so thank you for that. and thank you for joining us on your christmas morning. we're back at 7:25 with a live local news update. >> the salvation army volunteers are hard at work to make sure the people have a merry christmas. merry christmas to you from us. good morning, and merry christmas, a day of faith and family, festivities and fun. gather around, because we're going to help you kick off your celebrations, as we wish you the happiest of holidays, today, christmas day, tuesday, december 25th, 2018. hey, everybody. welcome to this special edition, christmas edition of "today" show. >> merry christmas. >> happy kwanzaa. happy festivus. >> festivus is the holiday for the rest of us. >> feats of strength. >> and our grievances. >> thank you for joining us.

this is our christmas edition. we're going to talk about the season with cardinal timothy dolan here. >> and the power of forgiveness with a remarkable group of survivors. >> and we're going to share holiday traditions. >> and we have a special performance. >> it's a beautiful part time of the year. we have a beautiful time. >> or like me, i have turned into my father, where my main concern is the trash, from all of the presents. >> it use eis -- are you that g? >> i was talking about traditions. is overeating a tradition? >> gluttony. >> we have a fun show for you this morning. let's get a check of the top stories from nbc's morgan radford. merry christmas. >> good morning and merry

christmas to you. today marks the fourth day of the government shutdown with no end in sight. most lawmakers fled the capital over the weekend, while mr. trump remained in washington. jaret headacaake is at the whit house. >> reporter: good morning. the president and the first lady went to church early in the evening. they made phone calls to children across the country. the president telling reporters in the room, there was no progress on that ongoing shutdown. earlier in the day, the president tweeted a picture of himselves in the oval office, saying he was having a meeting with his advisers about north korea. we in washington are thankful today that the markets are closed after a very bad week, capped off yesterday with a 650-point sell-off that the president, on twitter, blamed on the federal reserve. democrats are blaming the president for that sell-off or

the chaotic last week in washington, with the government remaining closed this morning and no progress toward reopening. congress not back in town until thursday at the earliest. morgan? >> we will be watching things until thursday. garrett haake, thank you. now, to the tsunami in indonesia where the death toll has passed 420. >> reporter: good morning. search and rescue is still the first priority here, according to a local military commander i spoke with. that said, it's been three days since the tsunami struck. and they're realistic about the chance of still finding people alive. for survivors, today was a day to go back and sift through the troub rubble, to try to find something that was usable. i found two musicians that were performing in a beachfront

restaurant when the tsunami struck without warning. they managed to flee and today went back to find their guitar. part of the reason this was so devastating is there was no warning. people had no time to prepare or get out of the way. the country is discussing the need for better early warning systems to alert people to these incidents. and the entire coastal area where we are, is under a tsunami advisory through the 26th of december. there's concerns there could be another one. morgan? >> sarah harman, in innearby 12 12 innear ♪ he's gonna do it! ♪ you gotta see this! ♪ owen's gonna do it! ♪

i got him. ♪ come on, come on, come on! alright! come on, come on! come on! yeah! ♪ so how about another game? merry christmas to you. live look outside at the golden gate bridge, not a lot of people out, so if you're getting ared to head out the door, it is going to start out nice and clear. cool temperatures, but we'll be headed into the upper 50s to low 60s for our highs today. the roads may still be wet to start but the breezy winds will help dry things out today and we're going to see mostly sunny skies throughout the rest of the forecast and very cold mornings headed our way. we will be tracking a slight chance of rain for the north bay on sunday. >> savannah, hoda, back to you. we have made it a christmas tradition around here, spending

a few minutes reflecting on the true meaning of christmas with our next guest. it is cardinal timothy dolan. >> a blessed christmas. a blessed christmas to you. and thank you for making me part of christmas tradition. you want to be with friends on christmas morning. you want to be with family and friends. i feel at home. thank you very much. >> you remind us about what this day is really about. it's not what is under the tree. >> no. you know. you know, the best way, i think, to explain it, the true meaning of what the world is celebrating at this moment. if we borrow a term from our jewish neighbors, emmanuel. emmanuel is their word for god is with us. we know god is with us all the time. sometimes he seems distant but not today. because god is with us in a tangible way that he became a

baby of beth hlehembethlehem. when we see that, we just know dramatically, in a radiant way, that god is with us, emmanuel. i think that's important because as you know, one of the difficulties we've got is people feel alone. they feel alienated. sometimes they're tempted to ask, where is god in all of this. you have the responsibility of reporting news, most of which is dire and drastic. and you say, where is god in all this? there he is. he's a baby in the manger and he is with us. i think even the means of his birth, god is trying to teach us a lesson. don't say i don't know what you're going through. this is a young couple with an untimely pregnancy. this is a young couple away from home. this is a young couple who are homeless and don't have a place

to give birth to their first born. this is a couple with no family and friends around. and this is a couple, by the way, who within a couple days have to flee as refugees from a tyrannical king that wants to kill their newborn. if that's not a potent way of god our father saying i am with you, particularly when you think, i am not. >> particularly over the holidays, some people are with family and loved ones and it's the loneliest time of year. >> even if you're with people, you can be lonely. >> they would have a beautiful -- theyed a meal edh every day, but they would invite the homeless and those without a place. i looked around and saw people who were obviously not people of

means and the pastor explained to me, they have no friends or family. they want to come here. so many people feel by themselves. even in a metropolis like this, people will say, i never felt more alone in my life. that's the message of christmas. be not afraid. you're not alone. i am with you all days. i have you in the palm of my hand. and i'm so close to you, i want you to pick me up like a little baby and hold me to your heart. i became one at bethlehem. emanuel. >> we talk to our kids, they're little. making sure that -- who doesn't love santa claus? but talking to little kids about what this is all about. >> and there's beautiful customs at christmas that can assist us in passing on the true meaning of christmas. look at the crib set, to allow

the kids to set that up. to allow the kids on christmas day, for one of them to bring the little baby in the crib. that's a great way to teach, isn't it? god knew that. in the gospel, he didn't have to tell us how his son was born. but i think he wanted to teach us something. and so do we. >> when you were a little boy growing up in missouri, right? >> st. louis, missouri. >> what was christmas morning for you? >> i'm young. i remember back then, i am 68 now, when i was a boy, you didn't celebrate christmas until the 23rd and 24th. that's when we put the tree up. and the sense of anticipation and excitement. and my dad, you would work christmas eve, and he would come home. we knew he would be free the next day. there was a sense of freedom and warmth. we were together. obviously excited about the gifts and what santa was going to bring. religious meaning because holy

infant perish in baldwin, which was the perish a block away. we went to mass together. when i got hoolder, i got to see midnight mass. and then you think, where is god? where is the tradition? don't you think when the family is around the table, don't you think when the kids are opening gifts, there is god. emmanuel. god is with us in all that. >> you are a catholic bishop. you come from one faith tradition. people watching come from all kinds of faith traditions. >> all christians would believe it. sometimes i'm blessed with jewish friends. i will talk to them and say, sorry if i'm wishing you merry christmas. do you feel left out? and they say, we rejoice in the

true meaning. we believe that god is with us and allaeluia that christmas is able to transmit that message. >> don't you love him being around. >> hey, the eggnog helps. >> what are you going to do? >> i'm going to open presents. i have mass this morning. and i would go to one of the places where there's food and a meal for the poor. then, i'll kick back and relax. have a fire. maybe if somebody gives me good cigars. maybe you send a thermos of the eggnog back. we'll have a good day. a blessed christmas. >> thank you, cardinal dolan. merry christmas. the first family, it's been a busy holiday season for them around the white house, including a lot of talk about decorations. hallie jackson has more on that. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to

you. and talk about decorations. nearly 30 trees are inside the white house here. some 14,000 ornaments, too. the trump family is waking um on this christmas morning, after what's been a very busy holiday season. and it's not over quite yet. >> three, two, one. >> reporter: the white house, lit for christmas, outside and in, where melania trump decked the halls for her second holiday season. this year's theme, american treasures, with the country's most famous cities showcased on east room ornaments and fireplace mantles, representing new york, st. louis and san francisco. each state and territory represented on 500 feet of blue ribbon, trimming this year's christmas tree. the gingerbread creation, not a house but the entire national

mall. in the red room, a nod to the first lady's be best initiative. but nothing captured attention as the 40 crimson topiary trees that lit up social media. not all of it positive. comparisons online to the sea of blood in "the shining," and the red cloaks in "the handmaid's tale series." >> i keep having a nightmare where i walk flu a forest of blood. >> no. that was just my christmas decoration. >> reporter: the first lady brushing off the mixed reviews. >> we are in 21st century and everybody has a different taste. i think they look fantastic. in real life, they look even more beautiful. >> reporter: melania trump, seeming to settle into her role as hostess in chief, for her second white house christmas, welcoming crowds around the country and closer to home. >> welcome to the white house. enjoy the evening. merry christmas and happy and healthy new year. >> reporter: away from

pennsylvania avenue, she assembled care packages for troops overseas. >> this is one small way to say thank you and honor the sacrifices that members of the military make year-round. >> reporter: made christmas cards at toys for tots and read to kids at washington hospital. >> oliver tried to stick up for himself but he couldn't find the right words. >> reporter: 'tis the season for a story and a celebration. in all, it's expected some 30,000 people will make their way through the white house here by the end of the month to take in the holiday cheer. back to you guys. >> all right. hallie jackson, thank you. in the meantime, as we dive into our christmas celebrations, we of course want to remember the men and women serving in our military who can't be with their families today. lucy kafanov has more on the troops overseas.

good morning. >> reporter: happy holidays. we're in chile, poland, where christmas markets like it a little easier for troops to get in the festive spirit. nothing compares to precious time with family, especially over the holidays. but for men and women serving abroad, there's a job to be done. it's america's largest deployment in europe since the end of the cold war. welcomed by poland to deter russian aggression. threats don't take a holiday, which means major diana won't be home for christmas. she's been in poeland for three months. at the christmas market near the military base, she and fellow soldiers try to get into the holiday spirit, buying gifts for loved ones thousands of miles away. >> merry christmas. it is tough to be away from home. this is the job that i signed up for. and i knew this is what i was

doing. i knew that my family didn't sign up for this. >> reporter: back home at ft. riley in kansas, silvia watches over her youngest daughter, arianna. with mom in poland and step dad deployed to kuwait, this year is extra tough. >> it hurts a lot. you want the special moments to be with your family. sometimes you don't get it. this is kind of one of my first christmases without my mom. it will be hard to deal with that. >> reporter: but the family finds other ways to stay in touch. >> arianna. >> yeah. >> what do you really want for christmas, out of anything else? if you have one thing, what would it be? >> xbox 1 and sims war. >> she wants her mom to come home. she wants you to come home with those things. >> reporter: america's military is in 150 countries around the world. from hot spots like ukraine --

>> merry christmas and a happy new year. >> reporter: to afghanistan. >> happy holidays. >> reporter: and the korean peninsula. ♪ i'll be home for christmas >> reporter: for mserving holid away from family is the trade-off for line of duty. >> you have to make sacrifices for your family and yourself. you're not going to be happy unless you're doing something you love. >> reporter: it's all sacrifice for american soldiers and their families, celebrating the holidays far from home. guys, back to you. >> lucy, thank you. >> always have to remember those who never get a day off. >> that's right. coming up, three remarkable women we met in 2018, survivors of the charleston church shooting. and then, on a lighter note,

did you know our rockefeller center christmas tree has a name? we're going to share the story behind shelby, this year's spectacur spruce. labu

coming up, will it be a happy holiday for the royal family? we're going to head over to england and see what duchess meghan markle is up to on her first christmas as a royal. and we're going to gather around and share our favorite holiday traditions. but first, your local news and weather. you're gonna love if ythe best of geico.ercials, it's geico's all-time greatest hits back on tv for a limited time.

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we )re following breaking news good morning. it's 7:26. i'm marcus washington. we are following breaking news right now in san jose. overnight, an officer shot and killed someone. one other person was injured. witness partially captured the shooting on cell phone video. she says a car crashed into a fence at a school playground around 2:30 this morning, and then the car proceeded to hit a police officer's squad car. another squad car arrived to block in that suspect vehicle. witnesses say the suspect backed up into the police car and that's when officers opened fire. right now we get a check of your christmas day forecast for you. kari is standing by. >> we're starting out with some sunshine and some people may be traveling today. live look at sfo, as we are

seeing now some dry weather moving into the bay area. that's going to be a really nice christmas day. breezy to start, but then a mostly sunny sky, highs upper 50s and low 60s. our seven-day forecast shows more dry weather but some freezing temperatures possible especially for the weekend, especially on saturday morning, and then a slight chance of rain for the north bay, headed into sunday and for san francisco, breezy winds today, cool and highs in the 50s, as we go throughout the week. let's get a look at our lows this morning, as yroads this moe rain left overfrom yesterday evening but a much lighter flow of traffic around the bay area, as we see a few slow spots for some of the main areas that will be slowing down as you get ready to head out. overall, no major issues on the roads or the weather and we'll have a nice christmas day. >> we'll have another local

update coming up in 30 minutes. merry christmas.

♪ shining bright this morning on christmas morning. tuesday, december 25th, 2018. that's our gorgeous tree here in rockefeller center. we loved being in its shadow for the last few weeks. coming up, we're going to have a story behind the degrtree. everybody has a back story. >> does everybody enjoy the holidays? >> it is nice. >> you sound surprised. >> for a while there, i didn't know. thank you for keeping me around. >> we have gifts coming up. we're going to share our

favorite traditions as kids and parents. >> and it wouldn't be a holiday without food and drink. carson and i are making a little feast. potatoes, roast beef -- >> and alcohol. >> what could go wrong? >> we have a fire in the fireplace. anything can happen. >> we're going to make brandy alexander. as savannah mentioned, our rockefeller christmas tree has a special back story. he here's a little more on one of the holiday season's iconic symbols. earlier this month, this spruce was inducted into the christmas tree hall of fame. a tradition that dates back to 1931, when the first tree was decorated and displayed in rockefeller center. >> when the tree is lit, it doesn't matter the temperature. there's a sense of warmth in the air. >> reporter: shirley and lisset are the owners of this farmhouse, 80 miles north of new york city. >> we call her shelby.

>> she's smiling and is very happy. >> reporter: every day this holiday season, 800,000 visitors will gather around shelby to make their own memories. after she made her way to rockefeller center, she was wrapped with five miles of lights and 3 million crystals. >> it will be a beautiful lasting memory. >> there you have it. fun to get the back story on the tree. this year i was bummed, when they bring the tree into rockefeller center. i love it when it's monday through friday and we can ride on it. and it fell on a weekend. >> the last few years it's been the weekend. >> the tree will be on display through the first week of the year. after that, what do you do? it will be given to habitat for humanity and they build homes out of it. >> really cool.

we have nice weather in the bay area, the sunrise it's cool and clouds and rain have moved on so we're going to get some sunshine today and high temperatures upper 50s and low 60s. still wind why i to start out but the winds will relax through this evening and by tomorrow, we will have a chilly start with some low 40s, highs in the upper 50s and by the weekend, when you have some freezing temperatures with the early hours. >> that's your latest weather. >> al, thank you. coming up next this christmas morning, we're going to have fun sharing the holiday traditions we have with our families. >> and then, christmas with the queen. how the holiday has changed for meghan markle, now that she's married to prince harry. and the bishop who inspired everybody at their wedding is going to join us for a christmas message. first, three women that hoda

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downy unstopables we're back on this christmas morning, with one of the most powerful and impactful stories that we covered in 2018, the perfect story for christmas morning, too. >> yeah, the goal of the series was to find forgiveness and to shine a light on people who managed to triumph over tragedy. that's what we found when we

headed to charleston, south carolina, and we spoke with three extraordinary women who survived the 2015 shooting at a historic church there. >> three women whose lives are intertwined between fate and faith and their sheer grace. >> police are on the scene at what police is assuming is a church at downtown charleston. >> reporter: her son was killed. polly sheppard survived as shots rang out, words from the shooter she will never forget. i'm going to leave you to tell the story. jennif jennifer's husband was among the

nine killed that magic day three years ago. >> we were his girls. we were going to be here for each other. >> reporter: i caught up with these women at the second presbyterian church, one block from the crime scene. i feel like i am around strength. do you feel strong? >> some days you can conquer the world and other days, you want it to go away. >> reporter: today, their voices are being heard, preaching about the power and purpose of f forgiveness. i don't consider you victims. i consider you teachers. three people that can teach us something. we watched you go through pain. we watched you on your knees. we watched you hug your community. and we watched you do something i feel is a miracle. >> we have to forgive. >> reporter: two days after losing loved ones, family members said, they forgive the

shooter. >> may god have mercy on you. >> reporter: how hard were those words? >> it wasn't hard at all. i had other things to say that go with it. someone behind me started crying. people don't know there was a silence in that room. it felt so serene. there was a calmness in that room. >> we watched our son take his last breath. but looking over him and how beautiful he was, he seemed like he was at peace. >> reporter: polly describes a light in the room that seemed almost spiritual. >> there was a light in that room almost like the lights were on. we were in the twilight. two different lights in that room. he had a laser on that gun that was one of the lying lights. but the other light, it was quiet. it was like you were in a

different world. >> reporter: she says she felt god's presence. >> i have no doubt he was in that room with us. >> reporter: with all that loss, you know he was in the room with you? >> i know god was in that room, yeah. >> reporter: you feel the same pain and the same hope. so, polly, for you, the idea, i would think that you would be livid, angry, want revenge, want to just take the guy by the throat, you know? >> i was that way at first. but then, i thought about felisha. felisha lost her son. if she can forgive, why are you so hard-hearted that you can't forgive? forgiveness, you think you're letting somebody else off of the hook. but you're letting somebody else off of the hook. if you keep it, you have to love each other. that's our second commandment.

>> reporter: you have to love each other. forgiveness doesn't come easy. when somebody robs you of your husband, which is just what that man did, where are you on your journey? >> you know, you always want to forgive. that's what we're taught. sometimes i feel like i teeter totter. then, i know that is the right thing to do, to forgive. it's what we taught our girls. >> have you forgiven him? >> to an extent, yes. >> reporter: but not all the way? >> sometimes i look at my girls and they won't have the father/daughter dance. they don't have daddy to walk them down the aisle. i think about them and their future and what their missing out. >> reporter: felisha sanders says it hasn't been easy for her granddaughter, who she saved by laying over her body during the attack. >> i grieve for my granddaughter. no 11-year-old child should be

in combat. so, i have to -- i have to be strong for her. >> yes. >> you do. >> i understand that who wholehearted wholeheartedly. you have to be strong, you know? >> don't you get tired sometimes of being strong? do you ever get tired? >> all the time. all the time. >> it tells you in matthew 6, you have to forgive others to be forgiven. >> for us to be forgiven, we can go on and wear a smile. we can smile. >> reporter: the families and the victims were honored by president obama, who spoke at pinckney's funeral. >> what a life he lived. >> reporter: when i saw president barack obama give the eulogy for your husband, i have to say, when he started

singing -- >> "amazing grace." ♪ amazing grace ♪ amazing grace ♪ how sweet the sound ♪ that saved a wretch like me i once was lost ♪ ♪ but now, i'm found was blind, but now i see ♪ >> they're incredibly strong women. they point out that you don't just poof and forgive and it's over. every morning you have to wake up and do it again. do it on tuesday and wednesday. >> they're still working on it. >> yeah. it will probably be going for the rest of their life like that. >> incredibly inspiring.

>> yes. >> thanks for that. just ahead, the stockings, the tree. we're going to share some of our family's favorite holiday traditions. look at those guys. first, these messages. ♪ ok i'll admit.

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all right, coming up, do you have to family coming over later today? with a big mix of people and personalities, there may be a few clashes. >> 100%. >> we're going to help you avoid some of the drama with a few lessons from mr. manners. plus, al and i, we have a good feast. we're going to cook up our holiday favorites. i have a cocktail. you have some food. >> we're ready. >> main course. >> we have bellies. >> we have big pants. >> first, your local news and weather. oh! oh! ♪ ozempic®! ♪

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merry christmas. right now at 7:56 we are waking up to some sunshine. live look in san rafael out on this christmas morning, if you are headed out, expect roads still may be a little bit wet but overall we're looking pretty good. live look at christmas in the park in san jose, where our temperatures will be headed into the upper 50s. lot of upper 50s for our highs today, with some breezy winds and we'll see also our winds calming down as we go throughout the day, mostly sunny skies, not only today but also for much of the forecast as we will see thele couper temperatures moving in for the end of the week. we'll also be tracking a chance of showers farther to the north, headed into sunday. san francisco will keep the upper 50s for highs and cool mornings over the next few days. as you get ready to head out, maybe headed to the bay bridge toll plaza, we haven't seen any

metering lights on today, still you can tell, though, there are some water left on the roads, you may be splashing a little bit so slow it down. we have green sensors looking at our maps around the bay area. just a couple of minor issues, tracking a minor injury collision, just as you head art in of hayward so i'll be seeing if that's going to impact the traffic but overall, the flow is so light. we haven't seen any backups on the roads. through the south bay, it is once again flowing smoothly around the bay area. have a great day on this christmas, and enjoy the sunshine. marcus? >> thanks, kari. happening now, a rude awakening for a family in atherton home this morning. a tree came are crashing through their roof overnight landing in the bedroom where a child was sleeping. police officers say no one was hurt this morning. the family was packing up their christmas presents and headed to a hotel. a bay area christmas tradition continues in san francisc francisco, salvation army

volunteers will feed the hungry christmas dinner this evening. we'll have more local news coming up in 30 minutes. returns! what you need to know before you take back that unwanted item. plus: a bay area woman runs into trouble with her mobile phone bill. our consumer team helps her find a solution. join us tomorrow morning from 4:30 to 7.

♪ have a holidly jolly christma♪ coming up, a time for tradition. >> we're all-in with the matching pajamas. >> we share how we celebrate with the ones we love during this special time of year. >> i can't wait for hailey to understand the joys of christmas. >> i love you, santa. >> i love you, santa. all i want for christmas is food. al and carson are whipping up a holiday meal with simple and delicious recipes for the whole family. and deck the halls.

pentatonax joins us for a performance on this christmas, december 25th, 2018. >> it's christmas morning on "today." >> my christmas wish came true. >> we're on the "today" show. >> today is the day for holiday cheer. >> merry christmas from the rockettes. >> our favorite thing about christmas is the lights. >> gingerbread houses. >> christmas caroling. >> christmas movies. >> and time with family. >> merry christmas. >> from houston, texas. >> wishing our family and friends joy. >> merry christmas. >> that's a beautiful christmas card from our plaza. welcome back, everyone, on this christmas morning. >> it feels so good. >> what did you get me, craig? >> perfect size. >> our fire, the flames are in

slow-motion. >> i'm getting pretty hot. this side of my face is so red from the flames. >> my head catches fire. ah. ah. put it out. >> never gets old. we have a lot coming up. the star of the royal wedding, bishop curry is going to be here. >> remember him? we are going to talk to him about the holidays. and pentatonix. let's start with a check of the news at 8:00. morgan radford has that covered for us. good morning and merry christmas. >> good morning and merry christmas. portions of the u.s. government will stay closed this week until both sides in the fight of president trump's border wall can, in fact, come to terms. garrett haake is live for us at the white house. where do things stand this mornin morning? >> reporter: hey, morgan. good morning. not a lot of news on that front. it's been a silent night here at the white house.

the president and first lady went to a late church service. earlier in the evening, they called children across the country, wishing them a merry christmas. and the president told reporters in the room there was no real progress on the shutdown talks, saying he wants to see stronger border security. earlier in the day, the president was tweeting, including a picture of a meeting with his advisers that he said was about north korea. we asked the white house about that meeting but so far have not heard much back. here in washington, i can tell you, we're thankful on this christmas day, that the markets are closed after that sell-off yet, capping a week or so of really bad numbers in the market. the president was tweeting about that yesterday, as well. he blamed the turmoil in the markets on the federal reserve. but democrats pointed out that the chaos in washington is certainly taking its toll, especially that shutdown, which started, of course, friday night at midnight. now, coming into the fourth day, with no signs for it to break before thursday, when congress

comes back, at the soonest, morgan. >> garrett, until then, stay warm. hop day holidays to you. now, to the devastating tsunami in indonesia, where the death toll has passed 420. we have nbc's sarah harman in indonesia, with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: morgan, good morning. search and rescue is the first priority here, according to a local military commander i spoke with. that said, it has been three days since the tsunami. they're realistic about the chances of pulling anyone else out alive. for survivors, some of them were back today, sifting through the rubble, trying to find anything that wasn't completely waterlogged or destroyed. part of the reason that this tsunami was so devastating is that there was no warning. people didn't have a chance to flee or gather any possessions. the country is now talk about the need for better early warning systems to alert people when a tsunami is coming.

and the entire coastal area here is under a tsunami advisory until december 26th. there are concerns there could be another one. morgan? >> sarah harman for us in indonesia. sarah, thank you so much. let's take a quick look at the weather. it looks like a white christmas in the central rockies and some heavy rain in other parts o

>> that's all from here. merry christmas and happy holidays. guys, back to you. just ahead, he said the power of love can change the world. our pal, bishop michael curry is here, to share his christmas message with us. and it's a holiday debate, real tree or fake tree. what we prefer in our families and reveal some of our other favorite tradition. that's after this. ♪ ever since darrell's family started using gain flings, their laundry smells more amazing than ever. [darrell's wife] uh, honey, isn't that the dog's towel? [dog sfx] hey, mi towel, su towel. more gain scent plus oxi boost and febreze makes gain flings our best gain ever. gain. seriously good scent.

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a lot of people across the country waking up on this christmas morning, taking part in beloved family traditions. it's one of the best parts of the holiday season. >> it is. and it's fun to hear what everyone likes to do. what are our favorite parts of the day? here's a few of the days that we celebrate with our loved ones. i love christmas. it's my favorite holiday. my dad loved it.

it was a special time around our house. he was born on christmas day. i feel this special connection to the holiday. >> i love how it makes you feel. i love how people around you feel. >> it reminds me of being a child. i think sometimes in this grown-up world, we forget about the wonder of, like, snow and of a kid's face when they see santa claus. >> i love the holidays more now than i did before i had kids. being able to see christmas through their eyes, it's a game-changer. >> this is my first full year without having my parents, who i lost. like so many, we're grateful for family and focused on spending good quality time with each other. >> everybody seems to be a little nicer. everybody, i think, makes more of an effort. >> i love the reason behind the holiday season and what it means, family, friends and faith. >> a couple years ago, deborah went in on the ugly christmas

sweater. that was our christmas card. i thought i would take it up a notch and go with the christmas suits. >> we're all-in with the matching christmas pajamas. mike is the ring leader. he lays out the pajamas the night before. >> the gift the night before are always jammies. they're upset about that. >> my wife wraps gifts on christmas eve. i stay up to comment on the gift wrapping. i'm not very good, but i carved out quite the niche as a supervisor of gift wrapping. >> i cannot wait for haley to understand christmas. and i want her to have that magical feeling inside, like that good things happen. and christmas is that day. >> i am team real tree all the

way. we never had a fake tree. i do not judge fake trees. but we love to pick out the christmas tree. >> we left our christmas tree up and it was march. someone rang the door to visit. and my parents said, get the tree. it was still up. it was artificial with lights on. we took the tree and ran it into the storage room and shut the door. we went in next christmas and that was decked already. >> nick and i do a tradition of cut your own. we try to wear red flannel shirts. ♪ i'm a lumberjack and i'm okay ♪ >> why would anyone cut down their own tree. ♪ i sleep all night and work all day ♪ >> this is dumb. and i go out and do it. ever since then, i'm a tree guy. >> we're team real tree. now that i have a mortgage, i understand the importance of maybe having a fake tree that is

firepro fireproof. we have a fireplace near the tree. i look at it through the lens of my dad now. this is a disaster. >> i think i was on the nice list. >> i was usually on the nisz li nice list. i was a good kid and a good helper. >> i teetered between nice and naughty. >> i was on the nice list. you stray into the naughty realm. from mid-november to that last week of december, i was spot-on. >> young craig melvin was on the naughty list every year. as christmas would approach, he would plead his case and try to make santa understand why he was misunderstood. i'm a sucker for "national lampoon's christmas vacation." ♪ alleluia >> "elf." buddy the elf. is that what everybody is saying? >> "elf."

i just laugh out loud. you ask every woman or most women, it's "love, actually." >> i love "love, actually." >> "love, actually" without question. the people that don't realize that that is the best holiday film is the ones that haven't seen it yet. >> i like "die hard." and it's a christmas movie. make no mistake. just not a family christmas movie. make sure the kids are asleep. y yippee-ki-yay. >> hands down, "silent night." not any "silent night," but "silent night" by the temptations. ♪ at the sight holy ♪ how can you not love that? >> "this christmas," by donny hathaway. ♪ this christmas hang up the

mistletoe ♪ >> "oh, holy night." >> "christmas in hollis" by run dmc. i liked that because it was a rap song but christmas. >> i love "hark the herald angels sing." especially the charlie brown christmas version. when they tilt their head up, you see the mouth and the nose. it's fantastic. happy christmas. happy kwanzaa. festivus for the rest of us. >> run dmc, huh? >> come on, carson. >> hollis, queens, man. >> carson is so much cooler than the rest of us. >> obviously. >> speaking of holiday traditions, you know who will be starting new ones today? meghan markle. this is her first christmas as an official member of the royal family. kelly cobiella is across the pond with more on this christmas morning. hey, kelly. >> reporter: guys, good morning.

this year, meghan has pulled off an epic royal wedding, won over the in-laws and the queen and the public. time for a relaxing holiday, right? not exactly. what a year for the new duchess. and now, christmas with the queen, a holiday steeped in centuries of tradition. and it starts when her majesty steps off of the train in norfolk, with william and harry kicking off festivities with their annual soccer game. then, the whole royal family goes to sandringham. in ugly sweaters? maybe not. but on christmas eve, they take tea, trim the tree and exchange gifts. what do you get the family who has everything? for the royals, the cheesier the better. prince charles once got a white leather toilet seat. and meghan got the queen a gift

for her dogs, a singing toy hamster. before 1988, for centuries, the royal family celebrated christmas here, at windsor castle. and it was this famous queen, victoria, who put so much of the magic into our modern christmas. >> we have two water colors painted for queen victoria and prince albert. >> reporter: now, a new book, celebrating a royal christmas through the ages. >> victoria and albert popularized many things, such as the christmas tree, the christmas card. the first christmas card believed to be sent in 1843. >> reporter: this is from 1939. that's the queen at age 13 and her little sister. she and prince philip are sending cards today, 850 of them, all hand-signed. and windsor castle, still aglow with the spirit of the season. back at sandringham, it's christmas morning.

and meghan, just as she did last year, will join the whole family for mass. then, there's that christmas turkey. it's tradition, too, started by king henry viii, who ate boar's head and a huge hunk of beef. queen victoria served up the same, but her menu was in french, just as it is at sandringham today. by the evening, like many of us, it's time for fun and games. the queen, a giflted performer, once put on plays with her sister. now, it's charades. now, she has competition with meghan in the game. prince harry told his wife, whatever you do, don't upstage the queen. and the day ends for everyone, when her majesty goes to bed. one tradition not passed on, the day after christmas hunt.

for animal lover, meghan, a chance to create her own tradition. guys? >> kelly, thank you. you cannot talk about harry and meghan without talking about their wedding. >> and you can't talk about the wedding without talking about the sermon of bishop michael curry. he's our new best friend. he's here with us this morning. good morning. merry christmas. >> merry christmas. ho, ho, ho. >> you had such a year. the royal wedding. and you were there to preside over the funeral for president bush. it's been quite a year for you. >> the best part is more and more people are hearing about your message. you talk so eloquently about the power of love. that's a great message for christmas. what does christmas tell us about the power of love? >> at the core of it, it is at the power of love. i didn't invent it.

there's a passage in the new testament, that god loved the world and forgave his son. it is not a god-given take. god gave, to the point of vulnerability. in trusting himself as a child in the hands of two mortal, fallible, human beings. that's remarkable. that's what love looks like. there's a christmas hymn -- i don't know if it'sle wi ee's wen the states, the first line says, love came down at christmas. that's what the heart and soul of christmas is about. >> people want to be filled with love and want to have it on this day. but there's things that happen in this life. people that have been through tragedies and people who have seen things they wish they didn't have to witness. how do you restore faith on this christmas day? >> what would it look like to love on this day.

beyond the gifts of giving. that's fine. what would it look like? is it somebody who is lonely and by themselves? what would love look like there? how would i invite you to dinner? growing up as a frienkid, therea woman who had an empty chair at her dining room table. it was like the chair for elijah, in the jewish tradition, that somebody needed to be here. what does love look like for somebody that might be alone, or had a loss in the last year, to reach out and make space for them. that's the kind of stuff that can make a difference for the giver and the receiver. >> growing up, you had a bittersweet christmas when you were a young boy with your mom, around your mom. >> this would have been 1966 or 1967. and my mother had a massive cerebral hemorrhage on vacation

when we were here in new york. she was in the hospital and eventually in a coma. there wasn't much they could do. and for a good several months, neither my sister nor i had seen her. in those days, children weren't allowed in hospitals. i was born in '53. do the math quick. i was a kid, young teenager. we hadn't seen her at all. daddy has been in and out. it was at a christmas that they were able to move her from mt. sinai here to a hospital in buffalo and to aers inning home there. if it wasn't christmas eve, it was the day before. i wasn't focused on the gifts i was getting under the tree. the gift was mommy there. she was in a coma.

after school, we would get home, we would do our homework and watch tv. and she was lying there in the bed. we hoped daddy would pray because he was the episcopalian. it would be short. and grandma was a baptist. we would be there longer. >> how long does that help you navigate through grief and time. >> that's love. that's devotion. >> it is. >> merry christmas. >> your book is wonderful. >> thank you. you all are wonderful. >> thank you. still coming up, we have a lot more including a new twist on a holiday classic and three-time grammy winners, pentaton pentatonix. ♪ i )m ...

right now we )re following an good morning. it is 8:26. right now, we're following an officer involved shooting in san jose. a witness partially captured it on cell phone video. she tells us a car crashed into a fence at a school around 2:00 this morning. the car proceeded to hit a police officer's squad car. the officers opened fire and one person was killed. another was injured. police are continuing to investigate the crime scene. we're going to send it now to kari hall with weather and traffic. >> looks really good outside as we start out on this christmas morning. more sunshine across the bay area. we're going to see that as we go to the rest of the day. a cool start but warming into the upper 50s. it's windy out there now but our winds will calm down as we go throughout the day.

the cold front is moving away. we're going to see more dry weather throughout the rest of the week. freezing temperatures possible for the inland valleys by this weekend. by sunday, tracking a slight chance of rain for the north bay. new year's eve, we'll see those high temperatures in the upper 50s in san francisco and we'll also be tracking how the roads are moving for you. looking at mostly green censors. we've had a very light flow of traffic. if you're about to head out the door, things are looking good. no major issues on bay area roadways. >> looks really good. it is 8:27. i'll have another local news update in half an hour. ♪ toyland, toyland

♪ little girl and boy land ♪ while you dwell within it ♪ you are ever happy there daddy, it's christmas! ♪ childhoods, joyland never let go of your dreams. the mercedes-benz winter event is back. lease the glc 300 for $459 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing.

they're playing our song. >> 25th day of december, otherwise known as christmas morning, 2018. we hope you're enjoying a festive day with people you love. >> sometimes families can make christmas dinner somewhat stressful. we brought in mr. manners on how to deal with the nosey cousin and the obnoxious uncle. we are going to cook and we have picked two of our best. al and carson will share some of their favorite recipes. >> it's christmas morning. there should be presents, don't you think? we love each other.

it's fun to do this. we decided to do secret santa exchange. >> okay. >> the producers selected one of our co-anchors for each of us. it had to be 25 bucks or less. and they told me to start. and my recipient is carson. >> i wanted to think of what you would like and what would be nice for you. i wanted to get a drone but i'm sorry. >> it's a beautiful ornament and pictures of my family on it. you made that. it's incredible. >> i didn't personally make it. but i ordered it. i thought you would like it for your tree. >> cooking and the kids thp it says merry christmas. >> and siri sent me the picture. >> is there something online? >> there's a few places you can get it. the one we got so fast was cvs or something.

>> i have hoda. >> oh, yay. >> let me preface this with saying, you have wores of inspiration every day. when i think of you, i think of inspiring words that i read before i start my day. i wanted to pay that forward. i know you have a blake shelton cardboard cutout in your office. >> hello, hoda. this is blake shelton. >> i was at "the voice," and had him record that for you. >> that's the best present ever. >> hello, hoda. this is blake shelton. i love you right now. >> right now. >> words of inspiration. >> i love it. >> mine is for savannah. savannah is always looking for a couple of things. i thought it would be nice if we had a couple of the things she's always looking for.

>> wow. >> i was expecting it to be a little bit -- >> thank you. >> she's a tic tac fanatic. we eat all of hers. it's ta ee it's tic tacs and tic tac gum. now what happens? >> oh, i see. someone has to pick it up. >> i think i'm up. mr. roker. >> i see what happened here. >> uh-huh. >> 25 bucks or less. >> a -- >> it's wrapped. >> it's not real but it's from the heart. >> i'm being my father and taking care of the trash. >> you read your side. >> it says best. >> and mine says friend. >> that's cute. >> it's like middle school all over again. >> wow. >> one of the high lights lghig year has been our friendship.

you have to put it on. it's only awkward if you don't wear your half. >> well, you know what? i'm going to do that as soon as we're done. >> would you like a little walk to the fireplace? >> i have to do some manscaping before i put this on. it's very nice. i have you. and i know -- >> i got you a best friend necklace, too. >> that's what makes it awkward. this is something i have, and as a traveler, you will appreciate because it will help you share and share alike. it's a four-port usb charger. >> ron always has a charger. >> i give you a best friends necklace and you give me a phone charger. >> you'll get a charge out of that. >> thank you. it's a little weird. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. >> what if he was wearing one that said friend right now.

>> it would be even more awkward, if possible. >> lester holt is somewhere hopefully your gift exchange going on now is not that weird. san jose, a lot of sunshine. headed to the park today, it will be a really nice day. highs in the upper 50s and low 60s after that rain moved through yesterday evening. a lot more dry weather in the forecast. also cooling down for the next few days, especially during the early hours. by saturday, we may have some freezing temperatures inland. we'll track north bay showers by sunday. we know holiday parties and family get togethers can be so much fun. but they can also be a little stressful sometimes. >> here with pesky personalities and how to encounter them is mr. manners, thomas farley. good morning. >> good morning. >> we're playing somebody at a

party. al, who are you? >> i'm extravagant eddie. he overspends on his gift and makes sure everybody knows it. >> with extravagant eddie, you cannot match dollar for dollar. this is how he needs to show off. if you feel uncomfortable about it, what i recommend next year is give him a list of what you want, with items that are more reasonable. don't leave it to chance. >> like cars. >> little match boxcars. exactly. >> i've got nosey nina. nina loves to ask the questions no one wants to answer such as, when are you having kids? have you gained weight? and when are you two getting married? >> in nina's case, it may be that she cares about your welfare. >> she is stirring the pot. >> exactly. >> she's been married for 30 years and you're single, she may

not understand what it is to be single and she wants you to be like her so she can relate to you. bear in mind as you hear those questions, you want to divert. take it in the spirit that it's intended and move the conversation elsewhere. >> let's get to eggnog elsa. she overdoes it. >> how did you get that one? >> i don't know why you always get this character. it's not typecasting, i progrmi. sometimes a drunk person can be a fun addition to a party. if you're a more lively version of yourself. maybe this is not a bad thing. >> you're holiday hoda. come on. >> remember that for next year. if the person is becoming aggressive or embarrassing themselves, then you want to divert. here's how we do that. make sure eggnog elsa has plenty of hors d'oeuvres. >> stuff her? >> stuff her full of food.

>> have a room ready just in case she needs to sleep it off. >> if she passes out. >> that's enabling. >> how about scroogey sam. he never likes gifts. he nitpicks all aspects of the celebration, bringi ining other people down. >> is like when somebody get gives a best friend necklace and they don't like it. >> i can relate. >> ask him for his exact size, color, what is it that he wants in advance, so you're not leaving anything to chance. remember, there's some people that are happiest when they're miserable. and if that's the case, don't let them bring you down. instead of feeding the negativity, saying it's a shame you feel that way. >> i'm political paul. somebody is talking about politics all the time. no one wants to have that conversation. >> watch out for the trick questions. anything as innocuouinnocuous,

you think of the white house decorations -- >> like pass me the pecan pie. don't pass it. >> carson daly. >> don't invite paul. it's beginning to smell like christmas. christmas. we're going to cook a holiday 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.

you hurry to work, so you can take it slow. - [cell phone beeps] - stop! let's stop looking at pedestrians as a nuisance, and carless objects, and start looking out for each other again. it's a busy world out there. we're all in it together. go safely, california. back on "today food," al and i have put it on ourselves to put together the holiday menu for everybody. >> recipes that are simple, easy and sure to please a crowd. >> we're going to go back with a carson family tradition. we would have a brandy alexander. this is my mom's recipe. this is a staple in my house. i love my mom's handwriting. i keep this with us. it's like a cup and a half of brandy.

i've added ice cream to it to make it a little more -- >> for the kids? >> and you can make this alcohol-free for the kids. the ratio is like a cup and a half brandy to a cup of cream decocoa and a cup of half and half. then, you add some ice to it. trying to go fast. sorry. >> no worries. >> we'll blend it. pulse it up. and it gets to almost the consistency of a delicious adult mi mi milkshake. we had a dog named after this drink. we called her lexie. i know you're makesi imaking a s meat. these are new potatoes. you get them on the pan here. you take a fork and you smash them down. then, you're going to drizzle this mixture of olive oil, parmesan cheese and italian.

your oven is at 450 and you pop it in for 10 minutes. you get these christmas potatoes. >> making a standing rib roast. a big hunk of meet and three ribs. you're going to make a paste of garlic, thyme, rosemary, whatever spices you like in there. you're going to mix that up. you're going to liberally salt this and pepper it. sometimes what i like to do is put a grate in there, a rack in there. you're going to coat this, after you've put your salt and pepper on. >> you do both sides? >> just the top. you're going to get your oven preheelt preheated. you're going to let that in there for two hours and then turn the oven off.

instant read thermometer, once it's at 160 for medium, 145 for medium to medium rare. >> you let it come out and then it will rise a little bit. >> this is a sticky toffee pudding. put a little eggnog here. little eggnog. >> look at that. >> and then, you have your toffee topping on top. >> that's next level. >> oh, man. >> what's going on there? >> that with the brandy alexander milkshake would be amazing. >> this is what i want to eat. this sort of steak and potatoes and cocktail with family. >> this is really strong. >> that was my mom. >> love her. >> for these recipes, go to today.com/food. coming up next, holiday music to go with our holiday menu. menu. pentatonix is

♪ menu. pentatonix is not long ago, ronda started here. and then, more jobs began to appear. these techs in a lab. this builder in a hardhat... ...the welders and electricians who do all of that. the diner staffed up 'cause they all needed lunch. teachers... doctors... jobs grew a bunch. what started with one job spread all around. because each job in energy creates many more in this town. energy lives here.

the citi concert series on "today" is proudly presented by citi. >> pentatonix has quickly become a holiday staple. >> they were with us from the tree lighting and back with a song from their holiday album, "christmas is here." ♪ rockin' around the christmas tree at the christmas party hop ♪ ♪ mistletoe hung where you can see ♪ ♪ and a couple drop a step ♪ rockin' around the christmas tree ♪ ♪ and later we'll have some pumpkin pie and we'll do some

caroling ♪ ♪ you will get a sentimental feeling when you hear ♪ ♪ voices singing "let's be jolly ♪ ♪ deck the halls with boughs of holly" ♪ ♪ rockin' around the christmas tree ♪ ♪ have a happy holiday ♪ everyone dancing merrily in the new old-fashioned way ♪ ♪ do, do, do, da, da, da, da da, da, da, da, la, da ♪ ♪ la, da, da, da, da, da, da da, da, da, da, da, da ♪ ♪ you will get a sentimental feeling when you hear ♪ ♪ voices singing

"let's be jolly ♪ ♪ deck the halls with boughs of holly" ♪ ♪ rockin' around the christmas tree ♪ ♪ have a happy holiday ♪ everyone dancing merrily in the new ♪ ♪ old-fashioned way >> pentatonix, everybody. their album is "christmas is here." we're back in a moment. first, this "today" on nbc.is 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.

introdeli trio and turkey, bacon, and cheddar pannidos, both on toasted ciabatta bread. served in a no-mess bag, they're the ultimate on the go subs. so panni-do eat one while you are tackling errands. but panni-don't... huh? [buzzer] ...while you're getting tackled by a guy named aaron. order a pannido with doordash today. ♪ we're almost out of time this morning. but there's always time for more treats. >> of course. >> zane holmquist from park city, utah, with some treats for us. >> what do you have?

>> some holiday treats. easy things to make on christmas day. our fudge, we have two different kinds. reindeer tracks fudge. m&ms and butterscotch. and our candy cane fudge. a swirl mix and savory bits. and then, my favorite, we have our everything bagel popcorn. so everything bagel popcorn. supereasy. >> they sell this. like, everything salt. >> pop your popcorn, a little butter. spice in and give it a good toss. >> perfect. >> and away you go. >> that's a great idea. thank you so much. we want to leave you, we toast you, our friends here and at home. >> and a special thank you, guys, to the wonderful, awesome "today" team for the work they do all year long. >> all: merry christmas.

♪ a stray bullet and a mama kras her baby won't be coming home tonight ♪ ♪ silence screaming down the avenue just another story on the evening news ♪ ♪ oh whoa politics and prejudice how the hell did it ever come to this ♪ ♪ when everybody's got to pick a side it don't matter if you're on the right no ♪ ♪ and so it goes but i hold on to hope and i won't let go cause i -- i believe -- you and me are sisters and brothers ♪ ♪ and i -- i believe we're made to be here for each other and we'll never fall if we walk hand

in hand ♪ ♪ put a world that seems wrong in together again i -- i believe in the end love wins ♪ sometimes it takes a lot of faith to keep believing there will come a day when the tears and the sadness ♪ ♪ the pain and the hate the struggle this madness will all fade away i -- i believe you and me are sisters and brothers ♪ ♪ and i -- i believe we're made to be here for each other and we'll never fall if we walk hand in hand ♪ ♪ put a world that seems wrong together again i -- i believe in

the end love wins ♪ ♪ love is power love is a smile love reaches out love is the remedy love is the answer love's and open door love is the only thing worth fighting for ♪ ♪ yeah i -- i believe you and me are sisters and brothers and i -- i believe we're made to be here for each other and we'll never fall if we walk and in hand ♪ ♪ put a world that seems broken together again yeah, i -- i believe in the end love wins ♪

♪ oh, yeah, love wins ♪ love will love can love still love wins love will love can love still love wins ♪ i )m kirar happening now... we )re following an officer good morning. it is 8:56. happening now, we're following an officer involved shooting in san jose. a witness captured part of the shooting on this cell phone video. the car crashed into a fence at a school around 2:30 this morning. the driver then hit a police officer's squad car. that's when the witness says officers opened fire on that person. one person was killed. another is injured.

san jose police are still investigating the crime scene. we have a reporter there right now. we'll continue to give you information as we uncover it in our 11:00 a.m. newscast. you can also follow nbc bay area on twitter for live updates. and we're heading into day four of the government shutdown. right now, closed signs are posted at national parks and landmarks. the budget standoff is because of a funding issue for president trump's border wall. the president wants nearly $6 billion for the border wall along the border with mexico. democrats and some republicans are opposed. back here locally, a bay area christmas tradition continues into san francisco. volunteers pack thousands of meals. they plan to feed hungry families with a warm christmas continuer this evening. we'll have a lot weather update in one hour. until then, merry christmas. ret!

what you need to know before you take back that unwanted item. plus: a bay area woman runs into trouble with her mobile phone bill. our consumer team helps her find a solution. join us tomorrow morning from 4:30 to 7.

♪ whoa! the mercedes-benz winter event is back, and you won't want to stop for anything else.

lease the gla 250 for $359 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. from nbc news, this is "today." >> and a good morning to you. merry christmas. craig melvin, al roker, sheinelle jones, jen ma buna bu hager, jacob soboroff. >> we're not here. this is on tape. >> i would imagine a lot of people at home are opening gifts or opened gifts. go-tos. what's your go-to gift? >> a beanie. every ye