago. i'm not sure how much is going to stick. most of us will have a wet green-brown christmas. some of the rain will be heavy at times. especially across i-10 today. severe thunderstorms. as we mentioned, some could have strong winds and isolated tornadoes. and 1 to 2 inches of rainfall today through christmas morning across parts of the northeast. meanwhile, if you want dry weather, go to l.a. where it will be 71 degrees. your local forecast is 30 seconds away. but first the tuesday trivia brought to you by walgreens.

>> good morning, i am meteorologist mike nicco with the bay area forecast. a little bit of fog this morning especially in the south bay but quick sunshine for the rest us and record highs are likely. breezy. quick light showers tomorrow. dry where cooler lows and cooler highs. more like winter thursday through monday. today, we could have the record high temperature. a little bit of fog tonight, upper 40's to low 50's. the seven-day forecast show .1" of rain tomorrow afternoon. have a >> been some great skiing across the northeast, as well. and there's more snow, i think, coming your way. >> thank you, rob. coming up on "gma," the tv weatherman shot outside his station speaks out for the first time as the manhunt for the shooter heats up.

also coming up, an armored truck found abandoned and empty. the engine still running. so what happened to the army man who was behind the wheel? and drones, they're flying off the shelves this christmas as one of the most popular presents. but a new warning from the government about what you're really putting under the tree. and why is it so hard to write a hit that everyone wants to sing along to? we're cracking the christmas code straight ahead. ♪ you gave it away this year to save me from tears i'll give it to someone special ♪ aved me from tears, i'll give it to someone special ♪ what's that in your ha? um... my at&t bill. my verizon bill. what's the monthly rate? $85 about $160 what if sprint could cut your rate plan in half? i... would love to cut that in half. and give you unlimited talk and text in the u.s., and match your data. that's incredible. bring in your verizon or at&t bill, turn in your old phone,

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>> it happens at the san leandro marina sunday afternoon. police are looking for a person that let loose a pair of pit

bulls that attacked larry osborn and his two dogs. officers shot and killed the pit bulsz when they moved to astack an officer. take a look at the bay bridge toll plaza. my goodness, it is a ghost town there as you're coming in from the east bay towards san francisco. no delays whatsoever, early holiday light i have to say. we do have an on-ramp blocked northbound side of 880 at marina boulevard. southbound traffic looking nice and clear. when we

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good morning. check out where the tule fog made it to. san jose, quarter mile visibility. in fact we're looking at the airport but no delays here. if you look at 87 right near the shark tank, that gives you an idea of how foggy it was as you look on either side of the road, but it is starting to lift already. let's talk about tomorrow. as we wake up in the morning, we'll have cloud cover that will be increasing. by noon rain in the north bay, 2:00 in the heart of the bay, during the latter parts of the

♪ i don't want a lot for christmas there is just one thing i need ♪ it's not as good as mine. >> we all know the song. sara haines, what's the movie that made it famous? >> "love actually." and that's what made it famous. i did my research. >> big breakout, mariah carey wrote it. why it is so hard to write a holiday hit. >> it's a mistery. and a real mystery this morning, an abandoned armored truck, and the urgent search to find the driver. and drones, the hottest gift, a serious warning from the government about them.

and an important alert for social media. what you need to know up next? >> important information. begin with the meteorologist shot in the parking lot of his waco tv station. describing the gunman who is still on the loose. ryan owens has the story. >> a lot of you know, i'm in the tv news business. >> reporter: patrick crawford is used to being on camera. but never like this. >> he started shooting as i was leaving the parking lot. >> reporter: the 34-year-old said he was ambushed as he was leaving work in waco, texas, just six days ago. he appeared before the cameras to emphasize he doesn't know the suspect known in the sense. and correct something that people said, that he exchanged words with the shooter. >> the man said no words, there was no interaction whatsoever. >> reporter: he saw the man long

enough to help officers create that sketch. detectives say they have released more than a hundred tips since releasing it. and the reward has doubled again. it's now $20,000 after crawford's station chipped in another 10,000. >> hopefully the description will help bring this person to justice for what he did and the crime he committed. >> reporter: crawford's wife, heather, a meteorologist at the same station, chose not to speak at the news conference. on her facebook page, she calls crawford her hero. she and many others have changed the profile picture to the logo of his favorite super hero. you may have noticed his favorite super man shirt. >> i want to get better and get home for me and my family. >> reporter: he is in a wheelchair but expects to be home by christmas. he's hoping the man he says did this to him will be behind bars by then.

for "good morning america," ryan owens, abc news, dallas. >> ryan, thank you. and now turn to an armored truck heist in texas. the vehicle has been found, but what was in it and the driver are missing, and police believe he could be in dangerous. david wright has the story. >> reporter: good morning. this is a real mystery and an urgent manhunt is underway for the drive. he's listed as missing and/or endangered. in amarillo, texas, a big money mystery with a life possibly on the line. an armored truck abandoned in a vacant lot. >> the armored truck was here facing the truck in this area right here. that's where the police officers were at. >> reporter: the engine running, the vehicle empty. driver, 24-year-old trent cook vanished without a trace. and police are not saying what was in the truck. >> is he okay? did he leave that truck because he wanted to or somebody made him? >> reporter: police issued an

all points bulletin, 5'6", blond hair, and last seen wearing a company uniform. he's not an armed employee. >> first concern is the welfare of the driver. >> reporter: cook's parents are adamant it's not an inside job. he's a family man, honorable to the core. >> i want to know that he's all right. >> none of us believe that trent has anything to do with this. we want him found and to come home. >> reporter: he is not a suspect. police listed him as missing and/or endangered. >> looking for anything to give us information. >> reporter: the armored car does transport money. this time of year, lots of it. >> a real mystery. thank you. and time for the weather. and the weather outside is frightful for most of the country. but l.a. not looking bad at all. >> not bad.

the winds keeping it mild. and high surf leading to this. ventura county. they are riding the waves. the wing tide around the winter solstice. and they are not worried about that. and the wind advisories, the offshore winds hold you have the face of the waves. the surfers love that. 75 in san diego, and dry across the southwest. another storm is moving into the pacific northwest. this will dive, again, into the mountains of the rockies, more fresh powder there. heavy rain across seattle and portland through today and tomorrow. and high tides again in seattle today as you reach the peak cycle. and dallas, and the mess is east of the mississippi river. good tuesday morning. i am meteorologist mike nicco. after a little bit of fog this morning and cooler conditions we will end up in the mid-to-upper 60's if most record and nearly

record highs and the warmest day which week after a chance of light rain tomorrow it will be >> this weather report brought to you by quickbooks. we have done snowboarding, surfing and skiing. give me ideas. >> water skiing. >> hang gliding. >> i like it. >> all warm -- >> got a lot to do. >> all warm weather activity. and coming up here, the coffee maker recall, are you in danger of being burned? and the new safety message from the government about drones. ♪because i love you ♪[music continues] ♪

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we're back at 7:40 with the new holiday safety campaign, aimed at anyone operating a drone. they are very popular this year as gifts. but the faa is concerned they can be dangerous if not used properly. gio benitez is here with the details. good morning to you, gio. >> reporter: good morning to you, lara. experts believe tens of thousands of kids will end up with a drone under their tree. but think about it, kids are not aviation experts. so this morning, the nation's aviation authority is reaching out directly to them. forget simple gifts like sleds. >> remember, don't try this at home, kids. >> reporter: or snow globes. >> oh. >> reporter: the christmas gift flying off shelves this holiday season, drones. some stores reporting demand soaring four times higher than

last christmas. as more and more states try to figure out how to deal with private drone use, aviation officials are not only sounding the alarm this morning, they're also launching a new campaign. know before you fly. >> how do you make sure you stay off the naughty list? we want you to know before you fly. >> reporter: posting online safety videos, easy for kids to understand. >> do fly your unmanned aircraft below 400 feet. don't fly beyond your line of sight. >> reporter: they range from 50 bucks to thousands. and are sold at stores like walmart, best buy, and even toys "r" us. and amazon, with a safety website of their own, urging customers to fly responsibly. more like this guy -- >> santa! >> reporter: -- and less like this one. but some are feeling more holiday fear than cheer over the new high-tech trend. aviation powerhouses, including the faa and the association for unmanned vehicle systems international, now warning that drones in the wrong hands could equal disaster. >> the problem is that people

don't have the warnings necessary to know that if they get too high or if they get in the wrong place, they could actually interfere with air traffic with people on board. >> reporter: those small drones creating dangers in the air. listen to this jetblue pilot last month. >> about two miles out, 4 to 300 feet. looked like one of those unmanned drones was flying right on the final. >> reporter: more than a dozen close calls between planes and drones in just the past two years. even out of the sky, a small drone plummeting on to a busy manhattan street during rush hour, feet from a person on the ground. >> we've got people out there using these things innocently and they don't realize that they can be dangerous. >> reporter: and again, that new website is knowbeforeyoufly.com. another request that people don't know. lots of people live within airports. if you're within five miles, give them a ring that you're taking the drone for a spin.

there's a real danger that they could go through a windshield of a plane or into the engine. >> is there any way to regulate them? >> there's a few local laws in place, and how do you find the owner of the drone? >> looking up. >> all right, thank you so much. and coming up, everybody, the science behind beating belly fat. what kind of exercise you're doing might be good, might be bad. we'll explain. >> i need to hear this story. and the secret to looking like you have gotten a good night's sleep. how you can appear well-rested. >> fake it till you make it. and why it can be so hard to write a holiday hit. we're trying to crack the code on what makes a christmas classic? ♪ all i want for christmas >> have you got one yet? >> i have one.

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♪ i don't want a lot for christmas ♪ well, that's a hit. we have been wondering all morning long why it's so hard to come up with a new one. mariah carey, 1994, it's the last big one. t.j. holmes, in the social square right now. t.j., it's not like nobody's tried. a lot of big stars taking a crack at it. >> they tried and failed miserably. here's a good rule of thumb. if taylor swift ain't pulled it off, you're probably not going to get it right. the most popular and performed christmas song is actually "santa claus is coming to town." but this song was written back in 1934. would you believe that the top 15 songs are from the1930s,

'40s, and '50s. we have discovered that justin beiber is not bing crosby. ♪ all i want for christmas is you ♪ >> reporter: for 20 years, all we have wanted for christmas is a new song, a new holiday hit. you know, something like this 1994 classic by mariah carey. ♪ all i want for christmas is you ♪ >> reporter: or this one -- ♪ last christmas >> reporter: wham's last christmas, released in the late '80s. or run dmc's "christmas in hollis." ♪ it's christmas time in hollis queens ♪ >> reporter: so why hasn't anybody cracked the christmas song code since mariah? a blogger with the "washington post" says there are some tricky rules when it comes to writing a christmas classic. like you keep it religious, but not too religious, and make it personal but still include holiday themes like snowmen and chimneys. faith hill came close in 2000 -- ♪ christmas is here >> reporter: and justin bieber's

mistletoe in 2011 deserves honorable mention. ♪ kiss me underneath the mistletoe ♪ already but like snow in october, they just didn't seem to stick. ♪ you better not cry >> reporter: where stars shine in holiday cover albums. michael buble's "christmas," susan boyle's "the gift," and josh groban's "noel." ♪ noel >> reporter: all finding a mace on billboard's list for top five albums of the year. but a true original like this? ♪ baby all i want for christmas is you ♪ >> reporter: that just may be a thing of christmas past. and george, i was joking there about beiber and bing crosby -- >> a little bit. >> but the idea is that beiber, he can make something hot for right now. he can't make something that's necessarily going to live for years. >> that's why i think it has to have a classic sound.

i think upbeat is probably -- >> it has to be singable. so many of them, they're in a different octave or -- horrible. >> for those of us who can't sing, that would help. >> attach it to a rom-com. that's the secret. george agrees, that means i'm right. >> and we forgot about wham!'s "last christmas." i just want to give props. proper -- ♪ last christmas >> taylor swift redid that song and it was popular. but it still didn't have that classic feel to it. >> yeah. >> i can see taylor swift writing feverishly. you have thrown down the gauntlet. >> richard marx has a great album. >> new kids on the block, it's a classic. >> and what's your favorite christmas song? vote now on goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo. >> we are cracking that code. and coming up, how what you post on social media could make you a target for home invasions. what you need to know to protect your family this holiday season. family in holiday season.

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♪ and still ahead on "gma," how you can appear well-rested even if you haven't gotten a good night's sleep. great tips you can start using this morning. and two amazing transformations. these people dropping half of their weight and they're sharing

their secrets to slimming down. don't go anywhere. good morning, i'm eric thomas. it's going to be warm. we'll find out how warm from meteorologist mike nicco. >> warmer than yesterday. record highs. good morning, everybody. still watching fog in napa a quarter mile and eighth of a mile in san jose. it's a beautiful morning for pictures. there you go, upper 60s to low 70s today. accuweather seven-day forecast, a quick light shower tomorrow. speaking of light, we've got light traffic on the san mateo bridge as we head into foster city. check that out, only going to take you nine minutes to get

across the water. pretty empty everywhere from albany to the maze. just a short five-minute commute. 880 southbound from fremont to san jose. northbound 11 minutes. >> the news continues now with "good morning america." a hot chocolate? ho ho ho... we'll all have hot cocoa! ma'am, need a strong pot of joe. the all new keurig 2.0.

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good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. and new information about the battle of the bulge. why your workout routine may be all wrong. the surprising secret to slimming down right now. ♪ i know that we'll be safe and sound ♪ and as you head out for the holidays, watch what you post online. new warnings that burglars may target oversharers on social media. how you can protect yourself this season. ♪ i'm on the floor and tired of being told you look tired? the tips and tricks you need to look well-rested right now. they're in your refrigerator. and friends in low places like you have never heard it before. ♪ i got friends >> what got garth brooks and justin timberlake front and

center for an unbelievable duet. all the details as we say -- >> good morning, america. >> a big holiday crowd out in times square this morning. everybody has their festive hats, great smiles. and some great christmas music. just two more days to go. and we're celebrating all week long right here on "gma." >> we are, indeed. good morning, america. and we are celebrating home for the holidays. one woman getting the chance to go home for christmas for the first time in years. and you will not believe what happens when she arrives. it is a tremendous story. >> loved that one yesterday. >> yeah. and looking back at the people and pop culture moments everyone was obsessed with. did your favorites make the list? >> that's coming up. let's get to paula faris. >> and so many folks on the road this holiday season. and the storm that could delay hundreds of travelers. the storm that brought

75-mile-an-hour winds to southern california and dumped three feet of snow in the rockies is moving east. it's discouraging news for the record number of folks hitting the roads to take advantage of the low gas prices. which have now dropped below $2 a gallon in 27 states. chicago could see snow on christmas eve. roads from washington, d.c. to boston could be slick because of heavy rain. rob marciano's holiday forecast is coming up shortly. and north korea is back online. but it remains a mystery why the country lost internet service for more than nine hours. the outage came just days after president obama promised the u.s. would respond in some manner to the hacking of sony pictures. but the state department will not confirm, will not deny any u.s. involvement in that outage. and the mayor of new york will lead a moment of silence today in honor of two police officers shot in their squad car on saturday. the mayor asking that all political debates and protests be paused until after the officers' funerals. police say the alleged gunman,

ismaaiyl brinsley has a fwruj grudge against police. and attended a protest in new york earlier in the month. a milestone. the dow is up. the economy has groan at the fastest pace in 11 years. and millions of popular coffee makers are being recalled because of a safety hazard. keurig is recalling 7 million mini plus brewing systems because they could overheat and spray water during brewing. at least 90 brew-related injuries have been reported. the model number is k-10. go to our website for more details. and some fedex customers may want to recall their packages after seeing this video. a family in colorado spotted the delivery truck door open, they had to swerve, and eventually caught up to the driver and

yelled at him to stop. but fedex insisting all of the packages have been recovered and delivered. not sure if they're in one piece. and finally, millions of americans are flying home. for the holidays. in addition to the frustrating weather delays and long lines, there's a new survey -- listen to this -- finding that one-third of travelers admit committing a so-called travel crime. 16% admit they hog the armrest. if it's happened to you, it's no fun. 19% admit the carry on is too big, and create long lines because everyone is trying to get on the plane. we doubt it's only 9%. and 8% say they've probably just talked too much to their neighbor in the next seat. but that whole armrest situation, i don't know how to deal with it. because it's happened so many times. >> it's like every man for himself on that. >> yeah. thank you, paula. we're going to get some health news right now. a new study about the best way to beat belly fat. dr. jen ashton is here to talk about it. it's not just exercise, but the kind of exercise that makes a difference.

>> exactly. this was a large study out of harvard, looked at middle aged men, followed them for 12 years. found that the men who lifted weights for more than 25 minutes every day gained less fat around their midsection than the men who engaged in lod rat -- >> that sounds like a lot. >> it is a lot. but a lot of people are trying to get a little bit of a workout in every day. they found the men who engaged in hard cardio gained less overall body weight, but the waist circumference was a surprise. >> it's so interesting. because you think lifting weights, it will build up your arms or legs. but it's really about core. why not a combination of both? >> that's the ideal. but remember here, in terms of the physiology, we're looking at two things. as we age, everyone loses lean muscle mass. that's not great for our health. the other thing that happens as we age, get a little wider around the midsection. the belly fat, visceral fat, which we have heard is also really bad for our health. to try to kill two birds with one stone here and to find an exercise that does both, that's the key.

and the fact that the weights helped the weight circumference was surprising. >> what types of exercise, and it this the same for women? >> look, it's great for men and women. and there are key facts here. you need to pump iron. we need to get into the gym, lift weights. and if you can do a little of that every day, that's important. cardio, you have to get your cardio on. that's important for cardiovascular well-being as well as body fat. and the other thing is good nutrition. none of this matters if we don't eat well. that's kind of a no-brainer. but the lifting weights to combat the midsection, get into the gym. >> another thing to add. thanks very much. "pop news" and weather coming up. sara, head over to the social square. >> that was my cue. today we got it. and doing this from the social square powered by samsung galaxy. in "pop news," justin timberlake and garth brooks, why are two of the biggest names in music really just friends in low places? and what you post on social media could make you a target for home invasion. how to protect yourself. and two incredible transformations.

how these two people lost half their size. and their secrets for pulling that off. all coming up live on "gma" here in times square. oh, yeah. ♪ ring ring! progresso! i can't believe i'm eating bacon and rich creamy cheese before my sister's wedding well it's only 100 calories, so you'll be ready for that dress uh-huh... you don't love the dress? i love my sister... 40 flavors. 100 calories or less.

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♪ take me home oh. >> oh. >> a salsa for that dog. very excited. keep it going. i don't get that when i go home. this dog's unbelievable. >> you need a dog, george. >> look at it. >> come on, give him some relief. 1 million views so far. >> that is unbelievable. oh, my gosh.

>> he does the creepy shoulders and everything. >> yeah. >> how do i follow up? come on, george. justin timberlake may be one of the biggest stars in the world, but apparently has friends in low places. mainly garth brookes. he surprised fans by appearing in nashville on friday. they sang garth's song together. posting this video on his instagram account. take a look. ♪ ♪ in low places isn't that awesome? i don't think i could ever hear that song enough. >> it's so good in concert, too. >> look at the crowd. >> great to have him back on tour after a ten year hiatus. >> the crowd went crazy. it was a big deal for j.t. who said that garth is one of his idols. i wonder if you get nervous if you're justin timberlake and

your idol steps on stage? kind of like when george is next to you. george gets nervous every time i'm here. and rumor has it adel is just as polite as she is talented. she couldn't attend sir elton john and david furnish's wedding, but had a note. i almost did this in an accent, biggest congratulations, my loves. have a wonderful day. sorry we're not there. signed from adele, her husband and her baby. receiving it was the perfect end to a perfect day. >> you did the accent -- >> no, i end up insulting everyone when i do accents. i'll keep the iowa accent going. don't go british well. secret santas are a surprise. you imagine this woman's surprise when she received a box

from bill gates in the annual gift exchange. inside was a loki helmet, she had been dying to own ever since "thor" was released. and a book about africa and a card saying a donation had been made in her name to an organization that provides vaccines to kids. it was a win for the cat who apparently enjoyed all the paper in the box. i pulled someone lucky in the gift exchange. he got me -- this is a safari hat with ma lef sent. kind of a la thor. you know fon swree. and a $1 lottery ticket for himself. >> that's not a gift. >> that's a great look on you. >> i think so. >> not everyone can pull off horns, but i am doing it right now. >> i know amy robach -- >> thanks, sara. >> thank you. heat index coming up, let's

go to rob. >> you got that, we got antlers and a santa hat. where are you from? >> michigan. >> where on the hand exactly. >> it's the thumb. >> all right. they're from the thumb. give it a thumb's up. we go to the panhandle of florida. also kind of a thumb pointed to the left. panama city, the threat for severe weather today. could be strong thunderstorms. a couple isolated tornados potentially. with winds gusting over 60 miles an hour to new orleans and tallahassee. and we have had severe weather warnings in mississippi and georgia this morning. 48 degrees, heavy rain across the northeast. from the 40s today, 50s or 60s tomorrow. >> good morning, i am meteorologist mike nicco with the bay area forecast. a little bit of fog this morning especially in the south bay but

quick sunshine for the rest us and record highs are likely. breezy. quick light showers tomorrow. dry where cooler lows and cooler highs. more like winter thursday through monday. today, we could have the record high temperature. a little bit of fog tonight, upper 40's to low 50's. the seven-day forecast show .1" of rain tomorrow afternoon. have a >> this weather report brought to you by ashley furniture. where are you from? >> south central michigan in jackson. right here. the best part of the state. the michigan -- all see it? that's my michigan. j-town. >> a lot of talent here today. >> thank you. okay. the heat index, big warning about social media this holiday season. exerts say sharing too much online can make you a target for burglars and you might not know

it. here is aditi roy with what you need to know. >> i thought you said they were gone. >> reporter: back in the day, you would have to peer in the window to know if they were home alone. but all it takes to know if the home is empty, rummage through social media. >> you think that posting is okay, but you're letting people know, hey, i'm gone. go over and take what you want. >> reporter: laverne should know, her home was cleaned out after her daughter posted the vegas vacation on her facebook page. tipping off the burglars that the family is out of town. >> most people are checking in constantly on their device. so we're telling everybody elsewhere we are and what we're doing. and the fact that we're not home. we're out somewhere else. >> reporter: one survey out of the uk said more than 78% of burglars are using social media to find their targets.

how you protect yourself from winter break break ins? don't overshare on social media. and check your privacy settings and location services on your phone. >> go into settings and scroll down to privacy. and then location services. and then all the apps down there are all the apps that use the location services. for example, your camera, change it to never use location services. click that. or you can scroll back up to location services and just turn it off. >> reporter: just like that. >> just like that. >> reporter: also, don't check in on facebook from airports or hotels. that tells would be thieves that you're leaving town. and while it may be tempting, don't post photos while you're away. wait until you're back home before sharing them. make it a later gram. >> make it a later gram, yes. >> reporter: and if you just can't help yourself, choose your friends and followers carefully. keeping your home safe by

securing your home page. for "good morning america," aditi roy, abc news, los angeles. >> and the big thing is the location services. >> you turning yours off? >> you want me to do it for you, george. >> please. >> i like the idea of the later-gram. waiting. everybody likes to share the note photos on vacation. do it later when you're back. >> and know who you're friending too. it's just an acquaintance. do you know who they are? >> be careful. also in the heat index, scrambling to pick up the last minute holiday gifts, maybe not getting enough sleep. but simple secrets to make it look like you're well-rested. featured in the latest issue of "dr. osz the good life." >> we don't get enough sleep, occupational hazard. since we can't add hours to the day to fit it in, here are a few hacks to fake it until you make it. the three words no one wants to

hear. >> you look tired. means you look old. >> reporter: who can blame you? who has time for shut-eye? >> not so wonderful when you wake up looking exhausted and drained of color. >> reporter: there's nothing a good night's sleep can't fix. but if you're one of the one-third of americans not getting the recommended seven to eight hours and need to look fresh, the good life magazine gave us an inside look at refreshing beauty tips. >> combination of natural solutions and makeup tricks that anybody can do. >> reporter: first that green tea isn't just for drinking. you can apply frozen boiled green tea bags to your eyes in the morning. >> the cold and the caffeine bring down the redness. and there are great plant compounds that take the puffiness out as well. >> reporter: another trick is right in your fridge. >> pull out your whole milk. soak a wash cloth in it and gently lay it on your face for a

few minutes. >> reporter: skin care professionals say the lactic acid has a natural exfoliating effect. >> and it feels good, right? >> reporter: white eye liner for the undereyelids. >> brightens your eye. >> reporter: make the focus the lips. >> a little pop of color. >> reporter: and nothing a good brush of blush can't freshen up. >> only have time for one thing, i would say make it a pop of blush. >> reporter: simple solutions to keep an eye on the prize, no sleep required. and an expert tip from the in-house resident, that's me, wear a really hot outfit. no one cares what your eyes look like. >> distraction. >> don't take that advice. >> check out those tips in the december issue of dr. oz: the good life. very good tips, especially the last one. and up next in the heat index, it was all about the bass

in 2014. and the primetime special looking back at this year, "frozen" was red hot. and taylor swift filled all the blank places on our play list. ♪ i'm just gonna shake, shake, shake ♪ ♪ shake it off taylor swift's first pop album, "1989," sold over a million copies in the first week. shaking off even her harshest critics. >> why am i driving down the street? wait, what? oh, i like this song. >> realizing you love taylor swift has become the leading cause of vertigo in adults. >> the more she's criticized, the more popular she gets. she's going somebody please hate me. >> this was the year that taylor swift became totally kick -- >> the swifties are out. >> reporter: the swifties were

everywhe everywhere, even in the urban dictionary. >> the way she's leveraged social media to connect. making sure they're more connected than any other fans in the business. >> she writes her own songs, she performs. she doesn't twerk. what's not to love? >> reporter: it was about girl power this year. and for those not quite ready for taylor -- ♪ let it go ♪ let it go ♪ can't hold it back anymore there was elsa, the heroine of "frozen." the highest grossing disney film ever. 3 million elsa dresses were sold worldwide. turning october 31st into what jimmy kimmel called elsa-pocalypse. >> what do we have here? >> every girl on my street and all the streets was dressed up as elsa. just elsa, elsa.

i just wish we could move on. >> "frozen" is important, you have to be careful when you have a 4-year-old girl and she's playing d.j. on the ipod. she's going to let it go. the second thing, let it go. by the time you say just let it go, she's already prepped the button. >> those dads have never looked more adorable. >> i was home yesterday, harper was watching "frozen." i asked how many times have you seen "frozen"? five? closer to 15. >> watch it over and over. this is why, the associated press has announced "frozen" their entertainer of the year. taylor swift came in second behind it. >> you know she was trailing you -- >> girl power year. >> and the special, robin does a terrific job. and george, you're politics, and

amy, the year in celebrity romance. and dan harris does the dis-honor roll. that's happening tonight at 9:00 on abc. and coming up, two people who lost half their weight.

good morning, i'm eric thomas. some san jose been reassigned after their station was closed down because of mold. fire station 16 has been around for decades. firefighters found mold inside the station. it's been an ongoing issue but it looks to them like it's gotten worse, possibly from the recent rain. the command staff determined it might be unhealthy to be there. get an update on the morning commute. here's leyla gulen. >> take a look at this, a sun-drenched golden gate bridge. a beautiful day coming in from marin to the city. adds we look across the bay bridge, there's some construction with us until 2:00 this afternoon. eastbound side of 480 to treasure road. couple of lanes blocked. might see a few delays if you're headed into the east bay. >> thank you very much.

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good morning. fog starting to lift finally in the south bay as we look at san jose, 101 at 880. i want to show utah hoe. look at all that snow up there waiting for you. there's more with a storm bringing us rain tomorrow. tomorrow morning cloudy conditions, whether it's fog or high clouds. by noon some rain will move into the north bay. as it heads into the heart of the bay by 2:00, south bay by

4:00, it's gone by about 6:00. 10th to a ♪ have a holly jolly christmas ♪ it's the best time of the year ♪ out in times square, that's right now. a couple days away from christmas. and all week long we are bringing together families again. the "gma" home for the holidays and this is a great one coming up today. a family finally together after spending years apart. there they are right there. >> a very moving story. and then what does it take to play the legendary martin luther king jr.? the star of selma is opening up about playing such an icon. >> the honor. and actress kristin whither talking about big eyes. why she calls it a dream come true.

>> it's a really good movie. right now, to the amazing transformations. on monday we met two people who managed to lose half their size. no surgery, no gimmicks. just eating right and exercise. and two more in people magazine's half their size issue. first, though, their story. patty, a 40 year mother of two struggled with her weight since elementary school. >> my mom would have to buy my clothing in the women's section of the department store. >> reporter: she started gaining weight in college. eventually creeping up to 252 pounds. >> i was eating a lot of fast food. a lot of frozen meals. >> reporter: she's a self-pro claimed member of the clean plate club would eat more than her own dinner. >> if my kids left food, i'll just eat it. >> reporter: she knew she had to take charge when

a fitness initiative was introduced to get the students healthy. >> i had to be able to give that to them, i was so overweight. i have to do it. >> reporter: for 31-year-old carlos, food was always a source of comfort. his weight climbing to 437 pounds. >> i was overeating. no idea what i was intaking. >> reporter: it wasn't until a serious medical diagnoses that he decided to turn his life around. >> i was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. i took at as a way to inspire others. >> reporter: inspiring others and proving that obstacles of any size can be overcome. they can indeed. and it is time for the big reveal. you saw patty. she weighed 252 pounds. she is 120 pounds. that's 132 pounds lost. patty, come on out. look at you.

it shows. so excited for you. looking forward to talking to you. but first, we want to show everybody carlos. he was 437 pounds. so, a i want to bring over zoe, the people magazine features directors. why did you call them heros? >> this is the first year that in the half your size issue we decided to include heros. there are so many people not just losing weight, but inspiring others to do the same. for both of them, with patty, working in a school and got involved in an initiative. the kids needed an example. what was so sweet, the kids are motivating her too. >> both ways. >> and with this gentleman over

here, it was about, you know, what can i do that feels impossible? and he started rock climbing with his muscular dystrophy. if i can do it, it will show others they can do the same. >> we're going to talk about that. but the tips that our viewers use at home. you work out before the meal. do it before the meal. >> absolutely. it's easy to promise yourself that you're going to work off the calories afterwards. but it doesn't happen. i believe in getting the work done first before you reward yourself. >> that's a great tip. and i want to ask you, patty. you turn every party into a dance party. i like your style. but there's a reason. >> absolutely. we get moving in our house. we don't just sit there after every meal and keep eating until our pants are about to bust. we have a zumba party, get out of the chairs and walk around. we enjoy one another's company a lot more. >> you started doing circuit

training in commercial breaks. show us something they can do. >> absolutely. i would be sitting in the chair at home. just sitting there, get up, do squats. do some jump rope. you have 30 seconds. make sure to get moving in those 30 seconds. just like we tell the kids at the school, there's no fear and no embarrassment. you have to get out there and do it. just move. >> i love it. your attitude and energy. and i want to ask you, carlos, you work with two organizations looking for a treatment for fsh. >> i worked with the fsh society and the friends of fsh research making progress towards research here in the united states. and we are making profession towards the first treatment. >> and you are proof positive you can overcome. thank you for inspiring our viewers. and thank you so much. we love this issue. it's the people magazine half their size issue. it's on news stands now. and out to rob with the final check on your weather.

hey, lara. take a look at the sign, adventure before ka moe. this is her pre-deployment trip. your rank? >> air force, i'm a captain. >> she's from ab lean, texas. i'm from connecticut. >> welcome to new york. good luck on your next tour of duty. out to the pacific fwheks northwest, rain today, and things shaking up. and 200 miles an hour, and a southwest flight from seattle to denver had a ground speed of 700 miles an hour. that's a tailwind. and more in the way of snow in the rockies. much less snow for christmas good tuesday morning. i am meteorologist mike nicco. after a little bit of fog this morning and cooler conditions we will end up in the mid-to-upper 60's if most record and nearly record highs and the warmest day

which week after a chance of light rain tomorrow it will be >> this weather report brought to you by ashley furniture home store. george, back to you. the british act eo eor davi transformed himself. he's earned early oscar buzz and sat down with amy robach to talk about the experience. >> we will not wait any longer. give us. >> that's right, no more. >> we're not asking, we're demanding. give us the vote. >> when i read this script, i just felt a deep, spiritual connection to it. i wasn't cast immediately. the director at the time didn't think i was right for the role. but once i had that knowing, i stuck with it for seven years and here we are. >> the right place, the right time. you stuck with it. and remarkable when this film is

now being released. the story of martin luther king and the protests in the streets down south, obviously, in selma. what's happening here, across the country now. such a -- a shocking parallel to then and now. >> i know. the parallels are undeniable. and that's one of the things, you know, there were many frustrating bumps in the road towards this -- this moment. i actually got attached to the project officially in 2010. and still we struggled to get this film off the ground. but when i look at what's going on in the nation now, and it just being such a perfect time for this movie. you know, all of that frustration paves the way. >> i have to say you nailed that southern martin luther king cadence perfectly. how difficult was that? >> we must march. >> every day i would try to do something to try to get closer to him. because i knew this was going to be in my future at some point.

i worked with an incredible dialect coach, and spent a lot of time with his friends. >> congressman john lewis was on the set. was that intimidates? >> it was extraordinary. i met him on the set. he walked straight up to me and said dr. king, it is so nice to see you again. >> wow. >> i was just frozen by that. because what a thing for him to say, having not seen his friend for nearly 50 years. >> and speaking to how you look, you sounded like mlk, looked like him. you had a physical transformati transformation. >> yeah. i put on quite a bit weight. about 30 pounds. shave mid hairline back. >> did you recognize yourself in the mirror at that point? >> it got a little strange at points, i have to say. because there was this weird spiritual exchange. it was the only way i can describe it. i looked in the mirror in the

bathroom one day and i couldn't see myself anymore. it was a little bit strange. but i'm glad to be back to me. >> david, thank you so much. >> thanks for having me. >> he became martin luther king jr. "selma kwn opens in select cities o

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. back now with day two of "gma's" home for the holidays. where we reunite families who have faced some major challenges. and today, a huge surprise for a retired military family. here's abc's rachel smith with the emotional reunion. >> reporter: meet the freemans, a loving family of five with just one wish this christmas. to go home for the holidays. >> and we facebook, we get to keep in contact. but nothing like hugging them. i really miss my family. >> reporter: karina is a mom of three and wife of a united states marine. but in 2013 their world was turned upside down when her husband, marvin, was honorably discharged. the transition wasn't easy. >> it was really financially hard. he didn't get a pension or anything like that because he did 12 years.

and we had to live with his mother, all five of us in one room. we couldn't afford the down payment for a home. >> reporter: when they fell on hard times, they had to sacrifice christmas at home in new jersey and the family she misses so much. >> huge, huge family. but i haven't seen them in almost six years now. >> reporter: thing they're being interviewed by "gma" as a finalist. but little do they know we're already granting their wish. so this "gma" elf came knocking. we are about to deliver the ultimate news to the freeman family. they have no idea. >> somebody in an elf hat. >> in an elf hat? >> yes. >> reporter: hi. >> hello. >> i am here to tell you guys that your christmas wish is coming true. are you guys ready to go home for the holidays? >> yes. >> reporter: are you ready to go to new jersey?

>> uh-huh. >> reporter: all right, we got to get this family packed up. are you excited? >> very. >> yes. >> reporter: may i -- may i give you a big hug? >> my mom's gonna cry. yeah. >> they're criers. everybody is going to cry. >> yeah. >> reporter: then the freemans and i come up with a master plan to surprise karina's mom, holly, and the rest of the family in new jersey. her cousin is our cocon spir a or, rounding up the family for what thing is a regular family dinner. after the freemans promise to keep this huge secret. >> pinky promise. >> reporter: pinky promise me, marvin. we're off from florida to the town of salem, new jersey, for surprise number two. we got santa in on the play. we are home for the holidays. >> home for the holidays. >> reporter: yay. ♪ hi, everyone.

>> how are you? >> reporter: i am elf rachel from "good morning america." and you are? >> holly. >> reporter: you're holly? >> i'm holly. >> reporter: well, miss holly. you all want to join me? you have your coats on? we gathered almost 60 family members out on the lawn. let me just turn you around right here and let you see your beautiful surprise. ♪ what does it mean to have your daughter here? home for the holidays? >> a lot. a whole lot. >> reporter: yeah? >> a whole lot. >> reporter: isn't the same without her?

a christmkmachristmas miracle t will never forget. hi, "good morning america," happy holidays. for "good morning america," rachel smith and the freeman family, abc news, salem, new jersey. >> great job, rachel. >> that mom's silence was so powerful. >> reminds you what the real reason is. so easy to get wrapped up -- pun intended -- in the gifts. >> family is a gift. and family is so important. so important. >> it's great. we want to say we take inspiration for the holiday reunions from the disney "frozen" christmas celebration. that's a holiday spectacular and airs on christmas day on abc after "gma." and, rob, you have a big one in there as well? >> we're in l.a., orlando and in hawaii. all over the place. >> at the same time?

like a travel miracle? >> in a way, yes. >> the miracle of

you remember kristin ritter from breaking bad. and now on the big screen if big eyes. she calls the role a dream come true. talked about it with amy. take a look. >> reporter: the film big eyes tells the true story of one of the most epic art frauds in history. >> i'm a keene, you're a keene. >> reporter: walter keene builds an empire on his paintings, but they weren't his. they were his wife, margaret's, he was passing off on his own. >> i painted every big eye. me. and no one will know but you.

>> >> i sat down with kristin ritter. in big eyes you play the role of dianne, the voice of reason. >> sure. >> you didn't have a historic figure, but she was a come positive it of people perhaps in your best friend's life. >> she is the modern flare in the movie. progressive and bold. she's no wall flower. >> hey, baby, party. what's happening? >> not typical of that era. which was very refreshing and someone that margaret, amy adam's character needed at a very specific period of time. >> i'm a girl's girl. and i have so many female friendships that are so important to me. watching the film affected me more than other people. she lost her best friend. >> and then this incredible scene when you're both sitting in a booth and warning margaret, amy's character, that her husband may not be what she thinks. >> wow, this is happening mighty

quick. >> i need your blessing. >> the movie is directed by the legend dare tim burton, a dream for rit per. i grew up obsessed with his movie. i wanted to be in a tim burton movie. >> we have heavy hitter kristin ritter. you like that. >> okay? >> who was your first celebrity crush growing up? >> leo in rome owe and juliet. >> the go-to kash owe key song? >> the jugs, or reba, fancy. >> what movie do you know all the dialogue for? >> dumb and dumber. >> what do you want for christmas? >> just a couple days off. >> amen. >> so, who is the artist? >> for "good morning america," amy robach, abc news, new york. >> "big eyes" opens on christmas day. we'll be right back. ♪ have a holly jolly

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♪ have a holly jolly christmas ♪ it's the best time of the

year ♪ and tomorrow on "gma," oprah winfrey. >> christmas eve show always really special. hope you'll join us tomorrow. have a great day. get your shopping done.

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good morning, i'm eric thomas. let's get right to the weather. mike? >> after record highs today, let's get right to the rain that's coming in tomorrow. increasing clouds by noon. rain moving into the north bay. by 2:00 the heart of the bay and 4:00 in the south bay but by 6:00 it's gone and it's going to be rather breezy behind the system but it will be clear as you head towards midnight. rainfall amounts about a tenth to a quarter of an inch. lows in the 30s and 40s, highs in the 50s starting thursday. mike, it is holiday light. take a look at the toll plaza here at the bay bridge. oh, my goodness, it is pretty empty. if you have any last-minute shopping, not too bad coming

into the city. 680 and 85 also nice and clear. >> thank you. time now for announcer: it's "live with kelly and michael." today, a performance from legendary singer songwriter now broadway star, sting. and actor, singer musician nick jonas. you can win a beach vacation. then, you got to tune in to win, all next on "live." [captioning made possible by isney-abc domestic television] announcer: now near are kelly ripa and michael strahan! [cheers and applause] ♪