>> that's what's happening "today in the bay." we'll be back at 7:25 with a live local news update. >> thanks for starting your morning with us at "today in the bay." have a great day. good morning. will you get there? the powerful, new storm set to cause serious problems for christmas travelers, with the end of the week in the crosshairs. al is crunching the numbers and has the forecast you need to see. twitter tear. president trump consumed over the russia investigation with repeated posts. and his lawyer, rudy giuliani, pushing back hard. >> that is completely wrong. it's harassment. and in washington, the countdown is on. will the president shut down the government over his border wall? >> if it comes to it, absolutely. "today" exclusive -- the tsa rolling out new technology to get you through airport security faster than ever. is this an early holiday gift

for travelers? those stories, plus, cause for concern. the outpouring of support for pete davidson in the wake of his troubling ins ge ining instagra. an unprecedented in teen vaping. the new numbers that will shock parents. and the odd couple. the unique and unlikely bond between nba legend charles barkley and a scientist he met at a bar. >> let yourself be surprised by what can happen. that's what they both did, right? >> a valuable lesson on the power of friendship, today, monday, december 17th, 2018. >> from nbc news, this is "today," with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning, everybody. welcome to "today." nice to have you with us on a monday morning.

one week from today, christmas eve. just in time for the holidays, a storm. >> i think you should confess -- the moments before air, you were on with american airlines, trying to arrange your travel. a lot of people might be doing that. >> i think they will, when al tells us. so many people traveling for the holiday and he is watching a new storm system that could impact all of us and our travel plans. >> just call me mr. grinch. we start in the west. we have storm after storm, that's coming in one today, going to bring heavy rain and mountain snows. second storm out west tonight and tomorrow. and backed up, there's another storm, three on thursday. this weekend, four. and there's another one back by russia. look at this. we're looking at heavy rain. some places could pick up ten inches of rain in the pacific northwest. another system develops, comes out of the rockies. and by thursday, heavy rain through florida into atlanta. we're looking at airport delays from miami to atlanta on thursday. friday, it moves into new york and the northeast and new england.

we're talking heavy rain, strong winds, gusty winds, airport delays from boston, new york, washington, philadelphia. on the backside of the system, we look at a wintry mix of snow, rain and ice. down in florida, 3 to 4 inches of rain possible. as you move up the post and into the appalachians, we're looking at heavy rain from 1 to 3 inches or more, especially if a secondary low develops like it did yesterday here in the northeast and created a mess. we're looking at that both models are hinting at it. we'll continue to track it and continue to bring you the latest. guys? >> al, thank you so much. also this morning, the president finds himself consumed and on defense over the russia investigation, while the clock is racing towards the next potential government shutdown. we have two reports from the white house. we'll start with nbc's kristen welker. kristen, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. president trump is starting the week swinging, launching a new barrage of attacks on the russia investigation, and his former attorney, michael cohen. it comes amid new signs he may

have a serious credibility problem with the american people. president trump, looking ahead to 2019 in public. >> we're going to have an incredible new year for our country, most importantly. >> in private, increasingly consumed by the russia investigation, tweeting about it nine times over the weekend, blasting robb ining robert muel inquiry as a witch hunt hoax. and dispatching >> that is completely wrong. it's harassment. >> reporter: the strategy -- to discredit the president's former fixer, michael cohen, now, a convicted felon and cooperating witness, who says mr. trump directed him to make illegal hush money payments to two women. mr. trump calling his former lawyer, a rat, while accusing prosecutors of intimidating cohen to make false accusations against the president. giuliani insisting cohen isn't credible.

>> the man is a pathological liar. >> reporter: arguing the illegal hush money payments to stormy daniels and karen mcdougal, were personal expenses, not a campaign finance violation. >> paying $130,000 to stormy whatever and the other one, is not a crime. >> reporter: despite the latest attacks, the new nbc news/"wall street journal" poll reveals a growing credibility gap for president trump. nearly two third of americans, 62% say he has not been honest or truthful about the russia investigation, with republicans making up a quarter of that group. all this amid new revelations about the scope of russia's disinformation campaign in 2016. according to a draft report prepared for the senate, and obtained by "the washington post", and not reviewed by nbc news, russia used every social media platform to help elect mr. trump. it comes as giuliani seemed to all but rule out an in-person presidential interview with mueller's team.

>> they're a joke. over my dead body, but, you know, i could be dead. >> kristen, on another subject, this partial government shutdown. the clock is ticking. what's the latest? >> reporter: well, savannah, the chances for a partial shutdown, it would happen on friday, seem to be increasing by the day, with no plan in sight for a deal. president trump threatening the shutdown if he doesn't get $5 billion for his border wall. his top aides doubling down on that threat over the weekend. democrats saying they'll only give him $1.3 billion. also over the weekend, the top democrat in the senate, chuck schumer, digging in. >> we democrats, leader pelosi and i, offered the president two options as to how to avoid the shutdown. we should not let a temper tantrum, threats, push us in the direction of doing something that everybody, even our republican colleagues, know is wrong. >> reporter: now, the president's core supporters see his shutdown threat as showing strength on a key issue. but many republican lawmakers

say, politically this is the wrong tactic. frankly, they say, they don't want to own a shutdown over the christmas holiday. and remember this, the president promised mexico would pay for the wall. mr. trump insists that will still happen. bottom line, he's asking american taxpayers to foot the bill first. >> kristen welker at the white house. thank you. now, to shakeups inside the trump administration. an old comment about the president from his pick to be acting chief of staff, is getting new attention. and a member of the president's cabinet is stepping down amid federal investigations. hallie jackson has more on that. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. mick mulvaney calls it a tremendous honor now to be able to work with the president as his acting chief of staff. but two years ago, he sounded quite different discussing donald trump, calling him a terrible human being. in a matter of days, he'll be donald trump's right-hand man. but in the days before the president was elected, it

appeared that mulvaney could barely stand him. >> yes i'm supporting donald trump. i'm doing so as enthusiast cli as i can even though i think he's a terrible human being. the choice on the other side is just as bad. >> reporter: those comments from a south carolina debate in 2016, now resurfacing. first reported by "the daily beast," after the infamous "access hollywood" story broke. quote, what he said in the audiotape is disgusting and indefensible, mulvaney wrote at that time. acebook post. he added, my guess is that he has probably said even worse, calling donald trump not a very good person. trump allies, brushing it off. >> i think he's going to jump into this job enthusiastically. he's actually a perfect fit in many ways. >> reporter: a mulvaney spokesperson calls the comments old news. pointing out, he hadn't met the president at the time. now, quote, his support for president trump has never wavered while serving within the

administration. he both likes and respects the president and he likes working for him. mulvaney will stay on as director of the office of management and budget, as he takes on the acting chief of staff role in the west wing, capping weeks of speculation about who would replace john kelly. with that opening filled for now, another administration job is up for grabs, interior secretary. ryan zinke is stepping down, after two years at the agency and 17 separate investigations into his conduct. president trump asked about that last month. >> is he in jeopardy? >> i think he's doing an excellent job. but we will take a look at that. and we'll probably have an idea about that in about a week. >> reporter: a house democratic source says zinke was facing the prospect of aggressive oversight from democrats once they take over the house next year. hours before zinke's appearance at a white house holiday reception, president trump announced he will leave at the end of the year. his legacy at the interior department, as much defined by the ethics questions as the agency's rollbacks of obama-era

environmental protections. >> a lot of breaking news over the weekend. there was a federal judge in texas who declared obamacare unconstitutional. a lot of people who have it wondering what's going to happen to them. what's the latest? >> reporter: the short answer is for those folks, hoda, nothing happens to them for now. the law remains in place because it is expected to be appealed to higher courts. the expectation is this will go all the way to the supreme court. you're thinking, didn't the supreme court already rule on obamacare? yes. and it upheld the law twice. there's a new legal argument being made now after congress changed part of the health care law last year. right now, some republicans, though, think this case doesn't have legs to stand on. predicting that that texas ruling will be overturned. it's a ruling that president trump celebrated over the weekend and that former president obama reminded folks about, saying, you can still enroll since this law is still in place. now, if the ruling does stand by that texas judge and obamacare

is overturned, this would affect practically every part of health care coverage in this country and affect millions of americans. but we really won't know for years if that will be the case, while this makes its way through the appeals process. the bottom line for millions of americans for now, is it's basically business as usual. >> i have a law degree and i'm not sure i caught all that. thank you, hallie. a new study breaking overnight and it reveals an unprecedented jump in the use of e-cigarettes among teens. the figures show a 78% increase in e-cigarette use by teens in just a year. this is the largest single-year increase for any substance in this survey's 44-year history. the study is conducted by the university of michigan researchers. experts are attributing the jump to the newer, sleeker versions of e-cigarettes, such as those made by juul. the survey indicates 25% of users may not realize that the e-cigarettes do contain nicotine.

another interesting note from the survey, use of opoids are down among students. a contrast to the rest of the population. there's new calls for a full investigation into the death of a 7-year-old guatemalan girl who died in the custody of u.s. border patrol officials. her family is speaking out now. gabe gutierrez is near the border in el paso. gabe, good morning. >> reporter: hoda, good morning. the girl's father is here in el paso. through an attorney, he says he is grateful for the first responders who tried to save his daughter's life, initial reports that she had not been given food or water are not accurate. this morning, there's growing outrage over the death of a 7-year-old guatemalan girl in u.s. custody. she's the new face of what some are calling a humanitarian crisis. >> jakelin, just five days past her 7th birthday, was a beautiful, loving child.

>> reporter: jakelin and her father were among a group of 163 migrants who crossed the border illegally this month. she had a fever and was taken to a border control station 95 miles away. by the time she arrived and got medical intervention, there were reports she was not breathing. she was air lifted to a hospital in el paso where the department of homeland security said she died the next morning of sepsis shock. dhs officials said according to her father, jakelin had not been able to consume water or food for days. advocates and an attorney for the father dispute that. >> she had not suffered from lack of water or food prior to approaching the border. >> reporter: in guatemala, her mother says her husband took the 7-year-old on a dangerous journey to escape extreme poverty. the girl's grandfather said she left with joy, that she wanted

to go to the u.s. the trump administration is reporting on the dangers of human struggles. >> the loss of that precious life is horrifying. it is a painful reminder of the ongoing humanitarian tragedy that is illegal immigration and the misery that it spreads. >> reporter: the cbp commissioner did not mention jakelin's death before he testified before congress last week but said the system is flawed. >> our border patrol stations and ports of entry were built to handle mostly male single adults in country, not families and children. >> reporter: in a written statement the cbp said agent s did everything to help the young girl. the dhs has launched an investigation. and congressional democrats are promising one, as well. >> gabe, thank you. craig joins us with another story we've been following closely. >> good morning to you. a lot of developments over the weekend in the search for that young colorado mother who vanished mysteriously more than three weeks ago now. police expanding their search, focusing on her fiance's home. joe fryer has the latest on

this. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. kelsey berreth has been missing since she was last seen on thanksgiving day. police have wrapped up their two-day search of her fiance's propey have also announced a $25,000 reward for information about her whereabouts as they try to find out what happened to this 29-year-old mother. kelsey's disappearance remains a mystery, after there was a search warrant on this colorado ranch where her fiance lives. authorities towed away a pick up truck and brought in a backhoe to help with the search. berreth has not been found. police say they consider her disappearance suspicious, but have not named any suspects in the case. >> at this point we're considering every possibility. i'm not ruling out conclusions. >> reporter: the police chief

said as of friday, frazee had spoken to investigators through his attorney. >> we're asking patrick to sit down with investigators since he was the last person to talk to kelsey face-to-face. >> patrick has done everything that he has been asked for by law enforcement. >> reporter: frazee's attorney issued a statement friday saying his client was never asked to voluntarily participate in this search. adding, we encourage law enforcement to take whatever steps it deems necessary to find kelsey berreth and to exclude patrick as a possible suspect. >> he's soft-spoken, quiet, a gentle giant. >> reporter: sonia oliver is a friend of frazees. she says he has helped take care of her horses for more than five years. >> patrick has integrity and judging from my experiences with him i would find it hard to think of patrick doing anything that would harm anybody. >> reporter: berreth was last seen in public on thanksgiving during a shopping trip with her 1-year-old daughter. frazee told police he last saw

berreth at her home later that day when he stopped by to pick up their baby. she was not reported missing until ten days later by her mother, who is holding out hope. >> i still know somebody knows where she is at. somebody has seen her. we need to get her face out there. people need to be able to recognize her. >> reporter: police have not revealed what information led them to seek the warrant, which is sealed. authorities say about 75 people took part in the search. they did not indicate what evidence, if any, was found at frazee's ranch. craig? >> the little girl, the couple's daughter, what do we know about her, her condition? >> reporter: the girl remains in her father's care. police put out a statement saying the department of human services does not have any evidence that the girl's safety is at risk while in frazee's custody. again, there are no suspects in this case. back to you guys. >> joe, thank you. let's bring in al. well, well, well. >> well, well, well. you're a mean one, mr. roker. well, let's focus on the good

news right now. it's beautiful and sunny in the rockies, up into the plains. here's the next storm coming into the pacific northwest. rain in southern california. gorgeous weather around the great lakes, except the eastern great lakes. we have lake-effect snow, as that storm system dumped a lot of rain in the northeast moving away. plenty of sunshine through the gulf coast, mid-atlantic and southeast, stretching all the way down into texas. see? good news. we're going to have your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds. venture card you earn unlimited double miles on every purchase, every day. my credit card only earns double miles on airline purchases! well, you earn double miles on this and on everything with the venture card. thanks! hey, by the way, how'd you get in here? same way you did. cross-checking. nice. what's in your wallet... oh, c'mon!

i'm meteorologist kari hall. rain is moving out of the bay area. for the most part still some low clouds, mist and drizzle. as you head out for your drive and the roads are wet, as this storm system moves out, there will be another one approaching. mostly moving into the north bay by tomorrow. the rest of the bay area will stay dry into the afternoon. we're looking at some beautiful weather today. highs in the upper 50s and low 60s. we do still have the dangerous surf along the coast and a hue surf warning continues through 9:00 tonight. just to put you i mood, we're going to look at your best shot at a white christmas this year. >> okay. >> see? focus on that. >> we're with you, al. coming up, the outpouring of support for "snl's" pete davidson, after a troubling post was on his instagram page after the show. dreading the long security lines? we have an exclusive first look at something new, here to speed up the process of holiday trav. first, telhi

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for some, that number can be cut in half or more. the most common side effects are pain, redness or swelling at the injection site and constipation. talk to your doctor about aimovig. and be there more. a very good morning to you. it is 7:26. i'm laura garcia. >> oh! our news crew unfortunately becoming a small part of the big wave story we're covering this morning on "today in the bay." they're okay, but a large wave caught them off guard, just before the live shot. believe it, they were going to be on location in pacifica, but it's a clear warning. the waves at the coast this morning are very dangerous. high surf advisories in effect until tonight. it's a product of the storm now moving out of the bay area. doesn't matter where you think you are, they could come creeping up on you. >> you want to stay well away from the coast today. it's going to be dangerous

through pretty much all afternoon and into the evening and we're seeing low clouds hovering over emeryville. the sun is breaking out, we're seeing patches of fog. it's going to be a really nice day. mostly sunny skies, highs reaching into the upper 50s and low 60s and there will be a chance of rain in the north bay tomorrow, especially during the morning hours. the rest of the bay area stays dry and as we go through the rest of the week, highs in the low 60s. morning temperatures in the 40s. couple more waves of rain in time for the weekend. let's head over to mike for an update on the commute. >> looking overall at the commute not so bad. the south bay is recovering from the earlier crash 101. 87 tough over the last 20 minutes headed north into downtown. 84 the dumbarton bridge still reports of the east palo alto/menlo park area jammed up with the signal problem near facebook. use the san mateo bridge, it looks clearer. folks headed south to 237, complicated by the crash at stephenson, it's a tough drive headed out west or south.

fog kicks in for the tri valley. slowing through walnut creek. back to you. >> another update in half an hour.

oh, this one. >> they're playing our song. >> 7:30 on a monday morning, december 17th, 2018. one week until christmas eve. check out the gardens. our tree, shining so bright. >> i've been singing like we did all weekend at home. a check of today's headlines. a series of powerful storms could force airport delays and cancellations on thursday. the storm moves north and is likely to cause problems in the northeast on friday. heavy rains, gusty winds in

places like new york city and boston. if you're traveling this week, check with your airline before heading for the airport. al will be back with the forecast in a few. 40 people were hurt at a restaurant in northern japan. it happened in sapporo. the blast caused a nearby apartment building and houses to shake. people were rushed to the hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries. an investigation is still under way there. a patient on his way to the hospital broke free from his restraints and managed to steal the ambulance he was riding in. this is sunday in southern california. the man led police on a high-speed chase that lasted about an hour and a half. at one point the suspect jumps out of the ambulance and runs away on food. he surrendered and was taken into custody. now, to the latest on a

disturbing post that appeared on "snl's" pete davidson's instagram over the weekend. morgan radford has more this morning. good morning. >> reporter: pete davidson has made no secret that he faced online bullying during and after his relationship with pop star ariana grande. now, a new deleted post on davidson's post, chillingly said, i don't want to be on this earth anymore. the troubling statement posted just hours before "saturday night live" went on air. this morning, an outpouring of support for pete davidson. the 25-year-old "saturday night live" star known for his deadpan comedy. >> my sketches suck because they're all written by a depressed person. >> reporter: but also, his struggle with borderline personality disorder and addicti addiction. a post, appearing on the comedian's instagram account over the weekend, said i don't want to be on this earth anymore. i'm doing my best to stay here for you. but i actually don't know how much longer i can last. all i've ever tried to do was

help people. just remember, i told you so. the cryptic post, only hours before "snl" went live, brought to the attention of the nypd, which conducted a wellness check on davidson in person to ensure his safety. fans and celebrities alike offering their prayers, support and love. among them, nicki minaj, rapper kid cuddy and jada pinkett smith. ariana grande, davidson's former fiancee, wrote, i'm downstairs and i'm not going anywhere if you need anyone or anything. i know you have everyone you need and that's not me. but i'm here, too. their engagement ended in october, after a short-lived romance. hours after the disturbing post, davidson, appearing live on "snl" only briefly. >> once again, miley cyrus. >> reporter: to introduce the

musical guest. it's been a tumultuous year for davidson. >> i apologize. >> reporter: he issued an apologize last month after a controversial joke about a veteran created an uproar. >> the man is a war hero and deserves all of the respect in the world. >> reporter: davidson is no no stranger to tragedy in his life. he lost his father, scott, a firefighter, on 9/11. today, support for the comedian grows after an apparent cry for help that's no laughing matter. neither davidson nor grande responded to our request for comment. these are items we have to discuss. in you know anyone that is feeling suicidal, call the suicidal provengs hot line. we see these come up at the end of the year. >> sad to see him struggling like that. >> morgan, thank you. let's get a check of the weather, now, from mr. roker.

>> all right. no surprise. it has been very wet here in the northeast, mid-atlantic states. washington, d.c., now, wettest year on record. and they're going to add to that. over 6 in3 inches of rain. baltimore, roanoke, williamington, charleston. wilmington, 100 inches of rain, wettest year on record. for you doubting folks who are thinking that there's not going to be a white christmas out there, we have crunched the numbers. we're looking at the forecast. we're looking at the possibility. this is an inch of snow on the ground on christmas day. possible in boise, salt lake, unlikely. you'll be sleepless in seattle. denver, unlikely, surprisingly. we move into the mid-atlantic states, minneapolis, possible. detroit, possible. chicago, da bears but unlikely. pittsburgh, possible. new york city, possible, and boston possible. washington, d.c., unlikely.

and you're going to get coal. at least we'll have some snow in the sierra. we are starting out this morning with our skies clearing across the bay area. still some patchy fog, and our high temperatures will head into the upper 50s and low 60s, and it's going to be a very nice day. another round of showers moves back into the north bay tomorrow. the rest of the bay area will see partly cloudy skies, highs in the low 60s. more sunshine for the middle of the week and some above-normal temperatures by friday. we'll see another chance of rain and there could be a third round for the week on sunday. >> and that's your latest weather. >> thank you, al. just ahead, a really heartwarming story on the power of friendship. what we're learning about the unlikely bond between nba hall of famer charles barkley and this scientist from iowa. also ahead, some last-minute help with christmas just eight days away, from creative stocking suffers to the shipping

deadlines you need to know. and meghan markle's father opens up about the rift with his daughter. why he wants the queen to get involved. first, the locostly new fix for airport delays. >> i'm jeff rossen. the holiday season is here. the new efforts by the when you've crossed fruit of the loom off your list, you know your holiday shopping is complete.

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just wrapping around and around and around. it's almost unbearable. and one of the reasons for that is these tsa screening machines. you have something in your pocket, that stops the entire line just to, you know, do additional screening. now, there's new tsa screening technology that could be a game-changer, promises to get you through the lines faster. you're about to see it in action for the first time. if you think this is bad, get ready. new numbers out. and they are staggering. according to an airline industry group, 45.7 million people will pass through airports over the next few weeks. airports across the country now warning passengers to arrive three hour early. frustrate ed fliers on social media, with the #ihatethewait. one-plus hour wait and these tsa lines are insane. one in seven passengers missed a

flight because of tsa lines last year alone. consider me one of them. still waiting. i timed it once. it's been more than 20 minutes and we're still in line. finally. okay. just got through. let me stop the timer. 2 26:38. one of the biggest bottlenecks, those full-body scanners, where you have to stop, raise your arms and wait to be scanned, holding up the entire line. now, i want to show you the new way to do it. come through here. we're going to run through because they have a demo here in denver that's set up. again, they want to bring this national. they're seeing how it works. let me show you the new technology. i'm sorry, sir. thank you very much. here it is, straight through there. it's much better if you have claustrophobia, too. this is the new technology. you walk in. it's open. and look how fast it is. you stand there, you hold your hands like that and it's done.

you walk right through. and here's the best part -- come on through this way -- come this way, scott. people can continue coming through if you get pulled over for additional screening. the reason for that is they have multiple stations here. three different screens and stations for additional screening versus the only one screen they have on the old-school machine over there. so, people are still coming through, even as other people and passengers are getting that additional screening. it's launched here in denver in time for the holidays. you may see this nationwide soon. back to you guys. >> wow. >> how cool? >> how long will it take for them to get it in all the airports? if they can do anything about the forecast, that would be even better. >> enough. still ahead, do you have more holiday shopping and shipping to do? the deadlines you need to know to guarantee your

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we're back with everything you need to know about last-minute holiday shopping and shipping. >> that's right, with christmas eve one week away, time is running out to wrap things um, g get it? tom costello is joining us with the deadlines to live by this weekend. >> reporter: good morning. they cleared this whole floor out at 6:00 a.m. so all of the packages that are here have come in the last 1:40 for the next wave. but 53% of people wait until the saturday before christmas to send their boxes. and they're going to be processing 3 billion pieces of mail through the postal service. if you want your package to be delivered on time, you better act fast. yep, those holiday shipping dead

license pla deadlines have snuck up on us again. if you hope to get the holiday gifts to the destination by christmas, there is still time. but you better act quickly. here is the lowdown. for online shoppers, popular retailers like walmart, target and best buy, they guarantee delivery by christmas day. but you have to place your address by thursday, december 20th. meanwhile, amazon is offering free shipping on all purchases made by tomorrow. amazon prime members have the luxury of waiting until christmas eve to place orders on select last-minute gifts with free next-day delivery. >> last-minute shopping, like always. >> reporter: for those shopping at brick and mortar stores, it may take extra time and money, but you can get the packages shipped and delivered by christmas. >> i still need to ship some, actually. >> reporter: while the u.s. postal service, u.p.s. and fedex are recovering from a record-breaking cyber-month-old, the big three say they are ready for the christmas delivery

crush. they recommend sending packages by friday, december 21st. need more time? >> i need help from santa. >> reporter: you can ship as late as december 22nd with priority mail express from the postal service. but it will likely cost you more than the gift ooitself. and believe it or not, fedex says with their same-day delivery service, they will pick up and deliver your packages cross-country on christmas day. >> i think it's very important that there's something underneath the tree on december 25th. >> reporter: bottom line, get those packages out as soon as possible because any unforeseen delays, like bad weather, will leave you hoping for a christmas miracle. didn't al talk about the possibility of bad weather this coming week? a couple of other tips for you as you prepare to send off the packages, try to put it all in one box, if you can. put the entire gift in one package. that way, it doesn't arrive in a bunch of pieces. make sure the address is correct. correct zip code and everything

else. you'll be surprised how often that doesn't happen. and listen to this -- if you forget until the last minute and you realize you're never going to make one of the shipping deadlines, you can buy the online gift cards -- it doesn't matter if the person is on the other side of the country. buy it online, send it online and they should receive it on time. how about that, guys? lots of tips for you. >> all right, tom. >> thank you. >> he said gift cards -- >> put stamps on them, too. >> yes. >> we heard about that story. >> deborah. >> you are just -- 40 years. >> sleeping on the couch. we'll be right back.

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good monday morning. right now at 7:56 we are looking at the high surf warning until 9:00 this evening. stay well away from the water. there's been a lot of people checking out the waves, because of the storm system that just rolled through. now things are clearing out. storm ranger is tracking only a few spotty showers offshore and another storm system approaching that will be moving in tomorrow mostly for the north bay, bringing in another round of rain, but in the near term, we'll see some sunshine. highs reaching into the low 60s for the south bay, and parts of the we ininepeninsula. 58 in santa rosa, and in napa, and our seven-day forecast shows the rain that will be moving into the north bay tomorrow, and then some clearing skies and warmer than normal temperatures for the middle of the week. more showers in the forecast for the weekend. as we head over to mike, how are

things looking? >> the rain may be clearing out but the problem, this is not clearing out. the problem for the signal over on the peninsula side, east palo alto, menlo park west 84 the dumbarton bridge is jammed up headed toward the signal near facebook. the san mateo bridge might be clear. the bay bridge still has a backup at the toll plaza, and san rafael you got some fog creeping around that kari has been talking about. be careful, use the standard beams. high beams only reflect off the fog. back to you. >> thank you very much. happening now, rain, we're tall talking about it, one part of the equation from the latest storm. kari mentioned the heavy surf. our news crews found out the hard way today. they're fine but it's a reminder to be extra careful if you're at the coastline. check out the video when they got pummeled by waves. ride share is taking a big bite out of b.a.r.t. when it comes to rides to and from sfo. ride shares were partially behind a $4 million drop this year in revenues from b.a.r.t.'s sfo service compared to an

all-time high that was set back in 2013. another uptate date in half hour. vote! the bay area program that could expand to include more students. plus: our consumer team investigates the hundred of complaints being filed against a hollywood star )s clothing company. join us tomorrow from

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lease the c 300 sport sedan for $399 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, holiday headache. the powerful new storm set to hit on one of the busiest travel days of the year. will it make a mess of your christmas commute? al is tracking it all. plus, ghosted by meghan? what thomas markel is revealing in a new interview about his royal daughter and why he's calling on the queen for help. >> i would think that she would want to resolve family problems. plus, the odd couple. the unique and unlikely bond between nba legend charles barkley and a scientist he met at a bar. >> i feel like, oh, you know, my dad's friends with charles barkley and see how people would

react. >> what his daughter is revealing about their vel relationship and the remarkable value of friendship. today, monday, december 17th, 2018. >> merry christmas, y'all, from the hudson family. >> from atlanta. >> happy birthday, dada. >> from waco, texas. >> we love "today." >> roommates from -- >> charleston, south carolina. >> from mississippi. >> first time on "today." >> making mother/daughter memories. >> from frankfurt, kentucky. ♪ good morning, everybody. welcome back to "today." nice to have you on a monday morning. >> that holiday crowd. >> let's get to the news at 8:00. holiday travel is the story. travelers may be facing the kind of christmas surprise that nobody wants. al has been tracking a series of nasty storms.

yes, they're hitting at not an opportune time. right, al? >> unfortunately, we start off on the west coast. this is where folks are going to be getting hit first. a series of storms will come across, over five storms in the next week, ending up with heavy rain, some places up to ten inches of rain in the pacific northwest. as we get to the latter part of the week, low pressure diving out of the rockies on thursday, brings heavy rain from miami to atlanta. airport delays will be a factor. friday into saturday, gusty winds, heavy rain, stretching from washington, d.c. on into boston. airport delays on friday, stretching from boston all along the i-95 corridor. back around it, the ohio valley, a rain and snow mix, causing treacherous roads. heavy rain down in florida through saturday, anywhere from 2 to 3 inches of rain. it comes up along the coast, causing airport delays and probably with all of the rain we've had, stretching from the carolinas into the northeast. we're probably talking about flooding, as well. this is going to be a developing system and a developing situation as we get toward the end of the week.

guys? >> al, thank you. president trump has launched a new attack on the special d n counsel's russia investigation and on the integrity of his former attorney, michael cohen. kristen welker joins us with the latest on this. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. president trump is starting the week on defense, over the russia investigation, after tweeting about it nine times over the weekend, blasting special counsel robert mueller's inquiry as a witch hunt hoax and nothing to do with collusion, a democrat scam. and dispatching his personal lawyer, rudy giuliani, on the sunday shows. giuliani aimed to discredit michael cohen, who says mr. trump directed him to make illegal hush money payments to two women. mr. trump calling his former lawyer a rat. giuliani insisting the hush money payments to storm y danies and karen mcdougal were expenses. >> paying $130,000 to stormy whatever is not a crime.

>> reporter: this comes as washington is careening towards a potential government shutdown at midnight friday. the president demanding $5 million for his border wall. democrats saying they will only give him a little over $1 billion. a standoff with no deal in sight. >> kristen, thank you. three construction workers hired to clear debris from california's deadliest wildfire have been fired over social media postings. photos that appeared on the town of paradise facebook page showed workers relaxing or clowning around with damaged property. one is sitting on a toy truck with the caption, i got to ride on a fire truck today. the town of paradise called the behavior unacceptable and reprehensible. the police department is looking into possible criminal charges. a free money stunt may have backfired for a young entrepreneur in hong kong. he caused a frenzy this weekend, by having bundles of cash thrown from the top of an apartment building. there was shushipushing and shos

the paper bills floated down. he was handing out money on the street. but a short time after his arrival, police took him away and accused him of being a threat to public safety. how about a "boost"? >> when big brothers and little sisters get along, fabulous things can happen. big brother, quinn, agrees to style his sister's hair. and he fashions a nice pair of pig tails. he's just getting started. quinn clips on a couple of bows. if two bows look good, why not add three or four. the little sister doesn't stop him from overdoing it but the final result is perfect. >> i love it. more is more sometimes. >> i love that she's playing along, too. she's going along with it. >> she likes it. much more ahead this morning, including the highlights from matt damon's big weekend hosting "snl." first, a loving daughter revealing her dad's unique

friendship with nba star charles barkley. why their story is share the love event, we've shown just how far love can go. (grandma vo) over one hundred national parks protected. (mom vo) more than fifty thousand animals rescued. (old man vo) nearly two million meals delivered. (mom vo) over eighteen hundred wishes granted. (vo) that's one hundred and forty million dollars donated to charity by subaru and its retailers over eleven years. (girl) thank you. (boy) thank you. (old man) thank you. (granddaughter) thank you. ♪ kids [laughing] mm! full of possibilities!

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♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ this morning on "today's talker" a heartwarming story of the power of friendship. >> it all started with a chance encounter between an nba star and a man in a different walk of life. miguel almaguer has that today. >> reporter: one was on nba superstar, and the other was a scientist that worked with cat

litter. charles barkley met lin wang in a bar and shared a friendship that few knew about. but when lin died, his daughter shared their story. an nba legend and an accomplished scientist, may seem like an odd pair. two men from different walks of life who became fast friends. >> he was so proud of that friendship. >> reporter: shirley's father, lin lin, was a humble chemist that specialized in cat litter. >> he was a good story teller. >> reporter: a few years ago, li met charles barkley at a bar. they formed a lasting bond. >> people would react with surprise. that's awesome. >> reporter: the two hung out for years when they cross paths for work. >> shaq was hill lair use. >> reporter: but the pact ran

deep. when barkley's mother died, lin traveled to california to pay his respect. >> everybody was like, who is the asian dude? i started laughing. i said, that's my boy, lin. they said, how do you know him? >> reporter: in 2016, lin was diagnosed with cancer. but he didn't tell his friend. >> i got mad at him when i found out. dude, we're friends. you can tell me. you're not bothering me. you know me well enough if you were bothering me, i would tell you were bothering me. >> reporter: when lin passed away in june 2018, barkley boarded a plane to iowa straight from the nba finals. >> when he showed up we threw him into the program. we were all curious about what he would say. >> the world is a little less happy because lin's not here. but, hey, we are always going to have great memories. >> reporter: their story of friendship quickly going viral, where many saw differences,

these men found what made them the same. >> it all started with that chance encounter at a bar? >> it did. they became friends. they had a drink and started talking for hours. they had another drink. and they met three nights in a row. and they became best friends. >> they were there for each other. >> that's cool. >> miguel, thank you. hello, mr. roker. >> hello. a scientist and an nba guy walk into a bar. that's fantastic. what we're looking at this next storm, coming into the pacific northwest, rain all the way down to southern california. it will be mild in the rockies, into the plains today, tall way down into texas. gorgeous day today, along the gulf coast. look for the mid-atlantic, looking good. lake-effect snows hanging around after the secondary storm develope good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. here is a live look outside in san francisco. still low clouds. you may be feeling some mist and

drizzle around the bay area. as the storm system moves out, the heavier rain is going away from us today. we will get some clearing, and then another system moving into the north bay for tomorrow, bringing in showers there. the rest of the bay area will enjoy a nice and sunny day, with our high temperatures heading into the upper 50s and low 60s for the afternoon. >> and that's your -- what happened to miguel almaguer? it's magic. unbelievable. >> this story has a lot to do with special effects. >> i'm sorry. i'm sorry. i digress. sorry. sheinelle is here with "pop start." >> i get to look at harry. first up, the duchess of sussex. her family has put her back in the spotlight. in an interview with "good morning britain," thomas markel has spoken to the press again. this time he commented on the recent tabloids that claim there's a feud between meghan and kate middleton. >> what have they been like for you to read, these stories about her being difficult?

>> i don't really believe them. i think they're gossip. i think they're gossip and i don't really believe them. meghan has always been a polite girl. she's never been rude to anyone, to my knowledge. she's been a controlling person and that's part of her nature. but she's never been rude. and to my knowledge, she's -- the ghosting, i don't completely understand. but to my knowledge, like i said, she's always been in charge. that's her nature. but she's always been polite with it. >> mr. markel said he hopes to reconcile with his daughter and hopes to meet his future grandchild some day. matt damon hosted "saturday night live" for the second time over the weekend. in the special holiday episode, damon performed a sketch that encompassed the beauty and horror of christmas day. here's a clim. >> so, did you have a merry christmas? >> are you kidding me? that was the best christmas ever. >> really?

>> babe, i had a smile on my face from the moment i woke up. >> mom. it's christmas. it's christmas, wake up. wake up. wake up. >> you have to [ bleep ] kidding me. >> i think i was more excited than the kids. >> i know. i was the same way. >> yeah. [ screaming ] >> yay. >> they liked their presents, right? >> dana loves her play house. you weren't up too late building it, were you? >> oh, that's good. isn't that good? oh, my goodness. okay. on a more sentimental note -- >> you can't make the turn. >> i know. it's hard. we can all relate. >> that's a documentary. >> it was damon's monologue that garnered a lot of buzz, when the actor used the moment as a

tribute to his dad. take a listen. >> growing up, my brother and i were going to my dad's house every other weekend. he told us, if we could stay up until 1:00 a.m., we could watch "saturday night live." week after week, i tried to stay up. it wasn't until i was 8 years old that i made it all the way to the end. and i probably didn't get all of the jokes, but i laughed at everything that my dad laughed at. so, my father passed away a year ago yesterday. and tonight, my big brother is in boston, right now, watching with his two boys. and all my kids are here, including my youngest, who happens to be 8 years old. so, my wife and i told her that she can stay up all the way until 1:00 a.m. and she can watch "saturday night live." and she said, who is hosting? [ laughter ] and i said, me. >> that's everything. damon gave a toast to all of the moms and dads who let their kids stay up late for all the right reasons. finally, breaking this morning, jeff bridges, the actor you know and love from films like "the big lebowski" and

"true grit" will be honored at the golden globes after six decades of work in the entertainment industry. he is set to receive the cecil b. demille award. his first role was otis in "crazy heart." you can catch the 76th golden globe awards sunday, january 6th, right here on nbc. >> all right. you got time for a "daly click"? >> most animals don't like going to the vet. this dog let his feelings known. his owner asked if he was mad. look at that glare. he will be happier when that cone comes off. you asked how i felt about my vet visit, this is how i feel. >> that's amazing. >> he never breaks it, either. >> maybe that's just his face. >> his resting face. >> exactly. angry resting face. all right. i know. you love that. >> something like that. >> something like that.

for generations raised after the first world war, it's hard to imagine what it was like for the men and women who fought in that war to end all wars. >> but a film by peter jackson aims to make sure we all remember. and harry smith is here with more on this. >> good to be with you. we think about the old images. that's 100-plus years ago. peter jackson has taken a magic wand to the whole thing. take a look. the images of world war i are stark, spiritless, shades of gray from a time beyond memory. perhaps in the right hands, someone could change that. >> they said, well, it can be anything you want it to be. the only proviso is you have to use original footage and we'd love you to use it in a fresh kind of way. >> reporter: they are britain's imperial museum and he is peter

jackson. >> i wondered what we could do with the footage and how well we could restore it. i didn't know the answer because i had never done it before. but we do have computers in special effects. >> reporter: and you've used them a bit. >> occasionally, from time to time. >> reporter: his films have won arm loads of oscars, notably for special effects. now, in that new documentary, jackson and his crew have, again, used technology with remarkable results. >> what jumps out on the faces of these men, the humanity of these men that were alive 100 years ago. their character, their personalities, the nuances and settlesubtleties come to life. >> reporter: there's no narrati narration. only the voices of soldiers recorded by the bbc 50 years ago. their memories then, still vivid. >> you knew your lives were in one another's hands.

it united you closely. you didn't let anybody interfere with that. >> reporter: forensic lip readers providing text for the silent parts of the film. now voiced by actors. >> that is exactly what they're saying. it actually matches. it's a perfect fit. >> reporter: not out of sync. >> no. >> reporter: this is the first world war as seen by those who fought in the trenches. gruesome and terrifying. >> i didn't want to sanitize it. sanitizing war and making it turn into a video game is not helpful. >> reporter: of the millions of brits who served, 750,000 would die in combat, men who took up arms for crown and country. >> they killed each other in huge numbers. but nonetheless, there was no hate involved. someone says, you know, i shot a german, i didn't have hate in my heart. i just shot him because he would shoot me.

what surprised me is them saying it was the best time of my life. but you're hearing the opinions of the survivors of the war. if we had interviews with the men that were killed, the millions of men that were killed, i think their story would be a different one. >> reporter: indeed, jackson took the title, "they shall not grow old" from the poem "for the fallen," by lawrence binion, who wrote, they went with songs to the battle. they were young, straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. they were staunch to the end, against odds uncounted. they fell with their faces to the foe. and what a project. to use the voices of those world war i vets, 600 hours of bbc had

collected when these guys were still fairly young. so, that's what all the narration is through it. it's only the voices of the old soldiers. this is on very limited release. there's something i actually have to say here. you can see this tonight and december 27th in limited release. so, google, google, google, find it in your neighborhood. >> online? >> no, in a theater. and a limited release in los angeles, new york, and washington, d.c., over the next week or two. >> on january 11th. >> for him to put in all that work and to put it in color, to me, feels like a public service. >> by the way, so, tolkietolkie wrote "the hobbit," was a world war i veteran. so was peter jackson's grandfather. he was horribly crippled by the war. someone did the homework and say they may have brushed shoulders as they went back and forth on the battlefield. >> that's using his celebrity and influence for good to do a project like this. >> very powerful. >> the only person who could get

it done. >> no question. >> peter jackson has another film in theaters right now, "mortal engines" from our sister company, nbc universal in theaters right now. >> thank you for that. you know who is right over there? >> allen black. he's going to bring his own brand of christmas funk to our studio. you have a christmas album, right? i love the name of it. "i got your christmas right here." >> i wanted to have something that was really fun, something the family can sing along to, as well. i'm a fan of the crooners. but i want something i can dance to. >> what's christmas like in your house? >> so much family and food. my wife have from sydney, australia, so, sometimes we have a shrimp on the barbie. >> if you go to australia for the holidays, it will be summertime. >> we go there every other year. but this year, we're doing it in maui. >> that's tough. >> was it hard to pick which christmas songs you wanted to do? are they original?

>> i wrote eight original songs. i had new ideas and themes i wanted to share. today, i will sing "the misus saves christmas." >> yeah. >> what's your favorite holiday song? >> you can't get better than donny hathaway. >> "this christmas"? >> that's mine. >> me, too. >> can you hum a few bars. >> we'll share it together. ♪ this christmas fireside blazing bright ♪ >> maybe the words would help. ♪ we'll be caroling through the night ♪ ♪ and this christmas will be a very special christmas for me ♪ ♪ da, da, da, da, da >> you're going to sing -- you got the whole band, everybody's here? >> i'm going to do tracks by myself. it will be fun. >> all

good morning. 8:26. i'm marcus washington. it is not clear just yet if weather played a role in a deadly hit and run crash in the south bay. it happened to a woman walking on first street near 880 in san jose a little before 1:00 a.m. right now police don't have a description of the vehicle involved. a close call for one chp officer after a scary chain reaction crash, this happening around 2:00 a.m. in san jose on interstate 280 at saratoga avenue. the chp officer was stopped at a crash scene. another driver passing by lost control and hydro plained into his cruiser. he's okay, but eventually about a half dozen other cars were involved. now we want to get a look at the commute for you this morning.

>> we have a slow drive right here. here the san mateo bridge looks like it is moving well, but look at the volume of traffic. it is slower than it was for the past 20 minutes. people are avoiding the dumbarton bridge because of the slow up at west 84 at university with a signal problem. other folks might be heading torts 287 but it is moving slowly down into milpitas. 101 towards the crash site which is out of the roadway. more local news in 30 minutes.

rush to work, grab a drink, hurry home. - [cell phone beeps] - stop! don't be on your phone. let someone else take the wheel. make a little eye contact. make a plan. it's a busy world out there. we're all in it together. go safely, california. up to an extra 30% off oh yeacross the store is really going to make for some great gifting.

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and start looking out for each other again. it's a busy world out there. we're all in it together. go safely, california. here ♪ it's 8:30, now, on this monday morning, december 17th. it's the final week of our annual holiday toy drive. there is music superstar aloe blacc. he performed one song and we're going to have another one just ahead. we have a spectacular crowd. i am looking for a spectacular

couple. where are t.j. and amanda? t.j. >> here we go. >> t.j. and amanda. something happened last night. what happened, exactly? >> i got engaged in rockefeller center ice skating rink. >> they were on the rink. he dropped to one knee. look at the picture, y'all. oh. were you surprised? >> i was shocked. i started crying, right away. >> did you have nerves when you were proposing? >> i was more initially scared about falling down while ice skating. i had never been skating before. she drug me down. i used that opportunity to get down on one knee. we made it. >> we're so happy for you. every anniversary, you have to come back and celebrate with us. is that a deal? >> yes. >> t.j. and amanda from north dakota. >> he put a ring on it. >> good stuff. coming up, we're going to be

cooking up an elegant holiday meal with one of my favorites and your favorites, lydia past yen. >> we have great ideas for stocking stuffers for your family. all under 20 bucks. we'll keep the holiday theme rolling with the third hour of today, with "merry christmas, y'all." rascal flatts will kick things off today. let's get a check of the weather from this guy. >> "today's weather" is brought to you by kay jewelers, for all of the moments, for love, forever. >> let's check out your week ahead and see what we have going on for you. starting off with today. big storms coming in at 5:00 in the northwest. lake-effect snow in the northeast. the rest of the country is looking good. the midweek period, the storm

develops out of the rockies and sunshine along the eastern seaboard. as we get to the weekend, a flood threat in new england. sunshine along the west coast. sunny skies from texas into the good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we are going to gradually see our skies clearing out there with high temperatures reaching into the upper 50s and low 60s today. breezy winds with still some high waves along the coast. for the north tomorrow, a round of showers moving in mostly during the morning hours, reaching into the low 60s for the highs with the morning temperatures in the low 40s. dry weather continues for much of the bay area through thursday. we will be tracking more rain set to move in before the weekend. s >> that's your latest weather. mr. melvin? >> mr. roker. thank you, sir. this morning on "today's hassle-free holidays" some

last-minute stocking stuffers. in the busy season, it can with b easy to forget about the st k stocking stuffers. she has all of the gifts for our families. the best part, all of these are under 20 bucks. >> they will get there by christmas. there's ideas, craig. >> let's start with sweet treats. >> these are from sugar wish. they're like a modern-day candy gram. you can send them by e-mail and the recipient can choose their candy. or send a little box with candies that you selected. or a little sweet-tificate, which is something you can pop in their stocking. get ready for some of the most delicious toffee. this is notti toffee. a little bit naught di ay and ae lot of nice. they have delicious assortments

of toffee, white chocolate and dark chocolate and peppermint, butterscotch and more, starting at $10 for each of the stacks. >> what are these? >> breaking news, craig. these are the world's smallest vacuum cleaner and leaf blower. this little leaf blower -- >> that has power. >> equally as annoying as the larger size. these are from paper source, just $14.95. and they plug into your computer. how fun is that, right? >> what would be the practical application for this? >> absolutely no practical use. >> just in the office. >> i like that. >> so, i don't know if you remember the my little pony. >> i do. >> this is the reprise. this is the reissue of the 1983 classic. so, little girls in 2018 can enjoy brushing the hair and the mane of these ponies.

alwaysfits.com $16. tweens are hard to shop for. these are bath bombs. you pop them in the bath. they look like little pasties. >> you don't want to eat these. >> you pop them in the pabath a they create a luxurious experience. these are called soap rocks. they look like gem stones and minerals, from bloomingdale's, $13, these are gorgeous. >> what are these? >> okay. so, these are really crowd-pleasers. these are light-up gloves. they have lots of different lighting features. >> i love it. >> they can change colors. they're a real party trick, right? everybody needs these. and they're from paper source. >> how much? >> $17.95. >> okay. >> speaking of party tricks or should i say potty tricks, craig? >> i like what you did there. >> how about that? this is a toilet bowl night

light. >> that's genius. >> it is motion-sensor activated. >> i don't know why we need different colors. >> right? it has 16 color options. motion sensor-activated l.e.d. lights on amazon for $14.95. and this is for the person who has everything. >> and for the person who in the middle of the night might miss the mark. >> exactly. these are really fun. these are personalized. >> personalized playing cards. >> you can have a photograph, a monogram. they're from szazzle. they're $10.40. why give one photo when you can give 52. for the new englander in all of us, these are pot pinchers. and they are silicone lobster pot holders. not only do they work really well, but they're hysterical and they make holding pots a lot more fun. this is from world market. this is really fun.

the teens and tweens are going to love this. why send a card when you can send a kiss? look at what these do, craig. they're supposed to make a fun noise when they kiss. and they give you a little kiss. >> we have to put batteries in them. >> really fun. they're by swak by wowee. you can get them at walmart for $5.99. these are for your favorite chocoholic and beauty-obsessed gal. these are hand-painted lipsticks. >> you eat them? >> you don't use them. if there's lipstick on your teeth, it will be chocolate. >> oh. >> they're just $15 from neiman marc marcus. and lastly, this is a great one for kathie lee and hoda. this is the winer dog and wine lives kitty wine glass marker. >> that's cute. >> it's never a good thing to lose your wine glass at a party.

you can put these winer dogs and kitties around yours. and you never have to worry about someone taking it again. >> thank you for all of this. >> happy holidays. >> to get these and more last-minute gift ideas, check out our website, today.com/shop. up next, looking for an easy and el gotten holiday meal? how about some food. lydia bastian niche is

"today food" is brought to you by walmart. light up christmas at walmart. >> we're back with a special edition of "today food" in a deliciously elegant holiday meal that your family is going to love. >> we're so thrilled to have renowned chef, cookbook author and one of our favorites, lidia bastianich. and she has a new show, "lidia

celebrates america." that's on pbs tomorrow. good morning. >> the queen is here. >> you've been across america. >> "lidia celebrates america" is a great collaboration. it's all about rural americand a understanding what america -- you know, i'm an immigrant. >> yeah. >> and i want to know america evermore. america is a patchwork of different immigrants. >> you learned a lot. >> did you go ice fishing? >> i did. up north in minnesota, i went ice fishing with the nordic community. >> look at that baby. >> that's my grandson. >> oh, my gosh. >> craig and i went ice fishing. >> we did. >> what are we going to whip up, lidia? >> we're going to whip up a roasted loin of pork. pork is always flavorful. and a loin is so easy. a loin, some cabbage. >> craig's eaten half of his.

>> and some fennel powder. lots of onions. you mix it in, lots of onions. and here, we have, you know, some salt. i have some fennel powder. you know fennel powder? you know the fennel seeds, you just put them in the -- >> food processor? >> food processor and you get the seeds. garlic and onion, add the cabbage. thin-sliced cabbage. all right. >> here, al. >> can you use red cabbage? >> you could. you could. >> that's a no. >> hoda. >> you know -- cooking is all about that you can, you know, substitute. if you don't have one thing -- let me do that. a little salt. >> you're going to cook this down? >> just cook this down. you know how television is. we're going to move quickly. >> we are. >> we're going to add some wine. we are doing it on top of the stove. you can roast it in the oven, too. a little bit of water. you give it five minutes to cook and you add the dry cherries and give it five minutes to cook and

mix it well. >> get it in there. >> here, i have the loin of pork, which i have seasoned salt with fennel seeds. >> did you sear this off first? >> i seared it, and you give it flavor. >> you cover it. >> what kind of pot is that? >> that's a dutch oven. >> very good. >> wow. >> i just -- >> hoda, listen good. >> i'm listening. >> ha. >> we're going to make the sauce now. we have the stock and we can add some wine. >> more wine. >> if you don't like wine, you can substitute stock. >> all of the cherries? >> yeah. >> wow. >> you can mix. this is great. all i do is look. balsamic vinegar. >> yes. >> butter. goes right in. always butter. that's it. the thyme and bay leaves, right in there. and salt. and you let that reduce to this.

>> ah. >> put the lid on. >> let it cool. you put that on. go ahead. all right. that's it. you keep on working at it. until it gets to this consistency. that's the sauce. here, you have the cabbage. to think, you have the pork. you let it rest for a little while. >> is there a right way to cut it? >> there is a right way. a nice, sharp knife. and you cut roast against the grain so that it becomes softer. here we are. let's see. >> oh. >> nice and easy. >> look at that fat on top. oh. >> yes. >> and you put a little on top? >> just like that. >> and by the way, you always have some shells there you can make ahead? >> bake that. you put that in the oven. that's always ready. >> lidia, that's yummy. >> you like it? >> look how tender this is. >> can you make this for christmas?

>> maybe. >> sure, you can. >> take one of our food team's version of it and take it home. >> just a little sauce on top. then, you add the sauce on the side, so you have everybody adding sauce if they want. >> that's fantastic. >> enjoying it? >> yeah. >> merry christmas. >> we love you. >> great to see you guys. >> head to today.com/food to give these recipes a try. again, her new show, "lidia celebrates america" premieres tomorrow night on pbs. just ahead, aloe blacc about to add funk to your holiday with a live performance. first, this is "today" on nbc. served in a no-mess bag, my new deli trio and turkey, bacon, and cheddar pannidos are almost too easy to eat on the go. so panni-do eat one while you are in a car, but panni-don't, while you are on a car. order a pannido with doordash today. only at jack in the box.

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first-ever holiday album called "christmas funk." it's filled with classics and new songs for the season, as well. >> good morning. >> you made our morning with a little rendition. you picked some of your favorite holiday songs and you wrote a few new ones. is it hard to come up with a new song when it comes to the holidays? >> it's kind of hard. i wanted to add themes and ideas to the christmas legacy. i thought about what christmas was like for my family and how we felt. i put it together in a funky package. >> well, we're going to like that funky package. we have a little audience in here. what are you going to sing? >> "i got your christmas right here." >> take it away. aloe blacc. ♪ hey, yeah let me tell you about christmas ♪ ♪ i wrapped your gift today tied a pretty ribbon all around ♪ ♪ wrote a few words down

read it to myself to see how they sound ♪ ♪ i put it under the tree on christmas day you'll see ♪ ♪ just how much you mean to me ♪ i've got your christmas right here ♪ ♪ and it's clear what i've got is full of love and cheer ♪ ♪ i got your christmas right here ♪ ♪ have no fear i'm all you need for christmas my dear ♪ ♪ i've got your christmas right here ♪ ♪ been spending the whole day thinking how special you are ♪ ♪ you're the angel at the top of my free ♪ ♪ you're a shining star you make me feel ♪ ♪ like it's christmas every day of the year ♪ ♪ and if you didn't know by now let me make it real clear ♪ ♪ i got your christmas right here ♪ ♪ have no fear what i've got is full of love

and cheer ♪ ♪ i've got your christmas right here ♪ ♪ and it's clear you're all i need for christmas, my dear ♪ ♪ i've got your christmas right here ♪ ♪ do you know what your smile does to me ♪ ♪ your grace and your beauty ♪ oh, it touches me ♪ you give so much love to me ♪ ♪ all year, all year all year ♪ ♪ i got your christmas right here ♪ ♪ and it's clear what i got is full of love ♪ ♪ and cheer i got your christmas right here ♪ ♪ have no fear you're all i need for christmas ♪ ♪ my dear, i got your christmas right here ♪ ♪ i wrapped your gift today ♪ tied a pretty ribbon all around ♪

♪ wrote a few words down read it to myself to see how it sounds ♪ ♪ i put it under the tree on christmas day, you'll see ♪ ♪ just how much you mean to me i got your christmas right here ♪ ♪ and it's clear what i got is full of love and cheer ♪ ♪ i got your christmas right here ♪ ♪ have no fear you're all i need for christmas, my dear ♪ ♪ i have your christmas right here ♪ ♪ have no fear what i got is full of love and cheer ♪ ♪ i got your christmas right here ♪ ♪ and it's clear you're all i need for christmas, my dear ♪ ♪ i got your christmas right here ♪ >> yes. yes.

aloe, that was awesome. thank you. >> thank you so much. >> and thanks for the crowd for coming in. that was cool you came in to visit us. the album is called "christmas fun funk." you're going to be back in the fourth hour. i hear you have another one for us. >> ♪ whoa! the mercedes-benz winter event is back and you won't want to stop for anything else. [ barks ] ho! lease the c 300 sport sedan for $399 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. ♪thisi'm gonna let it shine. ♪ it's energy saving time, ♪ i'm gonna reduce mine. ♪ californians all align ♪ to let our great state shine. ♪ let it shine,

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♪ i got your christmas right here ♪ >> that was sweet. very sweet. just ahead on the third hour of "today" we're putting a country spin on the hour with rascal flat flats. aloe blacc is coming back in the fourth hour. we got more coming up. first, a look at your local news and weather.

good morning. 8:56. i'm marcus washington. take a listen. >> oh! you hear it and see it right there. our crews unfortunately became a small part of the big wave story this morning on "today in the bay." they are okay, but a large wave caught them, and just before

that live shot when they believed they were in a safe location in pacifica. it should be a clear warning to everyone out there, the waves at the coast this morning may be down right dangerous. a high-surf advisory in effect until tonight as part of the storm is moving out of the bay area. happening now, they're still in pacifica, dried out of course, and now at a safer distance from the high surf there. meteorologist kari hall tells us the high-surf advisory remains in effect until tonight. we will have team coverage ahead of our midday newscast. on the facebook page you can check out the full video of the surprise wave. rideshares are taking a bite out of b.a.r.t, at least when it comes to rides to and from sfo. "the chronicle" reporting the rideshares were behind a $4 million drop in b.a.r.t sfo service. more news for you coming up. vot

the bay area program that could expand to include more students. plus: our consumer team investiga about free college tuition up for a vote. plus, our consumer team investigates hundreds of complaints filed against a hollywood star clothing company. >> join us tomorrow morning 4:30 to 7:00 a.m.

live, from studio 6a, this is "today." >> good monday morning to you. hope you had a fantastic weekend. craig melvin with al roker, sheinelle jones, savannah guthr guthrie. what did you do this weekend? >> it was intentionally laidback for me. my grandmother celebrated her 89th birthday this weekend. yes. and so sh, she's a very good musician. i casi