good morning. monster storm. >> it's massive. >> wow! >> oh, my gosh, it's big. >> deadly tornadoes tear through the dallas area overnight, killing at least eight people, destroying homes, terrifying residents as they hunkered down for safety. >> i can't believe it. i never thought that i wld live through something like this. it's like a nightmare. >> that same storm system pounding the country again today. 59 million people in its path. with the threat of more tornadoes and snowdrifts as high as ten feet, as people try to make their way home from their christmas vacations. we're live on the scene. towering inferno. firefighters in southern california working to get control this morning of a raging wildfire that shut down highways.

as one family shares dramatic video of their ride through the ring of fire. holiday terror alert. a new warning about a possible paris-style attack in europe before the new year. security beefed up this morning after what appears to be a new message from the leader of isis. and hoverboard fails. people everywhere tumbling down as they tried out their new christmas presents. everyone from politicians to professional athletes. the hottest holiday toy came with a warning about explosions. many people need a balance lesson today, sunday, december 27th, 2015. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning. welcome to "today" on this sunday morning. i'm sheinelle jones. >> i'm harry smith. we're joined by kristen welker and raphael miranda. erica and dylan have the morning off.

>> thank you for waking up with us. let's get to the top story. the monster holiday storm that triggered deadly tornadoes in dallas overnight. the massive storm system is stretching from texas to illinois with 59 million people in its path. here's what we know so far. at least eight people were killed overnight in texas. with as many as 11 tornadoes reported. bringing the death toll to 26 across five states since wednesday. overnight, storm chasers captured dramatic video of the tornadoes that ripped cars right off the highway. we have team coverage this morning. let's start with nbc's charles hadlock in texas. charles, good morning. >> good morning, sheinelle. parts of texas are waking up to a cold, wet mess. as many as 11 tornadoes struck the state overnight, killing at at least 11 people. >> oh, there's stuff flying in the air. >> reporter: a path of destruction over dallas as deadly tornadoes touched down,

terrorizing sidents for hours. five people were killed in garland, texas, when the winds swept their cars off i-30. >> appears they came from the highway, around 17 feet. >> reporter: eyewitnesss came upon a scene of devastation. >> it was terrifying. it was heartbreaking. you know, especially being the day after christmas. >> reporter: as the monster storm moved on, bystanders recorded the terrifying sounds of warning sirens and enormous bangs. >> i've seen tornadoes before, but i've never, ever seen damage like this. >> reporter: homes and lives ripped apart in seconds. >> i cannot believe that this amount of damage was done. probably 30 seconds. it felt like a lifetime. it did. i'm sorry. >> reporter: building materials flew through the air, piercing walls. susan came out to find a stranger's treasured memories stuck to her mailbox and truck. >> it was someone's wedding picture.

>> reporter: south of dallas, more destruction in waxahachie. at least 40 homes were damaged but no serious injuries reported. >> i'm thankful to god all my neighbors are alive. >> reporter: the power of the storm was visible from above, as planes passed over dallas. >> the seatbelt sign is on. >> reporter: a ground stop was ordered in dallas-ft. worth airport. rescuers were slowed by flooded roads and power outages. nearly 25,000 people lost power. the city of dallas was spared the worst of the twister's destruction. >> new tornado warning in effect for ellis county. >> reporter: warnings may have saved many more lives. for those who came through the storm, a long road to recovery lies ahead. >> i have no doubt that everyone will pull together. it's going to take a lot of time and a lot of effort. >> texas is seeing it all this weekend. a blizzard in the panhandle.

tornadoes here and, now with torrential rains, the threat of flash flooding. and snow could be mixed with the rain later tonight. it could be a long time to clean this mess. sheinelle? >> charles hadlock, thank you. the same storm system that spun off the tornadoes is also responsible today for what's being called a historic blizzard that could paralyze holiday travel. overnight in new mexico, snow was blamed for more than 100 accidents. police are asking churches to open later so roads can be cleared. mike seidel is in amarillo, texas, with the latest. good morning. >> good morning, harry. from the middle of interstate 40, it is shut down due to the blizzard from the west side of amarillo to albuquerque. we've been dealing with the ferocious wind all night. it's gusted 60 to 65 miles per hour in the panhandle and will blow like this today, tonight and into monday morning.

looking at one to two feet of snow. some of the highway you can see. here, because it's a dry, powdery snow, you have drifts almost a foot and a half deep. we've already had 23 inches of snow in parts of new mexico, but this is the issue. it just blows. it's like powdered sugar. the temperature is 20 degrees. our wind chills are around zero. it's going to be a long day and night out here. travel is not recommended. in fact, the hotel we're staying at, before yesterday, they were 30% full. now, they're completely full. everybody pulled off the interstate and they're hunkered down, likely until sometime on monday. it's going to be a wild day out here in amarillo. this could be one of their biggest storms on record, even competing with a blizzard three years ago, when they had over 20 inches. harry, back to you. >> we'll do our best to get you a light. mike seidel, thank you very much. you have tens of millions of people traveling in the path of this storm. let's turn to raphael miranda.

>> the storm is still getting stronger today, affecting millions of people around the region. warnings extending from the canadian border. we have blizzard warnings. we have ice warnings, all warnings with this storm turn into a blockbuster. it's gaining strength. blizzard off to the west. ice storm into oklahoma. flooding for the plains and into the midwest. of course, that tornado threat continues today on this sunday. now, the threat has shifted east of it, so today, it's houston to new orleans. that's where the threat for severe thunderstorm lies. more tornadoes are possible this afternoon into this evening. hail and damaging winds expected, as well. already waterlogged here. some areas could see up to half a foot of rain as we're heading out on this sunday. we have it all with this storm. it's coinciding with one of the busiest travel times, unfortunately. it'll affect us tomorrow as we head to work, as well. >> thank you.

>> people have to stay safe. out west, firefighters are making progress as they battle a wildfire in southern california that shut down highways and forced people to flee for their lives. we have more from nbc's blake mccoy. >> reporter: this morning's cleanup effort, a welcome sight for homeowners who, just a day earlier, were facing this in their backyards, prompting the emergency evacuation of nearly 100 homes along pacific coast highway in california. >> the fire was about 30 feet from my parents' house. >> it was scary. >> reporter: dry conditions and gusty santa ana winds fueling the flames. this incredible video shot by tourists from the netherlands. the family of five had just seen a lakers game and were driving to santa barbara, when they found themselves sounded. >> i was like, this is my last minute of life. it felt like an hour, really, but in the end, it was only a few seconds. >> reporter: this morning,

firefighters say the flames were sparked by a downed power line knocked over in a windstorm. >> we will not leave until we know every last ember has been extinguished. >> reporter: their quick reaction time applauded by residents. >> i have a lot of confidence in these guys. there was something like 500 firefighters on the job, and they did a beautiful job of containing it so it didn't run away from them. >> reporter: for "today," blake mccoy, nbc news, ventura, california. treacherous weather is wreaking havoc in england. >> britain is sending troops to deal with floods. towns in northern england, scotland and wales are dealing with rising waters. some structures could not be saved. a 200-year-old pub collapsed as it was swept off its foundation. the water could remain high with more rain possible.

security is beefed up across europe in response to a new terror threat there. kelly cobiella joins us with the detail. i know you've been tracking the story. what's the latest there? >> police said the tip came from a friendly intelligence service, warning of a gun or bomb attack in a european capital sometime between christmas and new year's. police in vienna say they found no evidence of a plot, but they have increased security at big events and crowded places as a precaution. six weeks after the attacks in paris that left 130 dead, capitals around europe have been on a heightened state of alert anyway. two weeks ago, swiss authorities stepped up security in geneva because of what authorities there called a specific terror threat. now, this latest tip came on the same day as a new audio message believed to be from isis leader al baghdadi. he says isis is getting stronger and also threatens israel.

nbc news cannot independently verify the authenticity of the message, but our partners at flash point say it appears to be real and from baghdadi. >> all of that, undoubtedly, adding to the jitters across europe. thank you. chicago police are under fire following the latest office-involved shooting. police responded to a domestic disturbance involving a 19-year-old, said to be threatening his father with a baseball bat. the young man came toward them and one opened fire. he hit a neighbor accidentally, killing her. in louisville, kentucky, a mall was closed after tussles broke out. business owners called police for help. officers cleared the area,

trying to keep the teens apart to prevent new fights from erupting. peyton manning is calling a report of growth hormone use complete garbage. the broncos quarterback said in a statement provided to profootballtalk.com, allegations in a new documentary are totally made up. he said the suggestion he got drugs under his wife's name while recovering from surgery never happened. finally, a group of health service workers in england are celebrating a very special christmas bonus. their choir found out its holiday recording is the number one christmas song, and they are happy. there's no doubt about that. the group mixed simon and garfunkle with coldplay. take a look. ♪ >> look at those smiles. priceless. the group's hit beat out justin

bieber's song. the singer urged others to back the choir. all the proceeds go to charity. if you're beating justin bieber, even with a little assist, you're doing well. >> look at the video. it's a feel good video. >> it is. >> they are loving that. >> thank you. >> absolutely. what can we expect? there's a lot going on out there. >> the record heat continues in the northeast for one more day. this is it. if you like the warm weather, enjoy it in new york city and boston. cold out west, below average temperatures in places like amarillo. new york city breaking an all time record again with a high of 65 degrees. boston, about 20 degrees above average. even down into atlanta, temperatures about 20 to 30 degrees above average. that's a look at your national forecast. now, here's a look at the and good sunday morning to you, meteorologist anthony slaughter here. waking up to temperatures into the 20s. santa rosa, 28, napa, across for the east bay, there at 27. walnut street, 26, woodside along with sanford at 27

degrees. across parts of the south, 28 this morning. we do have rain on the way, in fact, showers making their way across northern california as we speak. showers arrive for san francisco this afternoon. the relevant of us, later on this evening. now to politicians. while the presidential candidates are taking a break for the holidays, they're about to go full speed ahead with the iowa caucuses fast approaching. kristen, you've been busy, and i know you have a wild look back at 2015. >> i have been busy and will be busier. with days until 2016, it's safe to say, we're saying good-bye to one of the most unpredictable political years on the record books. >> and i promise you this -- >> reporter: 2015, against all odds, the year of donald trump. >> president trump. >> reporter: his critics writing him off after his controversial entrance into the race. >> they're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists. they're not sending their best. >> reporter: that was just the beginning. >> i like people that weren't

captured. >> total and complete shutdown of muslims entering the united states. she was favored to win. she [ bleep ] lost. >> reporter: fiery remarks that would have sunk most candidates but trump is still surging. >> nice to meet you, too. >> reporter: the one-time favorite for the nomination, jeb bush, struggling in the billionaire's shadow. >> donald trump is a jerk. >> reporter: it's proven to be the year of the outside. candidates like ben carson and bernie sanders, a self-described socialist, firing up voters who are fed up with washington. >> bernie! bernie! >> reporter: the question now, can they turn that passion on the trail into actual votes? >> thank you, all, so much. >> reporter: meanwhile, the democratic front runner is entering the new year solidly on top. hillary clinton, so far, weathering the controversial over her e-mails. >> did you wipe your server? >> with a cloth or something? >> that means the american

people are sick and tired of hearing about your e-mails. >> reporter: and a boost from vice president biden who decided to stay out. >> i believe we're out of time, the time necessary to mount a winning campaign for the nomination. >> reporter: and while a number of candidates in both parties have already dropped out, for the ones who remain, the race for the white house is just about to kick into high gear. >> and it is worth noting that the front runners have weaknesses heading into the new year. cruz is beating trump in iowa. and bernie sanders is giving clinton a race in new hampshire. it's time for voters to have their say. the iowa caucuses, 36 days away. i believe when it was 18 months away. >> here it is. >> yes, and it's heating up. >> thank you. >> absolutely. nbc's andrea mitchell is moderating "meet the press" this morning while chuck todd enjoys the day off. good morning. >> good morning to you. >> this is going to be the most difficult question of the day. the biggest political story of

2015, i wonder, hmm. >> how hard it is. i guess you'd have to say, as you both know, sheinelle and harry, it's donald trump. who could have predicted this? this has been the most amazingly unpredictable year. we kept saying all of the conventional pundits, saying that he would fall. that the balloon would burst, but it hasn't. here he is, still the front runner by far. and, yes, ted cruz and others coming up on the inside, but we're going into 2016 with donald trump still having to prove that he can organize in iowa and do the traditional caucus thing. but so far, he has been unstoppable. >> let's talk more about the iowa caucuses. at this point, we're five weeks away. how much could change between now and then? we've been talking about trump. what should he be watching for, or all of us, on the gop front? >> he needs to see if he can translate the crowds into organizing.

are those people going to stand up and say they're for donald trump? some of the things he's said about hillary clinton, which have been described as sexist, and some of the vulgar language, are some of those too edgy for iowa voters, or will they follow what they've shown so far in the polling and stick with donald trump? >> it's been a mystery we all try to untangle. i'll go to a different subject. as we end 2015, begin 2016, here's my prediction for power couple of the year. paul ryan and barack obama. >> i agree with you. >> see? >> you know, harry, this is the most promising domestic issue. the fact that perhaps paul ryan and barack obama can talk, can negotiate, work out compromises. compromise is a dirty world in washington. it is according to republican

candidates. if they can work together, maybe, maybe, they can get something going. it's hard to say what it could be. maybe on budget issues. certainly not on guns. chuck did an interview with spike lee we'll be showing to talk about the horrific gun violence in the country. there are issues unresolved. it's a large part of why people are so angry at washington. maybe things can change. i'm an optimist. >> weeks without threat of a government shutdown. how about that? >> a good sign. >> andrea mitchell, thank you so much. we're going to see andrea in a bit on "meet the press," when they will be joined by presidential candidate senator bernie sanders. up next, look out below. wipeouts galore, as dads try out the new hoverboards and drones they got for christmas. that's right after this. dads tt dads tt the new ♪ ♪

(cell phone rings) where are you? well the squirrels are back in the attic. mom? your dad won't call an exterminator... can i call you back, mom? he says it's personal this time... if you're a mom, you call at the worst time. it's what you do. if you want to save fifteen percent or more on car insurance, you switch to geico. it's what you do. where are you? it's very loud there. are you taking a zumba class? here's a lieat well,thy advice. live well, and take of what makes you, you. right down to your skin with aveeno® aveeno® daily moisturizing lotion with the goodness of active naturals® oat and 5 vital nutrients for healthier looking skin in just one day. healthy skin equals beautiful skin. and for shower softness, add the body wash, too!

aveeno® naturally beautiful results® we all know that santa left gifts for all the good boys ask girls this christmas. we can't forget about the big kids. >> dads got some of the hottest gifts this ye

looks like the er, right? even a congressman. carlos curbelo, writes, confirmed, #hoverboard is for kids. my daughter got it. i ended up in baptist health. poor guy. we hope that he heals very soon. let's talk about dads and drones. doesn't get much better. this video was posted on twitter. a daughter asks herself why she bought her dad a drone for christmas. tries to fly it and doesn't go

so well. this instagramer posted a video of her dad trying to figure out how to work his drone. is he going to figure it out? he's off to a good start. he is in control and boom. it's up on the ceiling. guys, these were good tries. cautionary tale to all you dads out there, dads of the world, stay safe. read the instructions. >> are you supposed to do them in the house? >> i don't think so. >> why is everybody trying it in the living room. >> the look on his face is priceless. it went up. >> thank you, kristen. >> absolutely. >> thanks so much. still to come, a christmas miracle for a couple whose beloved dog disappeared years ago. a hilarious look back at the year that was for our team on "weekend today." first, these messages. to the used car buyer who's worried about getting taken for a ride... don't worry. the only rides you'll get taken on at carmax

are the ones you take yourself. but just in case that absolutely 100 percent perfect choice... ...turns out to be... less than perfect... we give you five days to change your mind. sorry. when i booked your, place, my friends thought i was crazy. but this morning, a city i'd never been to felt like home. thank you for sharing the world with me. airbnb. belong anywhere.

san francisco from san bruno mountain vicky/2shot i'm vicky nguyen...along side anthony slaughter good suvnd morni good sunday morning to you. your time is 6:26. it's a cold morning in the bay. i'm vicky nguyen alongside anthony sloughter with a look how cold it is across the bay area. >> we're talking 20s and 30s. good for the holiday season, right? >> yeah. >> not only is it cold, it's going to lead to showers later this afternoon. sitting off the coastline, that's going to mean rain for san francisco and the north day. during the day, right around lunchtime. the relevafl rest of us, we're see rain.

cupertino at 28 degrees. >> wow. >> livermore, dublin at 27. later on the rain arrives for san francisco and the north. the rest of us, we'll see rain tonight and morning commute tomorrow. we're talking rain for san francisco. keep the umbrellas handy. >> if it would snow right now, we could have snow, believe it or not. >> yes. >> we will get rain. anthony, thank you. see you in a bit. well, nine people including two children are recovering after being injured in a tour bus in san francisco. the accident happened last night in the embarcadero. it appears an suv driver cut off a double-decker bus. about 30 people were on the bus. >> i could not see. and there were a lot of police cars, ambulances, people being taken away on the stretchers. >> all of the victims' injuries are considered

nonlife-threatening. police are investigating. they say the suv driver maybe cited but they do not believe alcohol was a factor in that crash. new details on the deadly officer-involved shooting in palo alto. police say the suspect who they shot and killed is believed to be the same person who initially made the 911 call. police got a call christmas night about a person wanting to harm someone. officers fired at him, he was taken to the hospital when he later died. officers say the man even gave a fake name of a suspect, this is all at a residential home near downtown palo alto. those officers are paid administrative leave. the man has not been identified. a push for a hate crime investigation after a suspicious fire. it happened yesterday morning. this is the picture of the damage. mosque leaders think someone threw a molotov cocktail at the

building. it's one of several recent acts of violence against the muslim community including a mock fire and vandalism following the deadly shooting in san bernardino. coming up at 7:00 on "today in the bay" a family has the best christmas ever. we'll see you what the fremont police did to save the holiday. >> anthony slaughter is back with a look at the forecast and rain coming back. for now, it's back to "today" show. we'll see you right back here at 7:00.

music, please. >> do we stretch? >> here we go. ♪ the players gonna play, play, play ♪ ♪ the haters gonna hate, hate, hate ♪ >> my producer is recording this. you'll see it again in the year end video. ♪ heartbreakers gonna break >> les was right. peter and i made the year ender. we'll show you the fun we had in 2015 in a moment. good morning. back on a sunday morning, december 27th, 2015, with an enthusiastic crowd. a large crowd. >> very big crowd on the plaza. >> packing them in here on the plaza today. >> a lot of energy. >> wow! >> want to make sure everybody gets on television. >> yes. >> we've got a lot of stories to get to before we get to the fun

in a couple of seconds. 59 million people in the path of a severe weather system with a monster blizzard wreaking hal havoc from texas to illinois. the storm killed at least 11 people overnight in texas. awful there. bringing the death toll to more than two dozen in five states since all the storms started last wednesday. officials in southern california say a raging wildfire is now 60% contained, with evacuation orders lifted overnight. hundreds of firefighters are battling the fast-moving blaze. they stopped the forward spread. authorities in chicago are investigating another deadly police shooting. investigators say a 55-year-old woman was accidentally shot to death saturday when police responded to a disturbance call involving her neighbor, a 19-year-old man who was reportedly combative with police and also was fatally shot. chicago mayor rahm emanuel says an independent review is

underway. we begin with a happy story for the holidays. a very unlikely reunion. a family's beloved dog was missing for more than six years, until they got a phone call they'll never forget. he was alive and hundreds of miles away. kristen dahlgren has more. >> good morning, guys. if you lost a pet ever, you know the pdesperation. the family had almost given up hope and then the call came, that may make you believe in christmas miracles. >> reporter: it's a sight daniel and alison marx never thought they'd see again. their beloved dog happy and home for the first time in six years. >> i wish he kept a journal. i'd love to know what he did every day. >> reporter: they last saw him when his brother and him ran out in the storm. only the brother came back. >> i thought an animal got to him. >> reporter: daniel searched in the storm, lost himself. >> i was lost over five hours.

fortunately, i was able to hear the traffic on 93, so i moved toward that and got to the road. a deputy sheriff picked me up. >> reporter: they searched again, put up signs, placed ads in the paper. finally, went home to las vegas. but they never forgot willie. >> i go to bed at night, even years after we lost him, and think, what should i have done? what could i have done differently? >> reporter: they got another dog, another brother, and then they got a phone call. from a shelter almost 300 miles away from where they last saw willie. >> unexpected. >> reporter: it turned out, willie wandered to the road, too, and was picked up by a deputy who nursed him back to health. he was adopted by a family in elko, until he wandered away again. a shelter found him and scanned his microchip. six and a half years after they last saw him, willie finally made it home, just in time for christmas. >> a heartwarming story for the holidays. hope for pet owners out there. of course, a reminder that the

microchips do work. sometimes, it takes a while. >> incredible, six years. that must be a record. >> i feel bad for the family that had him for all that time, but he's back with the rightful owners. >> right. he looked like a collie, right? >> yes. >> aren't they supposed to say, t timmy is in the well? it's what i thought. >> lassie! >> all right. so much weather out there. we feel sorry for people traveling today. >> it's going to be a nightmare of a travel day today and also tomorrow. there is an ice storm component to the storm. we're expecting ice in oklahoma city and north texas. then the blizzard. we're expecting over a foot of snow in the texas panhandle to the oklahoma panhandle today to tomorrow. as we head back to work on monday, snow in the plains, upper midwest, 4 to 6 inches. a taste of winter with this monster storm. it'll be a rough one.

pack your patience, but pack your heavy coat. chilly this morning. we're talking 20s across the north bay. 28 in santa rosa. 20 in petaluma. and redwood city at 29. as we stretch out, we have a storm system moving in that will bring showers to san francisco and the rest of us will see showers this evening. cools, highs tapping out at low to mid-50s. we'll see you at 7:00 with a full report. e're all going to start humming the theme. >> to "lassie." >> that's right. >> thank you very much. up next, we're going to catch up with the cast of one of the most talked about films of the year, "the danish girl." also ahead, the good, bad and ugly. and ugly. all this is the best block of all. it's like candy cane lane. i know.

oohhh. oh, holiday ferris wheel. i kind of love it. look at those reindeer. jeffrey, you're awfully quiet back there. i was just thinking... maybe it's time we finish this test drive and head back to the dealership? that is so jeffrey... soooo jeffrey... so jeffrey... oh. elves.. it's practically yours. but we still need your signature. the volkswagen sign then drive event. zero due at signing, zero down, zero deposit, and zero first months payment on a new passat and other select models. my siand mouthwash all the toothtime. i'm like, huh? aren't they all the same? you know, i had to see for myself. so i went pro. with crest pro-health advanced. advance to a healthier, stronger, cleaner mouth from day 1. this toothpaste... ...and mouthwash make my whole mouth feel amazing. and my teeth stronger. crest pro-health advanced is superior in these 5 areas dentists check. this is gonna go well, for sure. advance to a healthier stronger, cleaner mouth from day 1. great check up. my sister was right.

why let someone else have all the fun? the sometimes haphazard, never boring fun. the why can't it smell like this all the time fun. the learning the virtue of sharing fun. why let someone else have all the fun? that's no fun. unleash the power of dough. give it a pop.

hi! so it says here i can redeem my cashback bonus for discovercash.. do i need to have a certain amount? nope, you can redeem your cashback for any amount, any time. that's great. yeah, you can use it for a statement credit or even get the cash. nice. i could use that extra cash for a last-minute gift. one less thing hanging over your head, right? tell me about it. gary, you got to go. who's gary? a mistake from last year coming back around again. too much egg nog! yes! laaaaa... at discover we treat you like you'd treat you. redeem your cashback for any amount, any time. get it at discover.com.

therbottle of tropicana pure oranges squepremium.o each and absolutely no space for added sugar, water, or preservatives. tropicana. we put the good in morning. it is a big weekend for movie goers. leading the oscar buzz this year is "the danish girl," with eddie redmayne up for actor awards. >> he plays one of the first recipients of sexual reassignment surgery. keir simmons sat down with the cast. >> the first time we met, she oppositioned me.

>> reporter: the film is inspired by two danish painters and takes us along on the journey, as ina transitions into a woman, into lili. >> could you help me with tran. >> her courage was extraordinary, i just thought it was ex-trod fair. >> i think everyone saw the emotional ride that the two women go on. and a long-time friend of the couple. >> being, basically, they are always looking for beauty. >> and amber is playing the nonjudgmental friend. >> it asks how we articulate and define love. we cat gor ice it and label it

in ways with expects. >> but the story is really about love, understanding -- >> when i met him in los angeles, and when he is transitioned, he is got to a point where he is was willing to give her anything and everything to live a life that was authentic. in the past year, there has been progress with extraordinary people, all of their stories becoming really present in main stream. >> it is so beautiful and the subject mat sere so painful. >> the key is balance and pain and joy. >> and finding yourself. >> i love you because you're the only person who makes sense of me. who made me possible. >> keir simmons with the cast of "the danish girl," from our sister company, universal

pictures. "the danish girl" is in theaters nationwide. up next, the year that was. a look at all the laughs we had this year, with "weekend today." ♪ baby, i'm just gonna shake, shake, shake ♪ first, these messages. olay regenerist renews from within, plumping surface cells for a dramatic transformation without the need for fillers your concert tee might show your age... your skin never will. olay regenerist. olay. ageless.

therbottle of tropicana pure oranges squepremium.o each and absolutely no space for added sugar, water, or preservatives. tropicana. we put the good in morning.

why let someone else have all the fun? the sometimes haphazard, never boring fun. the why can't it smell like this all the time fun. the learning the virtue of sharing fun. why let someone else have all the fun? that's no fun.

unleash the power of dough. give it a pop. ♪ a little party never killed nobody ♪ this last sunday at 2015 on "weekend today," we can't help but look back at what an incredible year we've had. >> there were laughs. there were pranks. of course, there was some dancing, singing and dancing, along the way, for that matter. ♪ >> welcome. >> welcome. >> welcome to "today". >> on a saturday. >> on a sunday morning. >> glad to have you with us. >> 2015 was. >> an adventure. >> cold and snowy. >> i can't sum it up in one word. >> dylan is in boston this morning. can't catch a break.

one of the meteorologists who can't catch a break. >> i worked in boston for years and this is about as powerful a storm as i've seen. ice as far south as georgia. the great niagara falls is partially frozen over. do you have the winter blues? i started off the week with my yardstick. now, it's not close enough to being big enough to measure these mounds of snow. the blizzard of 2015 is one for the record books. >> we've all come outside to brave the elements. dylan is warm and toasty inside. she has hot chocolate. it's been a rough month for our meteorologist. >> yes. >> i've met an incredible number of people over this past year. jeff kinney, who writes "the diary of a wimpy kid" books.

ranching nuns. >> people don't know nuns do that kind of thing. >> we convinced our bosses to go to denmark and do a story about lego. >> i feel like sometimes, the people i interview, i get more from them than i feel i'm giving to them. >> what are your dreams for the company? >> i'm inspiring upward, learning new things. >> an 8-year-old girl caught her known newspapers. >> if i treat people seriously, they'll treat me seriously. >> wisdom with come in a child. >> i got to go to sweden and golf at midnight, when the sun is still kind of up. night putting, putting at night. i love we had the opportunity to take our woman somewhere special for mother's day. i went white water rafting in costa rica with my mom. >> we're going back in time with prom-themed cult classics. >> this is going to be the best

night of our lives and we won't regret anything. >> i love we're coordinated. this is beautiful. >> in our series "run for today." >> we're here in central park with a lot of our run for today participants. >> we have a few people on the plaza, looking forward to their weekly "sundays with harry." >> we have a good one. >> just back from a trip to glacier national park in montana. >> people happy to see the bookmobile? >> oh, yeah. >> life is in the community again. >> you can probably buy a couple new pickups for the price of a stagecoach. >> the snake i bought at the ex expo, i returned it and we gave it to our expert. back to you. >> crazy thing is, they thought they sent all the snakes back. they didn't. >> don't, don't, no, no, no! >> oh, gosh! >> did you prank yourself? >> i didn't even want to do it. i felt bad, the poor man hates

snakes. >> i'm not afraid of elevators, flying or walking down the street. it's a snake zplch! >> are you aware today is national hug a newsman day? >> i did not. >> we almost had one of those moments on live television where i had to be bleeped out. >> gone from days when sweatpants were considered gym clothes. >> oh, now i get it. >> let's be clear, i requested a large and i ended up with a medium. they're a little up in here, up in here. if i sit, i could tear something. i'll warn the audience. >> i don't know why it's always the guys that get the pranks. they're good sports about it. >> would you wear them? >> not this pair. >> happy valentine's day. >> in honor of pie day, i'll take you back to my math class and tell you what pi is. >> we don't want to miss wishing you national cereal day.

>> what? >> i'm going to cry! >> what's up, dudes? >> we know you've been working hard all week, so we'll ask you to leave the kitchen and let the men do the cooking. >> happy mother's day. >> today marks the 50th birthday of our buddy here. here's also brought famous cinnamon rolls for us today. >> happy birthday, erica hill. >> thanks, guys. >> finally 30. god bless you. >> right? i don't look a day over 25. >> i heard it's somebody's birthday today. >> it is. >> we were keeping it a secret, but not for long. >> cinnamon buns. >> how did you know? >> guys, welcome to the blind auditions of season 9 of "the voice." i'm carson daly, the seventh tv show i've hosted today ♪ she'll always get the best of me, the worst is yet to come ♪

♪ this, i know >> did you decide who you want to be your coach? >> i think i wanna hollerback girl. >> i'll go with gwen. >> it was such a bittersweet moment when we said good-bye toleto le lester on weekend. we're proud of him. it's wonderful to see him in this job on nightly news where he is a perfect fit. >> i'm thrilled about the opportunity, but i'm really going to miss you and miss this audience. i'll always consider myself a member of the "today" show family. >> i'm going to let everybody in on a behind the scenes secret. at "weekend today," we love to break out into song and dance whenever we can. ♪ ♪ when i was young, she cooked me something yummy ♪ ♪ when i was sick, she'd take care of me, i love my mama ♪

>> i'll touch your soul. >> can we acknowledge the fact i'm dressed up like a pirate? >> it's normal. >> one of the best parts of "weekend today" is everything that happens behind the scenes. we're kind of like the little engine that could. >> behind the scenes at "weekend today" is like a hug from heaven. >> we're one big happy family. a lot of smiles and joking. the best place to work. ♪

♪ >> how long is it taking to shoot this picture? >> music, please. >> did we stretch? >> here we go. ♪ the players gonna play, play, play, play, play ♪ ♪ the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate ♪ >> some producer right now is recording this. you'll see it again in the year end video. >> wow. >> really amazing, riegght? >> what a year. >> one of my favorite moments, the "voice." you dressed up, and it was classic. >> one of our stylists on the show, deb weber, she was meticulo meticulous. pharrell has a lightning bolt on this side of his jacket. i'm happy you saw the crew's

faces. they do so much to make this world turn. >> great point. >> it was so fun. >> i'm sort of new to this group here. maybe six or seven months or so. the fact is, people here are so nice, internetti ienergetic. i feel grateful to have the opportunity to hang with you all. >> they pulled off great surprises. the day on mother's day. erica and i are involved in the show. it's hard to pull a fast one, so to speak. for my husband to get two 3-year-olds and a 6-year-old out of the house by 6:00 a.m., and erica's kids from suburbia. >> you should have pharrell's hat in a display box. >> try to have some fun next year. >> a little more dancing. >> special thanks to our producer, researcher

here's a little healthy advice. eat well, live well, and take of what makes you, you. right down to your skin with aveeno® aveeno® daily moisturizing lotion with the goodness of active naturals® oat and 5 vital nutrients for healthier looking skin in just one day. healthy skin equals beautiful skin. and for shower softness, add the body wash, too! aveeno® naturally beautiful results® when i booked your, place, my friends thought i was crazy. but this morning, a city i'd never been to felt like home. thank you for sharing the world with me. airbnb. belong anywhere.

oh no... (under his breath) hey man! hey peter. (unenthusiastic) oh... ha ha ha! joanne? is that you? it's me... you don't look a day over 70. am i right? jingle jingle. if you're peter pan, you stay young forever. it's what you do. if you want to save fifteen percent or more on car insurance, you switch to geico. ♪ you make me feel so young... it's what you do. ♪ you make me feel ♪ so spring has sprung. why let someone else have all the fun?

the sometimes haphazard, never boring fun. the why can't it smell like this all the time fun. the learning the virtue of sharing fun. why let someone else have all the fun? that's no fun. unleash the power of dough. give it a pop.

real quick, one word for travelers today? >> extreme. >> we'll take that. extreme and patience. that does it for us on this sunday morning. presidential candid take a live look outside......

(adlib) vicky/2shot good morning, thanks for >> announcer: from nbc bay area, this is "today in the bay." well, it's time now to take a live look outside right now. your time is 7:00. thanks for joining us this sunday after the holiday. hope you had a wonderful time with your friends and loved ones. look at the beautiful sunrise. the skies are incredible in what that shot. we see a lot of those across our sunday mornings, but not one like that. i'm vicky nguyen standing by. anthony slaughter has a look at the controllld forecast. >> temperatures continue to fall. temperatures in the 20s. san