bay. we are back at 7:25 with a live update. >> join us at 11:00 for more of the weather. it's wednesday, have a great day. . good morning. deep freeze. nearly 65 million people waking up to bitter cold temperatures across the country, adding to the misery in pennsylvania, record-shattering snow, more than 5-feet in just 48 hours. >> it's a little ridulous, but i keep pecking away at it. >> reporter: snow emergency with more on the way. dinl has the latest on the forecast storms and those frigid temps trump and taxes. the new law causing turmoil. why millions are ask figure they should pay next year's taxes this year. what you need to know security scare, a packed passenger jet forced to turn around to los angeles, four hours into a flight to tokyo t.

reason, an unauthorized person somehow managed to get on board. some of the passengers live tweeting throughout the ordeal. >> we are in here reporting live, lax. >> those stories, plus the prince and the president. prince harry interviews barack obama and teams him up with a good natured question about meghan markle. >> suits or life? >> suits, obviously. >> too big a bite. why apple may have missed the mark with the iphone 10. and going up, no winner, the mega-million jackpot soars to 300 million. nearly two-thirds of a billion dollar lottery up for grabs, we sweep the nation, twins, december 27, 2017. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning, welcome to

"today." welcome for joining us, savannah and hoda have the morning off. >> some perspective here, this time last year, 60 degrees. we will be lucky if we break 30. >> it is freezing. we have a bunch of people on the plaza, they don't mind. in fact the bone-chilling cold is being felt from the rockies to the northeast f. you like snow, erie, pennsylvania is dealing with historic amounts of it. we will get to dylan's forecast in a moment. we will begin in snow yes erie, ron allen is there, good morning. >> reporter: good morning the snow here is relentless, it's coming down flurries, it's still accumulating. overnight, we got a few more inches, adding of course, to all of this some 5-feet, most of it has fallen since christmas eve. there is a state of emergency in effect here. officials are urging people to stay off the roads so the plows can do their jobs. misery here in erie and across the great lakes region. overnight, power restored in

cleveland after a fire at a substation left 40 people in the dark for hours in the frigid cold. as an arctic blast sweeps the country from new england to seattle. the most wonderful time of the year is bringing along a big chill. in utah, a sheriffs officer now a hero, after saving his 8-year-old boy who had fallen through ice while chasing his dog. >> i just started using my hands and my fists, just pounding on the ice. >> once i saw his face, i pulled his head up above the water and i just called out to the paramedic, letting them know i'm coming in, i've got him. >> reporter: meanwhile, in erie, pennsylvania, record-breaking snow shocked even the locals. >> i'm used to the snow, not this much at once. this is insane. >> reporter: matthew harrington says his boss told him to stay home. but he's been working owl day to try to clear the snow. >> i woke one two-to-three feet of snow. i have been fighting it all day. >> 62 inches falling by evening

t. city declaring a snow emergency. more than 6,000 u.s. flights delayed tuesday alone, strandsing travelers. >> i won't be able to get home until probably thursday night, friday morning. >> her christmas dinner, reese's peanut butter cups from the vending machine. >> i desperately want a salad. >> desperation at the airports and on the roads. >> i wouldn't go out in this stuff. >> reporter: some did in nearly whiteout conditions, others hopped on a sled or tried to dig out their cars. >> it's a little ridiculous, i keep pecking away at it. >> reporter: in chicago, temperatures plunged to minus 3 degrees, a bone-chilling surprise. >> we were a little shocked by the coldness of chicago. >> yeah, it's bad. >> reporter: so cold, you could see steam rise off lake michigan and the chicago river. but wherever are you in the u.s., it's bound to be an icy end to 2017. and it's not entirely over.

forecasters are predicting several more inches of snow could fall and accumulate here in the coming days, bringing erie towards yet another record, 100 inches of snow north of december, which is about what they average for an entire winter season. guys, back to you. >> all right, ron, thank you. >> all right, dylan is in for al again this morning. you do a good job of keeping us in check. oath, it's so cold, dylan will say, it is december. is this record break something is this historic this cold we are see something. >> not here, back through nebraska, up into michigan, it is record-breaking cold. it's really cold to the skin, because if you have exposed skin, if you are fought wearing gloves, that wind sucks away your heat. it makes it that much colder. so let's take a look at where it is coldest this morning, that's back through the northern plains and the upper mid-west. in fact, 63 million people are under wind chill advisories and two-thirds of the countries are below freezing this morning. again, it's all about the wind chill. it feels like 19 below in chicago.

games james town, north dakota, it feels like 20 below. it's downright cold out there. in the northeast, we've got tems feeling like we're in the single digits. as we go into tomorrow morning, it will feel like 4 below in indianapolis, ten below in minneapolis, on friday morning the cold continues to push eastward, water town new york, it will feel like 18 below by friday morning, boston ten below, in new york city it will feel like 5 degrees. those cold winds crossing over the southern great lakes why we have seen such exception am amounts of snow back through erie t. winds will shift a bit. that will force that snow to shift. so instead of right over erie, it will push a little farther to the south and west. but we are still looking for an additional 6 to 10 inches in those lake effect bans of snow. erie, pennsylvania, waspy first market in tv. i've never seen anything like that before. >> unbelievable. thank you, dylan also on this busy wednesday morning, president trump is once

again touting the new tax law, with just a few days left before it goes intoesque, there is a lot of confusion for millions of taxpayers. nbc news' chief white house correspondent halle jackson has the latest. good morning. >> reporter: hey there, good morning to you. i'll tell you the president, himself, seems to be feeling very optimistic about his new tax law. he's been tweeting about that while he's down here in florida. but on this holiday week around the country, you got a lot of folks making a mad dash to try to physical ofigure out what it for them. >> it's not holiday returns. but tax returns, with the new republican tax law leaving some folks scrambling, wondering, should i pay next year's property taxes now? the new law limits property tax deduction to $10,000 in 2018, homeowners in high taxed cities and states who pre pay that bill this year could save money. others might not. it depends on your personal situation.

which means account tants are taking more than their fair share of panicked phone calls. >> it's ridiculous, tax season started a month early. >> reporter: best advice, ask a professional about what the tax changes mean for you. president trump is hoping they mean good things for the stockmarket and as he tweeted, a great year for companies and jobs! as he talks tax on his working holiday inn south florida. back if washington, his treasury department is working on something else, putting pressure on north korea, slapping new sanctions on the rogue regime, going after two senior officials, described by the u.s. as leaders of pyongyang's ballistic missile program. it comes as north korea unleashes another round of tough talk. calling the united nations sanctions against it an act of war. even as a new south korean report predicts the north will push for diplomatic discussions with the u.s. in the new year. while the president has been quit on twitter about kim jong-un this holiday break, he has been anything silent when it comes to the fbi, attacking the

agency's deputy director. now fbi agent's association which helps families in need, says it's seen some 2,000 people donate $140,000 in recent weeks a. spokesman tells nbc that's a sophisticate uptick this month. a month when the agency has come under fire from the president and some lawmakers. you'd think that's appropriate for the president? >> i'm very concerned the doj and the fbi whether you want to call eight deep state or what are kind of off the rails. >> the former acting cia director disturbed be i that kind of talk. >> i think what the president is saying about the fbi is disgraceful and it's equally disgraceful no republicans are stepping in to say stop it. >> reporter: so from a policy perspective, there is plenty on the president's plate when he does get back to walk in the new year, probably starting with infrastructure, expect this to be a big push. a top adviser to the white house says the president will huddle with top republicans in d.c. and in that first week of january to

figure out exactly what they want to tackle first. >> halle, thank you now to that bizarre ordeal for passengers from los angeles to tokyo. four hours into the journey the jet suddenly turned around and headed back to lax. nbc news' gauo gaddi sports as story. >> reporter:. >> reporter: the rogue passenger made it through the gate onto the plane and almost across the oaks. this morning, us from straighted flyers are looking for answers as to where a flight headed to tokyo tuesday made u-turn, returning to lax after just four hours because of an unauthorized person on board. the bizarre situation causing confusion among passengers. >> hey, guys, chrissy teigen here reporting live. >> reporter: including model chrissy teigen as news of the diversion quickly spread, teigen

on board the plane with her husband, singer john legend, live tweeted to her 9.2 million following loafer, ride, a flying first for me, four hours into an 11-hour flight. and we are turning around because of a passenger who isn't supposed to be on this plane. teigen was told a passenger some haugh managed to board with an airlines ticket saying they said they had a united ticket. we are on ana and tradepark tongue in cheek, teigen added so basically the boarding pass scanner is a beating noise machine that register to nowhere? >> they mentioned a ticket from you nated airlines, explaining it this way, during the flight the cabin crew bill aware one of the passengers boarded an incorrect flight. as a part of the airline security procedure, they decided to return to the originating airport where the passenger was disembarked. an explanation that released an

empty landing, why not land in tokyo and send the other person back? lax to lax flight complete, flight time august hours and 20 minutes. chrissy teigen tweeted again. taking off! please don't be the same menu. ana says they are reaching how the passenger boarded the flight. guys, do not worry, teigen is on the case. >> we should put her on the payroll here. thank you now to a disturbing story out of ohio, four teenagers now charged with murder and a man's death after he was struck by a sandbag they allegedly threw from a highway overpass, nbc news' ron mott has more on that. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, police say they saw four boys leaving the highway overpass shortly after the victim riding was hit. authorities say this was no accident. >> oh my god! >> reporter: in the dark of night, highway horror. >> i'm on 75 south. i was driving my car and i went

underneath the road. i don't know what happened. my friends, i don't know what happened, he's not moving. >> reporter: a driver frantic about her passenger after their windshield suddenly cracked. >> i was driving underneath the bridge and something just hit my car! he is not moving. >> reporter: a sandbag flying in without warning from this i-75 overpass in toledo, ohio last week e week killing father marquice byrd of suburban detroit. >> there were different objects thrown, i'm not positivings, i believe there was maybe some rocks also that were thrown and i know a sandsbag. >> reporter: this morning, four teens, 13 and 14-years-old are charged with murder in birbyrd' death. >> to be taken in a violent and hor risk way, it's contrary to how he lived. >> reporter: that same interstate further north in michigan was the site of another attack, a group of five teens allegedly caused the death of a

32-year-old man in october by throwing rocks from an overpass near flint. they have been charged with second degree murder and could face life in prison if convicted. they've pleaded not guilty. in both cases, most of the accused, too young to drive, yet old enough to create, authorities contend, deadly danger on the road. now, in this most recent tragedy in toledo, usually there is a high finance across that overpass, but it had been removed for a construction project. officials believe that's where they believe these four young men picked up that sandsbag. >> so sad, thank you three major u.s. cities are suing the department of dvgs saying the military failed no properly use the national backgrounds check for guns. new york city, san francisco and philadelphia filed that lawsuit on tuesday t. cities say the dod failed to support military convictions to the fbi's national background check system for gun sales that failure allowed disgraced former air force member devon kelly to buy

a rifle and fatally shoot two people in a texas church last month. pittsburgh officials stay market is working with military leaders to refine their policies despite an overall jump in holiday sales this year, apple iphone 10 nay have missed the mark. this morning on the heels of the holiday shopping season, apple may have fallen from the christmas tree. the tech giant suffering a post-christmas slump. their stock closing down 2.5% on tuesday, fighting offer some analyst's prediction of a luke warm response to what should be the company's crown jewel. the iphone x. when announcing the flagship device. >> it is the biggest leap forward since the original iphone. >> reporter: tim cook apple ceo, heaped new praise on the product. new reports say the company is lowering its first quarter sales forecast. apple has declined nbc news' requests for comment.

experts say a potential cause of waning interest, the dlur 999 price stag. sticking shock. >> would you rather pay a thousand dollars for a phone or a laptop? i'm just comparing. >> some seeking out cheaper older models, the 7 and 8 saying the tech advances don't justify spendsing a grand. >> sometimes it's outrun what we are getting. some pointing to apple fatigue, some unimpressed with the new screen size the loss of fed honey phone jacks and facial rec necessary technology, analysts caution because apple is lowering projections that doesn't mean the iphone 10 sales aren't strong, past years show projections still have apple on pace to become the world's first trillion dollar company. even after news that apple admitted to slowing down older model iphones as they age, now facing a lawsuit t. company says they were only trying to improve customer experiences and protect the phones.

hoping to prevent shutdowns from things like cold conditions and the device's lithium ion batteries aging over time. critics saying apple purposely slowed down phones to increase sales of newer more expensive modems like the iphone x, a model selling by the millions. overall sales of electronics and appliances during the holiday season showed the strongest growth, though insures ten years. >> good news and bad news for anyone holding a mega-millions lottery ticket. no one won the big prize last night. that means the jackpot is skyrocketing even higher. $306 million now up for grabs for friday night's drawing. the story gets better, actually t. powerball jackpot even higher. tonight's drawing worth at least $337 million. together that's $643 million in combined prize money, by the way, don't forget to check your tickets, just because you did not win the jackpot doesn't mean you didn't perhaps win a smaller

prize. >> $500,000 will do. i get a scratchoff. 2 bucks in massachusetts. now i got to go to massachusetts to redeem it. >> hardly worth it. >> how is that drive to massachusetts? this weather? >> actually, you know the forecast for the northeast, it's cold but it's dry. we aren't going to see any snow except back towards the great lakes the lake effect snow will continues for another day. it is frigid through the northern plains, temperatures have breaking records in some areas from nebraska to michigan. it's wet down south. we got heavy rain likely across parts of the gulf coast. your local forecast is coming up in the next 30 seconds. carmax is the place to sell your car. okay, let's do this, tina, tchick-tchick. here we go, tchick-tchick. i believe in ya tina. c'mon now.

ah, we can just hang out here. good morning, i'm meteorologist, kari hall. we start with fog in san francisco on this wednesday morning. and we have also had dense fog in the north bay with chilly temperatures. it will be warming up, clearing out the day. more sunshine, highs inland reaching low 60s. in the north bay, 62 degrees in napa, 58 in san francisco and san jose, 62 degrees. over the next few days, temperatures get milder and stays dry. >> and that's your latest fore >> and that's your latest forecast. >> dylan, thank you.st coming up, prince harry goes one-on-one with former president obama. what had them joking about the next royal wedding. and do you have working smoke detectors in your home? are you sure? the dangerous discoveries jeff rossen made when he went door-to-door, surprising families. first, this is "today" on nbc. coming up, one of the storie

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hey oooh- somebody ran laps! yeah. the new tide sport collection- it's got to be tide the hayward c-h-p officer killed in the line of duty. good morning, it is 7:26, i'm kira klapper. mourning continues for the hayward chp officer killed in the line of duty. a ceremonial bell ringing will be held later today to honor officer camilleri. it is in west sacramento, where he just graduated in march. the officer was killed when a suspected drunk driver slammed into the suv he was in on christmas eve on interstate 880. he leaves behind his wife and three children. let's check in with meteorologist, kari hall with a look at the microclimate forecast. >> good morning. we see all clear skies and sunshine in dublin. more people heading out with chilly temperatures. we drop to freezing in

livermore. freezing temperatures in parts of the north bay with patches of fog. once that clears out, a beautiful day with highs reaching the low 60s. upper 50s along the coast and san francisco over the next few days. we will see more dry weather. a slight chance of rain moving into the bay area for new year's eve. fog through san jose. you can see that. north of san rafael. those are two areas to be careful. southbound 101, a crash there. you have an issue northbound with slowing. maybe distraction. a smooth drive from the east bay. no back ups. the bay bridge toll plaza has no problems. you don't believe me? here is a look. >> we would never not believe you, mike. a beautiful look at the traffic. it is 7:27. another local news update in a half hour. hope you join in. until then, back to the "today" show.

we are back. it's 7:30 on this wednesday morning, the 27th of december, 2017. with a shot of the world's most famous christmas tree. if you're in the area and coming to see the rockefeller christmas tree, you should bundle up. brutally cold out there. >> that arctic blast is where we start our check of today's top stories. >> bone-chilling. >> i'm used to snow but not this much at once. this is insane. >> a winter weather nightmare descends on much of the nation, as record-breaking snow slams the northeast, while 63 million people wake up to frigid cold temperatures. sad ending. william w. graham, air to "the

washington post" fortune, takes his own life, as his father once did, days after the premier of "the post," the film of the paper over n the '70s. removal of a 200-year-old magnolia tree after experts declare the tree too old to remain in place. rocket rear-ender. several cars collide on a california freeway, after drivers are distracted by the launch of a spacex rocket. and holiday surprise. >> the best christmas present i can imagine having. >> after being best friends for decades, two men in hawaii find out they're brothers. making it a christmas miracle tough to beat. today, december 27th, 2017. also on this wednesday, savannah guthrie celebrating a birthday. we know she's up early watching this show. >> she has two kids.

that's possible. >> happy birthday, savannah. >> let's get back to the brutal cold. it will be here for a while. >> it will be here for a while. by the time we get into monday, new year's day, it could be some of the coldest we've seen yet. it's going to be brutally cold. let's look at the new year's weekend, where there's a possibility that some of the models were indicating we could see somewhat of a storm. it's not that aggressive right now. it's more of a heads-up that we're watching the forecast. and scattered snowshowers are possible. most of the models keep the majority of the storm offshore. most of the snowshowers will be light on saturday. we're looking at afternoon highs in the single digits and teens. you're factor in the wind and it won't feel like it's above zero for some areas across the midwest. temperatures only in the 20s, all the way down into the carolinas. at midnight, bitterly cold temperatures, if you're are outdoors. we're looking at 10 below in

northern minnesota. temps in single digits across the northeast. and on monday, the frigid weather continues. 20s up and down the east coast. it's going to be a lot better here. as we go through the day, today is going to clear up. fog this morning and sunshine for this afternoon. high temperatures in the low 60s today. 62 degrees in san jose and napa. 58 degrees in san francisco. over the next few days, we keep our well above normal temperatures with a lot of sunshine. there will be more clouds moving in new year's eve. a slight chance of rain especially farther to the north. we may get rain over the next seven days. >> that's your latest forecast. now to today's "rossen reports." a warning about smoke alarms. >> if a fire broke out in your home, would the alarm sound? jeff rossen went out with

firefighters for life-saving tips. >> did you know most house fires z firefighters for happen now during the holidays? and believe it or not, 5 million homes don't have a smoke alarm at all. and for those that do, many don't work. are they in the right room? how old are they? do you know? so many of us are making simple mistakes, leaving us vulnerable when seconds matter. this morning, i'm about to show you the three simple things you can do in your home right now to keep you safe. i'm going door-to-door. hi, there. jeff rossen from nbc news, the "today" show. >> i recognize you. >> reporter: spot-checking. you thought you had a working smoke alarm and you didn't. >> scary. >> reporter: it's a dangerous threat. three of five people killed in a house fire didn't have a working smoke alarm. and during the holidays, you can

be at greater risk. from fast-moving christmas tree fires like this one, to fires caused by space heaters. is your home prepared? to find out, the orlando fire department out in force. and we're teaming up, checking homes for safety risks. [ knocking ] hi. jeff rossen from the "today" show. how are you? >> good. >> reporter: we're here with the fire department checking people's smoke alarms to make sure you're safe. can we come in? right away, a problem. >> we're going to push the button on it to test the battery and the audible portion of the alarm. >> reporter: not working. the one in your bedroom isn't working. >> no. >> reporter: what's that like to see? >> it's upsetting. that's the first place we're going to hear it if it's going to go off. >> reporter: we're not just finding problems. firefighters are fixing them. installing brand-new alarms for free. i'm glad we came.

>> i'm glad you guys came, too. >> reporter: next door, we meet peggy. her detector's not working, either. >> i don't do ladders anymore. i'm afraid of falling. >> reporter: you can't check the detectors? >> right. and i always forget when someone else is here to get them to check it for me. >> reporter: that's why we're here for you today. >> good. >> reporter: then, an even bigger problem. >> we're in the kitchen, a source of a lot of residential fires. no smoke detectors. >> reporter: you're supposed to have one here? >> within ten feet, you're supposed to have one. >> reporter: the fire department installing two new alarms for peggy. we check house -- after house, finding problems in nearly all of them. there's no battery in here at all. >> no battery. i probably used it somewhere else. >> reporter: but the biggest tip of the day, one i've never heard before, inside this man's house. he thinks his detector works

fine because when he tests it, it beeps. >> when that alarm sounds, it tells me two things. your battery is good and your alarm works. >> reporter: but it doesn't test the sensor that actually detects smoke. >> your detector was manufactured in 2002. that's 15 years ago. we like to change them out every ten years. >> reporter: why? >> dust starts blocking the sensor. it can no longer see smoke. >> reporter: no problem. there's an easy way to test the sensor. the candle test. light a candle and blow it out. place your alarm right over the smoke and it should go off. it's not going off. >> that would tell me this sensor probably has dust built up on the sensor. >> i had no idea. >> reporter: this blows your mind. >> i just put a battery in it a couple days ago when it was chirping. >> reporter: we helped. sounding the alarm so your family stays safe. >> awesome. thank you so much. >> big thanks to the orlando fire department. they installed multiple alarms in every house that needed them. and here's another tip. if you're like me, worried about forgetting when to change the

battery, you can buy lithium batteries at any big box store for $5 to $10. they work for ten years. back to you guys. >> that was very helpful. >> literally some life-saving information. that candle test, i never thought about that. >> me neither. what you need to think about before making the dreaded holiday returns. on "pop start," big news about two of the most beloved sitcoms of the '90s. then, pet pampering 2.0. we'll take you inside the fancy resorts that cater to your dogs. first, when harry interviewed barry. the conversation between the prince and the president that has the world talking this morning. that's right after this.

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>> the questions ranged from the serious to the silly. it's relief comes as meghan markle mania hits great britain and the world. kelly kobiaya has more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, channel and craig, yeah, a lot of listeners to this, this morning, prince harry taking over the air waves here, grilling the former president about everything from his final day in office to believe it or not boxers or briefs. prinsz harry back at work as editor for britain's morning radio show with a presidential interview. >> when you wake up now, president obama, former president of the united states, what's different about your morning, in. >> i wake up later and, you know, it's wonderful to be able to control your day in the way that you can't as president. >> reporter: the prince and the president spent time together at the invictus games in toronto in september. behind the scenes, taping a 40-minute q & a. >> can i take you back to the

25th of january, 2017, marine one the presidential helicopter, flying over washington, you sat through the inauguration with your game face on, not emotion as we all saw. what was going through your mind? in there the first thing that went through my mind was sitting across from michelle how thankful i was that she had been my partner through that whole process. you know, overall, there was a serenity there more than i would have expected. >> reporter: the two talked about creating the next generation of leaders t. power of social media and as the presence put it the serious questions. >> boxers or briefs in. >> sorry, we don't answer those questions. >> lebron james or michael jordan? >> jordan, although i love lebron, i'm a gi chicago guy. >> aretha franklin or tina turner? >> arethra is the best? >> william or harry? >> william right now.

>> reporter: showing his bride to be. >> suits or a good wife. >> suits, obviously. >> great answer. >> former suits actress meg meghan markle already winning hearts in britain. she's the queen of the front cover "hello" magazine kautz it the mark him sparkle, with predictions she will boost the country by several million through memorabilia, engagement mugs sold out in a day with more on order. in a "hello" magazine poll say 67% say they are the new power couple. 65% say she will help modernize the monarchy the question is the former president on the guest list for the biggest wedding of 2018 in. >> i don't know about. that we haven't put the invites or the guest list together yet. so who knows whether you will be invited or no. i wouldn't want to worry that surprise. >> megan's first royal christmas.

>> she's done an amazing job getting in there. it's a family tradition suppose she's never had. >> prince harry also said the family loved having megan there, they are looking forward to 2018. craig, channel, it will be a busy royal year. >> i'm excited about it. >> any word on what megan got the queen for christmas? >> we don't know spell. but we are told the queen likes practical gift, for example, kate gave her home-made jam at her first christmas. >> hmm. >> so use your imagination. >> that makes sense, she doesn't need any jules. >> carson is back in the orange room this morning. mr. daly, good to see you back, sir. >> i got my ticket ready to go for the wedding, guys, don't worry about it. coming up next, why super heroes ash, why are they like batman ruining the planet? we'll tell you all about that

right after this.

good wednesday morning. right now, it's 7:56. we wake up to mostly clear skies for the inland areas and patchy fog as well. look how cool it is in the tri-valley, we are down to 35 degrees and 33 in the north bay. watch for the patchy, dense fog and very cold temperatures. later today, it is really nice. the high temperatures reaching the low 60s, mostly sunny skies. along the coast, we stay in the 50s. over the next several days, the temperatures will be in the upper 50s to low 60s for our highs. morning temperatures, mid-40s. more clouds moving in new year's eve with a slight chance of rain as we go into that evening. that may affect your party plans. we'll keep you up to date on that heading into the start of 2018. it is going to be all dry. let's head over to mike for an update on the commute. >> it is almost all clear.

look at the sensors. the fog may be an issue. i'll show you that in a second. southbound 680 approaching highway 24, a crash and debris in the roadway. you saw the marker pop up there. southbound 101, there's fog here. you see the light traffic flow. the south bay, the fog, low clouds starting to burn off a bit. the sun comes up and it is enough to show the light traffic around the bay. back to you. >> looks good. homeowners are rushing to pay property tax bills while they can deduct it before 2018. you can see the long line at the assessors office yesterday. homeowners have a few more days to save money before the federal law kicks in. they will take your tax payments all week from 9:00 to 5:00. you can pay by mail and online until 11:59 on new year's eve. the reason why some of you may

be paying more while others will pay less. plus- overnight i )ll be trackig any changes to your new year )s eve forecast. when you join us tomorrow morning from 4:30 to 7.

additional six to ten inches of snow on top of that. craig? >> i'll take it from here. thank you, dylan. the u.s. has issued new sanctions against two officials it describes as key leaders of north korea's unlawful weapons pr programs. the sanctions are part of a pressure campaign to isolate north korea and create a fully denuclearized korean peninsula. tough new sanctions against north korea was in response to its latest launch of a ballistic

missile, which pyongyang says is capable of reaching the u.s. mainland. a flight from los angeles to tokyo did a u-turn four hours into the trip, all because one of the passengers was on the wrong plane. a.n.a. flight attendants discovered an unauthorized person was onboard and notified the pilot as part of the airline security procedure. the pilot decided to return to l.a.x. model chrissy teigen was among those onboard. she documented the nightmare on twitter, calling the ordeal an a.n.a. says it's researching the situation to figure out how the passenger boarded the flight. we usually have "hoda's morning boost" at this time of the morning. we couldn't resist sharing this one. a rookie baseball player for the arizona diamondbacks gave his parents a christmas gift that brought them to tears. he received a $5,000,000 bonus. he decided to pay off his parents' mortgage and presented them with the gift two days ago.

>> i want our family -- i want our family home to be yours. >> smith said to his parents, quote, thank you for everything you have done for me. our home is finally all yours. merry christmas. that's sweet. that's what a lot of people dream to do, to pay off their parents' mortgage. >> i gave my mom a bracelet. much more ahead, including what you can do to limit your stress returning holiday gifts. thanks but no thanks. why restaurants will no longer accept cash. massages, pedicures and blowouts, not for you. but for your dog. are you planning the new year's eve party? the ultimate snacks to ring in 2018. first, these messages. i love you, couch. you give us comfort. and we give you bare feet, backsweat, and gordo's... everything.

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visit stjude.org or shop where you see the st. jude logo. ♪ back at 8:10. according to cnbc, it ee's estimated that $90 billion worth of gifts will be returned to the stores this holiday season. >> catie beck has some tips if you want to take things back to

the store. >> reporter: last year, nearly two-thirds of americans returned gifts, despite the headache. this year, there could be even more. for most of us, it's a huge hassle. >> returns can be a nightmare. >> reporter: making that dreaded trip to the hall to return unwanted gifts. >> i would rather go online. >> reporter: if you don't, you may spend hours waiting in line. >> it is busy. >> reporter: wrong style? >> it didn't fit and i didn't like it. >> reporter: or wrong size? >> my daughter really liked the shoes but they weren't her size. i'm trying to get a bigger size. >> reporter: it's a massive crowd on the hunt for replacements or refunds. >> they wouldn't give me a refund. they only gave me store credit. >> reporter: every december, half of americans get a gift they don't want. and the national retail federation says 13% of all purchases are returned. >> they were too small for me. he didn't like some of them. we're here. >> reporter: overall, this season was a win for retailers,

with unemployment down and consumer confidence up. holiday sales hit their best pace since 2011. up nearly 5% this season. >> got a job and more money to spend. >> reporter: online shopping get a 24% bump. even big box scores feeling a seasonal surge. >> you don't have the gift receipt or anything? >> reporter: more gifts mean more returns. here's how to shrink your stress when taking things back. always have your receipts. understand the return policy before you buy. watch the return clock. it starts the minute the item is bought. so, know when your time runs out. keep the original packaging and put everything back as best you can. and ask about return fees when you buy online. shipping and restocking fees can add up. retail experts say when it comes to returns, the sooner the better. the best time is this week, when you'll have the most choice and most discounts.

stores, happy to see you back. >> i like coming in the store and trying, maybe, another one on. maybe i like it. >> reporter: retailers, hoping that happens, and that buyers return again. retailers see returns as an opportunity to get you back into their store and potentially spend even more. that thinking works. this week, between christmas and new year's, consumers are expected to spend an additional $69 billion. that's 11% of this season's total. guys? >> catie beck with some useful tips down in atlanta. thanks. now, for what's "trending" today. let's look at what's trending on twitter. l.a.x. to l.a.x. and best part of 2017 for me. an article in "the new york times" grabbed our attention. it brings up the debate whether cash should be phased out. the article sites how many restaurant chains are making the jump to cards only. it protects the store from

theft. the cons are, if the card machines go down, you're out of luck. and not everyone has access to a credit or debit card. here's the question this morning -- do you still use cash or carry cash on you? >> yeah. >> yes. >> really? >> this is like making planes go autopilot all of a sudden, not having humans fly them. you have to have cash. especially if you've worked in the service industry, you have to tip people in cash. you have to have cash on you. we had to have an emergency $20 with us at all times. >> it would burn a hole in my pocket. >> i don't have a single bill in my wallet. >> that drives me crazy. my wife never has cash on her. >> i go to the coffee shop. and i walked in and gave her a $20. and she looked at it like it was foreign money. and she said, we don't take that here. 20s? no. we don't take cash. and i became perperturbed. >> i was at the airport. and that's all i had. i keep my debit card. and the kids ordered pizza,

chicken tenders and fries. i couldn't pay. it was their machine, not mine. >> i'm so old. if i see someone pull out a credit card for 60 cents at starbucks, there's a $10 limit or something, right? how could you do that? don't you have a dollar on you? >> no. >> that's the point. >> that's just being old. >> from a business standpoint, it probably does cut down on thievery. >> but not thievery for -- >> in my phone, i have my emergency $20. mom, see? >> my mom gets so mad at me. >> can i borrow 20 bucks? >> i owe you cash. i didn't have cash on me. >> you do. i won't tell people at home. >> how many people carry cash? >> we have the answer for you. you ready? we asked viewers on twitter, if they carry cash. 62% say they carry cash on them. >> good luck. >> a low number. >> i thought you would be happy.

>> with the machines go down, you need to have it. >> i can't remember the last time i had cash. >> i've been out with it. >> in the airport, you should have cash. >> i should. >> you never know when you need a ride. >> can i write a check for the money i owe you? >> who writes checks? >> no one writes checks anymore. >> i write checks a lot. let's get into "pop start" today. it looks lofty. we start with a '90s sitcom reboot in the works. sony pictures is looking to bring back the former series "mad about you." the revival would involve paul reiser and helen hunt, reprising their roles. and it would pick up in present day, as paul and jamie's daughter heads to college. the original series ran for seven seasons. paul reiser was here. and we asked if he was interested in a rerival. he said, for years, i said no.

now, with my kids out of the house, it's like starting over. maybe there's a story there. we'll have to wait and see what happens. first, selena gomez, the season of giving right now. that's what selena did for her cousin. gomez went wedding dress shopping with her docousin who a bride-to-be, sharing this video on instagram, her cousin captioned the video. when your maid of honor makes your dream dress a reality and surprises you with it. gomez and a cousin with a sign saying, i said yes to the dress. they celebrated the occasion with champagne. >> they sent you a text message while you were telling it. and speaking of revivals. some promos for the reboot of "roseanne" have been released. roseanne was ready to mock the

finale of the series, when goodman's character died of a heart attack. >> how is the basketball game? >> i think the bulls of '96-'97, would have been in control of this game. >> you can't live in the past, dan. >> we get to hear that roseanne cackle at the end. no word on how they will explain dan's death. the revival is set for march 2018. you like the reboots? "mad about you" and "roseanne." proven commodities. here's your "daly click." a mom gets a brand-new iphone, basically. that's not what she thought it was, though. you can watch the video, you'll know what i mean. >> okay. >> hey. perfume. >> she thinks it's perfume. >> oh. >> yeah. thinks it's perfume.

eventually realizing that was a brand-new iphone. i think that's the x right there. >> i think mom might have a hard time oerptdi inoperating the ip. >> she thought it was perfume. >> the segment was great either way. >> that's what moms do. perfume, thank you. dylan is standing by with another check. what are we looking at here? >> yes. we're going to see some cold temperatures across most of the country. this morning, about two-thirds of the country are dealing with temperatures below freezing. the cold temps extending down into texas and down along the gulf coast. 40s for highs today down near georgia and into mississippi and alabama, which is good because it's raining down that way. you don't want to deal with icy situations. we're looking at temperatures, highs to stay in the teens, below zero, for parts of the upper midwest. that arctic express continues across the morn plainnorthern p the regular plains. in the southeast, temperatures are below average. and the

good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. we start out with some fog in san francisco and the temperature very chilly, now only 46 degrees. as you head out the door, all clear in san jose and that sunshine warms things up. we'll also have breezy winds and some improved air quality. today expect a high of 62 degrees in san jose and livermore, 61 in concord. in oakland expect a high of 60 degrees today and 58 degrees in san francisco. we will still have some sunshine in this forecast over the next several days. >> "best of today" is brought to you by mercedes-benz, the best or nothing. now, to more of our special series, "best of today," as we look back at the stories we'll most remember from 2017. >> my pick is pretty personal. you never want to hear about anyone getting a cancer diagnosis. when i got a call about someone dear to me, it sent me for quite the spin.

few people are as close to death every day as lawrence meadows. he's the co-owner of a funeral home in spartanburg, south carolina. it's a calling guided by a faith he's had since he was a boy. at this church, he's not just a member, he's the pastor. >> we ought to take time out of our schedule and pray sometimes. >> reporter: all his life he's been active and healthy. i know because i've known him all my life. lawrence is my older brother. but now, at the age of 39, he's been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. i could not get my head around it being you because you've always -- no smoking, no drinking, no partying. >> yeah. i was like, man. gosh. i should have been drinking and smoking and doing all that other stuff. i have this diagnosis and i should have been getting the other stuff in, too. >> reporter: that's lawrence, in his funeral home, talking about a potentially deadly diagnosis, but doing what he's done since

we werecracking jokes. his doctor removed a tumor from his abdomen in october, but the cancer had already spread. now, he spends a lot of time at the cancer center in houston. >> this is the lining of the abdomen? >> reporter: his doctor says he's seeing a troubling trend with early onset cases. meaning patients under 45. >> we're expecting these incidents will continue to rise and may increase by 50% over the next 15 years. >> reporter: he says african-americans are twice as likely to develop early onset colon cancer than whites. and a recent study shows a wide gap in the survival rates. what's most troubling, experts can't figure out why. they developed tests to develop genetic markers in some cases. but lawrence had none of the markers. he was told to reach out to family, that means me. >> we recommend that relatives

of patients with colon cancer, have their first screening colonoscopy done ten years before the age of onset. when you hit 39, it's time to get a colonoscopy. >> reporter: i'm 37. most people should get colonoscopies at the age of 50. for higher risk groups, it's 45. no help to lawrence and our family, including his wife, angela, and their two children,ed a children, ed addie and lawsen. he is not scared of death. how often do you think about it? >> every day. i look at my children who -- both our kids. but lawsen adores his daddy. it's hard to look at that little boy like, where is my dad and just think, you know, he doesn't know what we're dealing with. >> reporter: their life is now focused on keeping the cancer at bay, which means flying to houston every other week for

chemo treatments. we were there when lawrence got the results of his latest round of tests. >> our goal is to try to stop its growth. certainly establi lly accomplis. but we're seeing some shrinking of the cancer. >> reporter: the doctor showed us where it's shrinking. >> there's no secure for colon cancer. but cutting it back until it just dies. >> reporter: back in south carolina, he's determined. >> i don't have anymore fights to pick. >> this is it. this is a fight. >> this is the only fight i'm focused on. >> i got you. >> evicting cancer from me. >> reporter: with the support of family and his doctors, lawrence leans on a faith that's defined his life, hoping and praying for god's grace. we shot that story months ago. since then, this is the thing that makes me proudest of it, he's crisscrossed the country. he's become an advocate for other folks, folks that look like us and who are battling

colon cancer in their 30s and 40s. he's been to conferences and fund-raisers. he's a fighter. he's been through 27 chemo treatments in all. so far, though, the cancer is being held at bay. he's a candidate for an experiment treatment. we're hoping to bring you that story when it happens. >> cool, calm and collected. so stoic. a pillar of strength that man. still to come, an inside look at the pet resort craze. and a tasteful way to welcome the new year. first, your local news. mourning continues for

the hayward c-h-p officer killed good morning, it's 8:26, i'm marcus washington. mourning continues for the hayward chp officer killed in the line of duty. a ceremonial bell ringing will be held in sacramento later today to honor officer andrew camalari. it is in west sacramento where the officer had just graduated back in march. that officer was killed when a suspected drunk driver slammed into the suv he was in on christmas eve. this was on interstate 880. he leaves behind a wife and three young children. of course that ceremony may cause a little backup traffic wise. mike inouye is looking at how that could impact your commute. >> you showed that video from the procession earlier where the officer was honored getting back into the station. as you talked about heading

towards sacramento, this may temporarily shut down the whipple road on-ramp to northbound 880. pete is covering the story and just wanted me to tell you guys out there nothing for long-term closures there. slowing southbound 680 toward highway 24, a crash still blocks two right lanes with some debris heading toward the walnut creek interchange. the rest of the bay very pleasant. look at the bay bridge toll plaza, we've had no backups, no metering lights. we've had some fog, lower visibility through the area, but it's fine for drivers. back to you. >> thanks, mike. i'll have another local news update for you in half an hour.

♪ and back at 8:30. back at 8:30 this wednesday morning, december 27th, 2017. it's about 20 degrees here on the plaza. >> oh, my goodness. >> it feels even colder. so, kudos to our crowd. >> they have a lot of energy right now. >> i come out here at 6:30 in the morning to talk to the crowd. and everyone is still out here that i saw this morning. i give them a lot of credit. >> how about this? in honor of it being 20 degrees, we're going to honor a woman who has been watching the "today" show for 20 years. where is linda? hi, linda. you've been watching the show for 20 years? >> every day, including weekends. >> we appreciate that, as well,

don't we? tell me you have your daughter here, rachel? this is a gift for you. you guys can share. you put some cocoa in and take a sip. >> great to meet you. >> thank you. nice to meet you, too. thank you for coming. >> i feel like she's been watching for 20 years, we should give them two mugs. let's round up another mug. >> she should co-host tomorrow. >> get another mug. >> another one is on its way. >> good. >> that seems fair. coming up, how often do you treat ourself to a little patcher ipatch pampering? how about your dogs? the new trend that treats their pets. also coming up, getting ready for new year's eve. we have easy ways to add some fancy touches to your outfits that maybe you own. we can hook you up with snack ideas, as you're going to a party at a friend's house. >> you go to a party. >> no football game on nbc.

we'll see how it works out. >> how cold will it be on new year's eve? >> in new york, it will be below zero cold. windchills making it even colder. it will be a cold one in the northeast. the cold air is surging into the upper midwest, the northern plains. the lake-effect snow continues with 6 to 12 inches of snow possible. it's a little icy down across northern alabama to northern georgia, too, where temperatures are closer to freezing. tomorrow, very blustery in the northeast. it's cold right now. it will be cold tomorrow, too. a little cloudy with showers and 70s across florida. 40s and 50s through texas. and heavy snow starts to work into the northern rockies tomorrow. that's going to turn into another system that's going to bring snow to good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. after the fog clears it will be sunny and breezy later today with highs up to 59 degrees in san francisco. a little bit warmer over the next couple of days and also heading into new year's eve

we'll start to see more clouds moving in and also to start out the new year. inland areas will be very warm in the mid-60s today and the warmest day on friday, 66 degrees. a few more clouds in the mix for the weekend, but it looks like it stays dry and we'll see some more dry weather into next week. >> and that's your latest forecast. guys? >> dylan, thank you. dog owners often consider their pets part of the family. >> and a new trend has some families treating their furry friends more like people. nbc's jo ling kent has that story. >> reporter: from "lassie." to "benji." americans have long had a love affair with their dogs. but the secret life of some pets may surprise you. massages, blueberry facials. it's called the humanization of pets and it's become a big business across america. >> this is where doggies come

for ultimate spa treatment. >> reporter: this is nicer than my bedroom. americans spent a record $66 billion on their pets last year. $11 billion going to pampering, usually reserved for people. 33% of pet owners say they pamper their pets with pet furniture. 17% buy pet clothing. and 10% have a stroller for their little fur baby. josh king is the owner of the fas fast-growing pet hotel and spa, which takes boarding and grooming to a new level. >> we'll drive him in and put a picture on facebook and instagram. we give them a massage, a grooming, netflix and chill session, and a steak for dinner. >> reporter: if you want to pamper your pooch at home, ikea has rolled out a line of furniture for you and your pets. how about a food delivery service that drops freshly cooked meals for your pooch at

your door. some calling it the blue apron of dog food. >> it's all-natural, 100% human grade. all of the ingredients we get for ollie are safe for you to eat, too. >> reporter: all this pampering may have a human benefit, too. people with pets save $12 billion a year in health care costs. >> everybody is looking to reward their pet more in human terms because everybody's finding that the benefits they're feeling, the better health, the more alert, more awake, to feel loving companionship. >> reporter: back at the pet hotel, there's no shortage of pet owners looking to offer their pets a human experience. >> this is her disneyland. she gets out of the car. she runs here. >> i brought her here for her birthday. it would be the most fun place for her to be all day. >> reporter: what does she do? >> she got to play and got spoiled. >> reporter: at the end of the day, the dog owners agree, the

cost of the pedicures and facials are a small price to pay for the puppy love. >> a blueberry facial, huh? how do you feel about that, carson? >> don't get me started. >> have you had a dog? >> i love dogs. i never give them blueberry facials. but good for them. >> i give my dog a little massage. i don't pay for it. >> i don't mind the massage part, i guess. >> there's a line somewhere. it might be blueberry massage. coming up, not sure what wear on new year's eve? fear not. the finishing touches you can add to any outfit for a night on the town. first this, is "today" on nbc. my wish was a clubhouse,

but we call it "the wish house." people visit national parks from all over the world. food tastes better when you don't have to cook it. he was just supposed to be my dog. i don't know why. (vo) we're proud that, on behalf of our owners, the subaru share the love event will have donated over one hundred fifteen million dollars in just ten years. get 0% financing for 63 months on select models. plus we'll donate $250 to charity. back at 8:38 with "today's style." we're getting you ready for new

year's eve. instead of spending a lot on an outfit, how about adding some simple touches to jazz up something you already own. here with us is melissa. how are you? a lot of times when you buy a fancy dress and with instagram and social media, people don't want to wear it multiple times. >> and who wants to go shopping snow now? and the best thing is to shop in your closet. we have jennifer, she's wearing a gorgeous outfit. it's great for new year's eve. but you can liven it up a little bit. i love the idea of taking an embellished collar. these are from zara. they tie in the back and you have pop it on anything that doesn't have a collar already. it will really work. it adds some festive flare. >> how are these? >> under $26. >> you get a new outfit for

about 20 bucks. i'm seeing these boots and the razzle-dazzle shoes everywhere. >> it started i feel with the st. laurent glitter boot that looked like this. and it trickled down. it's all about the statement shoe. it changes the look of your entire outfit. anything from glitter to sequins. everything under $100 today. it changes the look of your outfit. if you're wearing a black turtleneck or black jeans and throw on boots, you're good to go. >> i would keep it simple. if you don't want to buy a pair of shoes, take a pair of shoes that you have in your closet and put these fun shoe clips. >> are these back? >> these are back. >> i had them as a little girl. >> these are $12.50 for the pair. you clip them on like an earring. so easy to do. it changes the look of your shoe. >> super cute.

so fun. how much are these? >> $12.50 a pair. >> seeing a lot of faux fur. >> faux fur was trending. it's all about the colors. these are great for new year's eve. i love the idea of popping one on, either over a fun, festive blazer or with a black turtleneck. >> and i feel like it looks like you planned some glam. >> total glam. if this is a little too much for you, which it might be, i love these. these are super fun. these are faux fur little wri wristlets. you pop them on. if you have a long sleeve top, it looks like your shirt or whatever. >> a solid color with these on the ends? >> so fun. these are from amazon. they're under $20. >> really? >> super easy and fun to do. i love these. unexpected. >> this is good. >> good stuff. >> good stuff. next, of course, statement jewelry, this is a time to bust

out the statement jewelry if you have any. >> i have a bunch. >> we all do. if you don't, there's unexpensive ways. you can pop these on for under $25. i love a statement earring. these are very heavy. >> i was going to ask you about that. >> these are segment earrings. these are coming off in the next minute. make sure they're not too heavy. that's all i would say. a statement necklace, another great choice. >> you have a pop of red lip. >> red lips are a great way to change your makeup. and this, i love this color. joffra has amazing red colors, too. it changes the whole look. and another great way to do it is with your hair accessories. if you haven't worn air hair accessories, now is a fun time to do it. it's about embellished hair accessories. i love the idea of stacking them. on joanne, we've stacked a bunch of bobby pins.

we stacked like six of them all together. a lot of celebs are doing this. really beautiful. and another great thing, dress-on nails. >> okay. i remember the lee press-on nails. >> with the sticky tape. >> is it back? >> no. these are from static nails. they're really on-trend. you can see the shape of them. they have crystals on them, which is beautiful. they stay on well. >> do you do the whole hand? >> the whole hand. her whole hand is temporary nails. you would never know. they come in cool colors and shapes and designs. you can get them -- from static nails or lulus.com. >> people had nails flying all over the place. >> that's bad. these are staying on pretty good. really fun. look at this one. >> this is fun, too. these are picked up at claire's. these are stickers you put on your nails already. i have them on my nails here.

there's a little sticker embellishments. >> you get an a-plus for today. these are beyond doable and under 100 bucks. i love that. thank you. by the way, we have more ideas on our website. i say we like i had anything to do with it. today.com/style. up next, we have snacks to serve to impress your guests. first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪ [ splash ] [ horn sounds ] dang! ok, i gotta run. hey, wait, there's something i need to tell you- dang. dang! dang! dang. dang.

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welcome back this morning. on "today food," how to create the snacks to please everybody at your new year's eve party. kelsey nixon, good morning. let's start with this lovely board right here. i see some meats, some fruits, some freezes. >> snack boards are all the rage. it's an update to the classic charcuterie board.

we're going to compile meats and cheeses. i like to start with the center of the board. you can help me here. you start with the fruits and the veggies. >> you are going to add the meat -- not just a meat and cheese board. >> we're going to do the whole thing. and typically with the cheese board, people are concerned about the cheeses, to the extent it can feel intimidating. a snack board is a little more casual. you can add a variety of cheeses. you can get some fruits in there. >> a lot of people of eat the grapes or the apples with the cheese. >> you want people to come to the boards. you want them to graze. you want them to have a more casual experience with it. >> what do you use as a board? can you grab whatever chopping board in the house? >> that's a great question. a large cutting board, or a tray, as we're going to do with the brtoast, we're going to hav it loaded up. the more you load it up, the better it looks.

whether you're hosting or bringing something, you can walk in with a board like this and people will love it. >> done. great. >> this is a bruschetta board or tray, if you will. >> i'm making myself useful, carson. >> the first time sheinelle jones has ever, ever -- >> look at it now and savor it. >> the idea is for the person who doesn't love to cook, this is perfect. >> you have a cookie sheet and arugula? >> this is arugula. we have ricotta and soft cheeses. ise got some bruschetta here. i got pesto. and why don't you take the baked cu crustini and put it right there. >> this is taking the board mentality and going further with it. >> you can have a little olive oil.li a little balsamic. and the idea it's interactive. someone says, i want a little pesto. >> this is beautiful. >> look what is happening here.

>> bruschetta on top there. >> and look at the spread. >> it really is that simple. >> it doesn't take that long. >>ng nope. doesn't take that longno at all. the idea is, it promotes people to come to p your table and be interactive. >> really smart. >> what are you guys doing? >> i'm making craig a crustini and this is bringing us together. >> the boards are uniting. i'm cutting the cheese here. >> okay. that's your problem, craig. >> it's a sweet and salty board. you want to take things that are sweet and salty. maybe you say dessert for the new year's party. you have to add the chocolate-covered potato chips. >> you just throw it all together. >> i appreciate the women himsy. let's take the whole thing and put it there. i like the idea of having a couple of bowls to segment some things. >> i love the sweet and salty. all different kinds of snacks.

>> you know it's okay to pile things on a board and put it out. thist is right up your alley. you don't have to think. there's no wrong answer. >> and you fill in all of the spaces. it couldn't be more simple. you have a little sweet from the fruit and the candy. and who doesn't love popcorn and chocolate? chocolate-covered potato chips. >> that was delicious. >> every party deserves chocolate-covered potato chips. >> look at the ocspread. if that was the table -- >> let's look at all of this together. >> people don't eat dinner on new year's eve. you canw just have this out. >> as a host, this is something you can prepare. if you're going to a party -- >> the perfect thing to bring. if you don't have a tray, you get a cookie sheet. >> i plan to bring one to a party and host gift a little cutting board. who is notg going to be excited about this guy? the little bruschetta board, as well. and you can accommodate people

if they have dietary restrictions. you can do a vegan board or a mediterranean board. >> this is a popular gift. cutting boards. we have four or five of them. we should get rid of cutting boards. now is a a good reason to keep them. >> orr regift them by bringing them to another party. >> don't do it now. >> that was good. >> perfect. reallyt. fun. >> thank you so much. for more ideas and other festive recipes go to today.com/food. we're back in a moment. first, thisnt is "today" on nbc. kelsey, thank you so much. hay. new year. happy new year. >> ♪ toyland, toyland

♪ little girl and boy land ♪ while you dwell within it ♪ you are ever happy there daddy, it's christmas! ♪ childhood's joy land never let go of your dreams. the mercedes-benz winter event is back. lease the glc300 for $449 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing.

smucker's celebrates "today" is sponsored by smucker's. with a name like smucker's, it has to be good. >> welcome back. with 2018 right around the corner, our viewers are celebrating friends and families with new year's birthday. cindy shared this photo of her

grandsons. they will be 1 on new year's day. julia julia's sister, deborah, will be 66. she cared for her younger siblings growing up. here's luke, getting ready for the new year. he will be 5 on new year's eve. his mom said he wanted to arrive in time to party. keep sharing the awesome photos there of the new year's birthday. go to today.com/celebrates. >> mr. daly, thank you. >> january 1st. >> the boards are the gift that keeps on giving. >> we could eat the whole board. so yummy. >> right? >> look at that spread. i could take a whole chunk of cheese with some wine. "megyn kelly today" is ahead, after local news and weather. thank you for joining us. today a bell ringing ank yo.

good morning, it's 8:56, i'm marcus washington. today a bell ringing ceremony will be held to honor officer andrew camalarri who was killed in the line of duty. the ceremony will take place later today in sacramento. the officer's body was escorted from oakland to tracy, his hometown last night. he is being remembered as a loving father, husband and friend of the community. dozens of people, including his friends, were standing at attention as he was carried inside the funeral home.

>> you don't expect that, especially on christmas. how do you explain the younger ones are 2 and 6, and it's hard to explain that dad's not coming home. >> i just can't believe that something like this happened to them. it seems unreal that we lost an amazing human being. >> the officer was killed christmas eve when a suspected drunk driver also under the influence of drugs slammed into the police vehicle the officer was in. happening now, homeowners are rushing to pay property tax bills right now while they can still deduct it. there were long lines at the santa clara county assessor's office yesterday. homeowners have just a couple more days to save a lot of money. the reason why some of you may

be paying more while others will pay less. plus- overnight i )ll be trackig any changes to your new year )s eve forecast. when you join us tomorrow morning from 4:30 to 7.

this morning on "megyn kelly today," a survivor's tale. a woman lives through the vegas shooting, only to lose something dear to her heart. why she is still counting her blessings this holiday season. it's cold outside. jeff rossen on how to survive a winter storm. a we'll quiz the entire room on 2017's best and brightest pop culture moments. will i be stumped in almost certainly. all that and more on "megyn kelly today," right now. hello. hi. hello there. what's happening? hi. welcome to the show, everybody. welcome. it's great to see