back to you. >> easing into the new year, i think. that's going to do it for us today. >> the "today" show starts right now. have an absolutely wonderful weekend and a happy new year. good morning. turning the page. with muted celebrations across the country and around the globe, the world says good-bye to 2020. eagerly ushering in the arrival of the brand-new year and all the promise and potential it holds. today, friday, january 1st, 2021. turning the page with muted celebrations across the country and around the globe, the world says good-bye to 2020. eagerly ushering in the arrival of the brand-new year and all the promise and potential it holds. today, friday, january 1st, 2021 and good morning, everybody. welcome to "today. it's friday morning, the first day of 2021. >> say 2021 again. >> hello, 2021 the year looks good on you >> i just liked hearing you say

2021 that's the first time i have heard that out loud on the right day. >> we have been waiting for this moment so much promise in a new year. we have a busy morning planned for you including your guide to the year ahead >> of course, the coronavirus and covid vaccines will play key roles in all aspects of our lives from your money to sports and entertainment, to the upcoming inauguration. you name it. this morning, we brought in experts from those areas and more to elus what we can expect. >> plus, every time we need a pick-me-up, hoda's there with the morning boost. we had a lot of that, we needed a lot of that this year. we're going to have a morning boost hoda round-up. the second annual boosty award >> let me tell you, that's a ten tissue segment get your tissue box ready. it's going to make you smile happy tears. let's start with a check of the news this morning, the first day of the year. peter alexander has the morning's headlines. good morning and happy new year. >> good morning to you

happy new year to you as well. 2021 is kicking off in the u.s. with a grim milestone. more than 20 million americans have now tested positive for the coronavirus. nbc's ron allen joins us now with more on the far slower than promised effort to get americans vaccinated ron, good morning. >> good morning, peter yes, while the numbers of covid cases surge, the campaign to vaccinate americans has fallen well behind schedule fewer than 3 million americans have gotten their first dose that's well short of the administration's goal of some 20 million by the start of the new year demands for the vaccine continues to be strong in places like florida, where some elderly residents have been waiting in line for as long as eight hours to get a first shot. state and local health officials are overwhelmed, stretched thin and trying to get the job done, saying they nide more help from washington, more resources for infrastructure, and that's not been coming so far that as a new strain of covid first detected in the uk and overwhelming hospitals there has now been detected in three u.s. states, colorado, california, and now florida as well.

health officials say the strain is more transmissible but not necessarily more deadly. the fear, of course, overall is after the long holiday season when so many millions of americans have defied public health warnings not to travel or gather with family and friends that the coming months could be extremely difficult before the vaccine can be widely distributed to millions of americans who want it, peter >> ron allen, thank you very much and president trump is back in the white house this morning cutting his florida vacation a day short ahead of a key date in his last ditch effort to overturn the results of the presidential election. nbc's white house correspondent kelly o'donnell has the very latest kelly, good morning. >> good morning, peter this is different. president trump is waking up here at the white house for the first time on a new year's day after he left florida early and skipped his traditional black tie party back in mar-a-lago but his focus has been all about what happens when congress must certify the electoral college results that will give joe biden

the presidency one republican senator, josh hawley, of missouri, and a number of house members plan to object claiming they are speaking for trump's supporters who have bought into the president's claims of election fraud that are unfounded. now, objecting will force a debate and a vote on the outcome next week. now, today, the senate will be back in session despite this holiday, working through the steps to override the president's veto on a massive defense bill before this congress expires on sunday but republican leader mitch mcconnell has made clear he won't use the time left to approve an increase in covid relief checks from $600 to $2,000 as president trump has demanded. peter. >> kelly o'donnell, thank you very much. a quick look at the forecast right now. huge winter storm will bring messy weather to millions across the eastern portion of the nation snow, sleet, freezing rain causing slick conditions across part of the midwest and great lakes. stay with us your local forecast in the next

30 seconds those custom size 26 shoes are a valid expense for a circus clown. that's funny. if we catch crab in virginia and maryland, do we file in each state? with large catches in both, yes. i'll even file for you. thank you. file with the help of an expert. or, let an expert file for you. intuit turbotax live and good friday morning to you. we are waking up to some increasing clouds as we head through the afternoon with rain showing up in the north bay later on today. hour by hour with our forecast we'll see those temperatures in the upper 50s to low 60s, rain after sunset tonight. and then we'll see another chance of rain probably more substantial rain coming in as we head into monday and wednesday

of next week. 20 was the clear in politics that will never be forgotten. it started with an impeachment, followed by a campaign that 2020 was the clear in politics that will never be forgotten. it started with an impeachment, followed by a campaign that played out in a pandemic, now the transition to a new president. joining us with a look at what 2021 holds is kristen welker hi, kristen. good morning to you. happy new year >> happy new year, savannah. so good to see you >> we don't have to wait for a campaign for long. we have the georgia runoff just a few days away now. what are you watching? this is really a battle for who controls the senate, republicans or democrats >> the stakes could not be higher, savannah, you're absolutely right we have two key races that we're watching and they're razor tight. in ruby red georgia, which is, of course, a state biden flipped. the first time a democrat won the state since 1992 so this is in play these two races between the republican kelly loeffler and jon ossoff

david perdue, the republican, running against democrat raphael warnock. and one of the components of this race has been president trump and the fact he has been sending out thesis baseless claims of voter fraud and so you have republicans in georgia and all across the country wondering what is that going to do to turnout? will that actually depress turnout among republicans and give democrats a boost that's the big question. president trump, president-elect biden, have been campaigning in this state because everything lies on this and if republicans lose just one seat, president trump will get a lot of blame, and if they lose two seats, then democrats will take back control of the senate, and that will just give biden a big boost heading into the first term of his presidency >> on that topic a little later this month is the inauguration, january 20th it's looking very different because of the pandemic. but let's look at that first 100 days that's what we usually look at what has he laid out in terms of

an agenda? >> i think you're going to see president-elect biden really focus on some executive actions his first day in office that will be aimed at reversing some of the actions president trump took on the issue of immigration, climate change, reversing some of what we saw president trump do there and then i think legislatively, i am told, according to biden transition officials, the focus is going to be on healing the country. both in terms of covid-19 and financially, so you're going to see a big focus on covid-19. he has vowed 100 million vaccines sent out in his first 100 days and then there's going to be a big push for a financial stimulus package will he be able to get that done if he can, savannah, that will really require him to reach across the aisle, to work with republicans, to try to get that through. there could be pressure on both

sides, because of course, americans are hurting right now, savannah >> of course, depends on what happens in georgia to bring it full circle. finally, donald trump has hinted he may announce his running for re-election in 2024 on the day of inauguration. what do you expect from donald trump? >> well, this is really interesting, savannah, because right now, there are two competing ideas. should president trump announce his re-election campaign on the day of joe biden's inauguration? should he try to create some type of a split screen i can tell you that there is a growing push inside the republican party for him not to do that. why? well, because some of his allies say look, he would essentially not get the full momentum that he would want from an announcement like that but number two, there's a financial component to this because if he were to reannounce he were running for election on the day of the inauguration, that would effectively be four years of having to adhere to fec guidelines when it comes to raising money and transparency about that so will he wait? a lot of republicans are saying look, he'll get more momentum if he waits until after the midterms, 2022

but he hasn't decided yet. and i can tell you there's growing frustration inside the republican party about that. they want to know what president trump's off ramp is. they say the uncertainty is not good for the country and it's not good for their party, savannah >> kristen welker, you're going to be busy this year we're so glad to have you with us really appreciate it >> happy new year. >> thanks so much. now to your health in the year ahead. the country, really the world as a whole, looking to hopefully end the pandemic and start the recovery in 2021 nbc's medical correspondent dr. john torres joins us with the three things we need to know first of all, good morning and happy new year to you. >> good morning and happy new year, hoda >> so the good news at the end of 2020 what we got the vaccine. now the big question for 2021 is when do you think most americans will have received the vaccine >> hoda, i think most americans will have received the vaccine

by come late springtime, early summertime, and that's where you see a big turn in the pandemic as bad as 2020 was for most of us, i think 2021 is going to be a fantastic year we're going to start off working through the pandemic, getting it under control and end up celebrating. >> hopefully that will come late in the year. do you think before that time we'll get to see a little bit of normalcy will people be able to eat dinner together or go to small gatherings together? >> i definitely think we will. a lot of this is contingent on how many people get the vaccine and how fast they get it we know vaccines are rolling out very, very quickly, more to come over the next few weeks and months but getting it into people's arms is going to be the important point. and the sooner we can do that, the sooner we can get back to that sense of normalcy, but it's going to be a slow roll. i think you can start looking springtime, summertime, people being able to get together with those, expand their bubble to a certain extent, and more things opening up

more sporting events, more concerts by the end of the year, i think you'll see us back to fairly normal, maybe not completely, but close to normal. >> if we fast forward to the end of 2021, december, do you think during that year we will have been wearing masks for most of the year do you think we'll be rid of them before the end? >> hoda, i don't know if we're ever going to truly get rid of masks because i think that's going to be part of the new normal, looking at the way masks are used in other countries where in particular, in asian countries where if they have cold and flu season and people start getting sick, our new normal may be, let's start wearing masks. that way we can keep things under control because the truth is coronavirus is not going to go away, but with vaccines we're going to keep it under control there might be pop-ups, flurries every now and then of coronavirus cases. in cases like that, we might need to go back to the mask. for the most part, i think summertime we'll see people not having to wear masks, get together with family and friends and do the things we have been

missing. >> as we have been focusing on the coronavirus, there's a lot of stuff we haven't been focusing on. a lot of people aren't getting the tests we should be, check-ups, screenings. what do we learn there the. >> that's a huge concern if you heard a few months ago, cancer cases were down, which in any normal year, that would be fantastic. this year, that simply means people aren't getting screens for cancers and getting seen later. once you see them later, they're harder to treat and can cause more issues. that's health overall. because of covid, because either systems shut down, hospitals being taking care of covid patients, people weren't able to get the health care, or once they start opening up, people worried about going in and getting covid and not getting their health care needs met. for children in particular, big concerns about their immunizations.

are we going to have meezle outbreaks in the coming year, and there's going to be a distinct push in the next few months for people to get these things they need to get their children to catch up on their shots. >> the other thing, dr. torres, that struck me, and there are mental health issues with all of us, but specifically for those nurses and doctors i see them, they haven't come up for air. i wonder about their mental health and if it will be cared for. is that something they should be tackling in 2021 >> i think that's definitely something they should be tackling in 2021 because i know talking to a lot of my compatriots, they say we have been working overtime for the past six, seven, eight months and that's going to continue on for the next couple months and then you hear about people not wanting to take the vaccine or not believing covid is a true disease, and that causes even more issues. so i think once this gets under control, there's going to have to be some mechanism in place to take care of their mental health because this could affect them for the rest of their life we have to remember we're not out of the woods yet we're getting there, but the sooner we can get it taken care of as well, the sooner we can get them back to normal, the workforce doing what it needs to do

>> and finally, you're optimistic about 2021. is that how you feel >> i'm extremely optimistic about 2021 like i said, i think we're going to start off still controlling the pandemic, but i think we're going to end celebrating as much as we weren't able to get with family and friends this last holiday season, we're going to double up on this this coming holiday season and have huge celebrations across the country and i see that happening by the summer and definitely by the end of the year. >> from your lips to god's ears. thank you. savannah, over to you. >> let's move to the economy now. after a devastating year filled with financial hardships for a lot of people and businesses in this country, nbc's senior business correspondent stephanie ruhle is with us with tips and financial advice and a look at the year ahead hi, stephanie. good morning happy new year to you. >> happy new year. well, there's first of all, a lot to expect this year. we know that how would you say the state of the economy is

>> savannah, we know we had a divided economy before the pandemic and this pandemic has made it so much worse for millions of americans, they lost their jobs, they lost their health care. they don't have any more savings, and they're living on credit cards most likely, that situation isn't going to change until we get on the other side of this pandemic however, at the same time, it's a very different picture for other americans. for those of us who are working from home, many of us have seen our savings go up. think about it you're not spending to commute you're not really socializing. we're not traveling. many of us who own homes have seen the values of our homes go up so you have really seen this division in our economy. and that's not going to change for the foreseeable future >> definitely, a mixed picture if anyone wanted to make a financial resolution and a lot of people do this time of year, where do you even start? >> well, we're seeing similar resolutions to we see most

years. people are looking to save money, pay down debt, and spend less before you attack any of those, you need to figure out how do you live how do you spend money so what you want to do for at least one month is track your spending don't change your habits don't judge your habits, but for one month, see where all of your money is going think about it like leading into a diet you can't suddenly go on a restrictive diet until you know how to live. until you know how your life goes if you know what your biggest most important expenses are, you know you probably have to keep those and you can get rid of some others. >> what if you want to get rid of debt? do you have advice >> absolutely. for people looking to pay down their debt, start with a list. who do you owe, what do you owe? now how are you going to do it from a financial perspective, it makes the most sense to pay down your highest debts first, like if you have credit cards with high interest rates, you want to get rid of those nobody wants to pay interest forever. if your biggest issue is

motivation, what you need to do is say, let me look at a list and maybe my lowest guess, if i can just tick them off and start going, then i'll start to feel good about it, like i'm finally making some action here. >> sometimes you need a little momentum and that feeds on itself, that good feeling. what if your resolution is to save more? that's hard to do, especially now. >> all of this is really hard to do, but the most important thing is to change the way you think about your money when you thing about savings like a diet, nobody wants to do that so if you start thinking about your money like your wealth health, we all want to improve our health we want to understand it and maximize it. look at the holidays many of us are saying oh, my gosh, in a few weeks i'm going to get my holiday credit card bills and i'm dreading it. instead of putting yourself in that position next year, start saving now if every paycheck you had $25 automatically put aside in another account, by next thanksgiving, you're going to

save $600. that's holiday spending right there. what you need to do is plan for it none of us can build a financial profile hoping we're going to win power ball or meet prince charming you have to get a plan and start to understand your money >> a little goes a long way in the end. stephanie, thank you so much happy new year >> happy new year to you >> all right still ahead, we're going to tackle more things to watch in 2021, including the outlook for travel of course, people didn't do a lot of it in 2020. could this be a banner year for the travel industry? tom costello will explore that for us >> we know some people will be heading to tokyo because we have an unexpected olympics to look forward to this year a lot more on that and the other big events in sports to circle on your calendar first, this is "today" on nbc.

just ahead, as we look ahead to 2021, we'll also look back. >> believe it or not, we have managed to secure a couple laughs and smiles despite the world being turned upside down >> we sure have a lot of fun around here. we'll prove it later this morning. but first, these messages. or psoriatic arthritis, little things can become your big moment. that's why there's otezla. otezla is not an injection or a cream. it's a pill that treats differently. for psoriasis, 75% clearer skin is achievable, with reduced redness, thickness, and scaliness of plaques. for psoriatic arthritis, otezla is proven to reduce joint swelling, tenderness, and pain. and the otezla prescribing information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring. don't use if you're allergic to otezla. it may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. otezla is associated with an increased risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts or if these feelings develop. some people taking otezla reported weight loss.

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an electronic toll collection system goes into effect for all bay area bridges. if you are a fastrak or license plate holder you will not receive a change. if you are not enrolled in a program you will receive a monte bill instead of individual notices for each time you cross the bridge. we haven't had toll collectors in the toll booths since the start of the pandemic in march. again, today just makes the switch to electronic official. i want to check in with meteorologist rob mayeda in for kari this morning. how are we looking today? right now we're seeing patchy, low clouds. increasing high clouds for the afternoon. we will see rain showing up as we head to the evening. highs in the upper 50s to low 60s. you notice after we pass sunset the rain passes through and most of it should be done by tomorrow morning, a few scattered showers near the hills before the next round of rain with heavier rain possible arrives on monday with

another round to follow approaching wednesday. laura, back to you. all right. looks like a nice first day of 2021. i'll be back with another update in half an hour. see you then.

7:30 on this friday morning, the first day of 2021. it sounds good all right, we hope you're able to enjoy some safe celebrations last night craig and carson will be joining us for the first time on this holiday morning coming up in our next hour. >> we let them sleep in. draw your own conclusions about that just ahead, though, we're going to really give people a reason to smile, right? >> that's right. we're going to really have a good time. you remember katie french, the gospel singer? she went viral last year for her

ode to pandemic snacking she's put her incredible voice to work again, recording her special new message just for us as we begin this new year. >> but first, as the distribution of covid vaccines ramps up here in the u.s., many are feeling optimistic about a return to some sense of normalcy for this year. for a lot of people, that includes traveling again >> how might the vaccine impact flying and what do we need to know now to prepare for trips in 2021 tom costello is covering that for us good morning happy new year >> good morning. you know, for months, we have been talking about the devastating impact that covid has had on the travel industry, with so many jobs lost and people simply not able to travel now, with vaccines within reach for many people, those who postponed travel in 2020 are starting to dream a little bit about 2021 the idea of packing their bags and taking to the skies. after months of lockdowns, empty terminals and grounded planes, the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine is now fueling hopes that 2021 will see travel take

off again. >> 2021 is going to be the year of the travel deal >> everyone has this bottled up energy to do these big epic trips. >> research shows 84% of leisure airline passengers are eager to start traveling again. >> in fact, sites like kayak and sky center have seen upticks in searching and bookings following promising vaccine news. among america's most searched destinations, mexican beach destination cities like cancun, and u.s. cities las vegas and orlando, according to expedia, but what exactly does the vaccine mean for flying in 2021? at least one airline, australia's qantas, has announced it will likely require proof of vaccination for international travelers. while others, like united and delta, are trialing requiring rapid covid-19 tests on select routes, which may allow travelers to then bypass quarantines in some cities a few organizations are developing apps that could serve as a sort of digital health

passport, showing a passenger's latest testing results or vaccination status >> anticipate that you will have to have some kind of proof of good health to be able to travel >> but even as more people receive the vaccine, it's unlikely current precautions will change. so what should you consider as you book your next trip? the points guy brian kelly says with many airlines waiving deposit fees, now is the time to buy with miles or points >> even if you need to cancel or americans can't enter that country next summer, you get all your miles and taxes and fees back >> with many international hubs still closed to tourists and business travel on stand-by, u.s. carriers are adding new domestic options specifically targeting vacationers including southwest offering houston to new orleans, frontier adding phoenix to sacramento. hawaiian airlines launching honolulu to orlando, but it's important to read the fine print with any purchase. >> cancel a flight and get a voucher. when you book travel with that voucher, it might have different

restrictions than the cancel whenever you want flights right now. >> once you are onboard, your best defense against covid, keep your mask on, don't eat or drink if you can avoid it, and keep the air on >> experts say that you should pay close attention to where you're headed. try to choose a destination with declining cases and know any possible testing requirements and quarantine restrictions. but after nearly a year of lost travel, some say it's just a thought of a future escape that counts >> start planning a trip even if you don't end up taking it, it's good for your mental health to have something to look forward to >> experts say that the return to travel will likely start with leisure travelers. unlikely that the business travel will pick up right away because people are finding they can do business just fine over zoom it may not be until 2024 that travel truly returns to the levels we saw in 2019. guys, back to you. >> all right tom, thank you so much it will be a slow return, but

we're getting them out before long >> coming up next, guys, the year ahead in sports what does 2021 have in store for players? and what about all the fans? from the super bowl to the tokyo olympics and more. what you can expect. but first, these messages. the surfaces in your home in 24 hours. try microban 24. spray on hard surfaces to kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria initially, including the virus that causes covid-19. once dry, microban forms a bacteria shield that keeps killing bacteria for 24 hours, even after multiple touches. try microban 24. this has been medifacts for microban 24. this is my body of proof. proof of less joint pain and clearer skin. proof that i can fight psoriatic arthritis... ...with humira.

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day of the year gazing further into our crystal ball for a look at what you can expect this year >> and right now, we want to focus on the sports world. of course, the pandemic is still having an impact on all the major sports pro leagues but finger crossed, we have a lot to look forward to in 2021 >> nbc's morgan chesky is taking a look at all the big events to mark on this calendar. hey, morgan. good morning happy new year >> happy new year to you, and fingers crossed it's a happy new year for sports. come on. we saw bubbles go up so we could play basketball. the olympics actually be

postponed, and then in football, they had folks trying to figure out how to defend against covid-19 all of those strategies likely carrying over into the new year to keep 2021 on track. in 2020, the super bowl in miami gave the kansas city chiefs a championship and all of us one of the last normal sports moments before covid-19 changed our worlds forever the league forced to evolve with new rules. testing players and staff and rearranging schedules. this year, the super bowl is in tampa bay. but with the pandemic, the big game will look different >> a lot of the festivities, a lot of the celebrities, a lot of the nfl players, the corporations who make up the super bowl atmosphere, just aren't going to be there >> the nfl announcing that the fans will be mainly vaccinated first responders >> we still don't know how many fans will be there, but as we have seen during the football season, the games have been going on when you watch on tv, you can get immersed in just the game

and for a brief time, forget the stadium is not full, and for a brief time, forget what's going on around us >> the virus hitting the hardwood, too. >> the game tonight has been postponed. >> basketball canceled right when the pandemic began, then getting creative the nba and wnba rolling out a new kind of system to keep its season intact. >> we're going to get tested every single day >> playoffs inside a bubble, and when it was over, lebron and the lakers brought a title back to l.a. but the ball is still up in the air for 2021 >> while march madness might play out, and i'm not 100% confident it will get to that point, if it does, it will look very, very different we'll not be spread around the country. it will be happening in a lot smaller venues around indianapolis than we're used to seeing with crazy games all over the country. >> on the world stage, tokyo summer olympics postponed until this upcoming july >> if anything can come off successfully in sports, i think

it's the olympic games because you already have the parameters for a bubble in the olympic village. >> and in good spirits bringing the world together >> the olympic opening ceremony could be one of the great celebrations the world has seen because it will probably be the first time that folks from all over the globe gather in one place to celebrate and that's something i think all of us in every corner of the world are looking forward to for 2021 >> and i don't know about you, savannah, but july 23rd already circled on the calendar. that's when the opening ceremonies kick off in tokyo in the meantime, super bowl barely one month away from now, fingers crossed everything goes as smoothly as possible. >> all right, morgan, thank you. i can't wait for the olympics. >> here we go. let's get our 2021 weather right and we'll be watching for

increasing clouds leading up to our first chance of rain here in the new year. highs upper 50s to low 60s. and, yes, the rain chances will be on the increase once we pass sun down tonight. we will see the rain bands out of the north bay moving south mainly an overnight event into early saturday. at times a few showers near the coastal mountains this weekend and our next round of rain and we think more substantial rolling in on monday. coming up coming up next, one of the few things we are happy to carry over from 2020, oh, and there he is right there, steve kornacki and the magic board. >> and the khakis. kornacki's khakis. you're going to help us break down the most popular resolutions people are making this morning he's got a chart for that. but first, these messages. ♪ but come ye back when su-- mom, dad. why's jamie here? it's sunday. sunday sing along. and he helped us get a home and auto bundle. he's been our insurance guy for five years now. he makes us feel like we're worth protecting.

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it's the start of the new year, and that means people are busy making their new year's resolutions because we all want to get started off on the right foot >> we thought it would be a great idea to explore what people resolved to do in 2020 and what the forecast looks like for this year. >> for that job, there's really only one guy who can break down the stats, nbc's very own steve kornacki we doubt he resolved to become a total rock star in 2020, but sorry, steve, that's what happened after his coverage of the election >> big battleground here >> do you know how much the internet loves you >> this was news to me that there were things like this happening. >> you're twitter's boyfriend? >> i'm not even sure what that means, but okay. >> steve kornacki, the legend. the chart throb himself. work with you. we know this must be so embarrassing for you, but you're like the >> as one twitter user put it,

if he is not renamed the kornacki khaki, they're missing it. >> agreed. >> steve, we know you because we work with you. we know this must be so embarrassing for you, but you're like the only person who had a good 2020. >> well, it was not something i expected it's been a little wild, and yeah, i'm still trying to make sense of a lot of those internet things i don't fully understand it. >> we left out the most important one. "people" magazine's sexiest -- one of the sexiest guys. i don't know how we left that one out, but congrats to you it's your year >> i think that's where the vote fraud was in 2020. >> strong, steve >> you really were amazing during the election, and i know you were on the air for all the hours that are in the day. so for several days. so thank you so much now, we have a very serious job for you, because people like to make their new year's resolutions. you have the chart of what people resolved in 2020 and how that might compare to this year. >> yeah, if you take a look here, let's call it up here. these were the resolutions you can sort of decipher this, the bicycle. it was exercise. exercise more was the biggest resolution the other one there, the dollar signs, you can see that was save money.

so really save money ande might exercise more. also, this is one i think in 2021 we might see a lot more, travel travel was number three in 2020. i imagine after everybody kind of being cooped up at home for months, really the entire year, maybe that would explode a bit in 2021. also, finding love was the top choice in one state, that's vermont. >> wow >> nowhere else but in vermont finding friendship in alaska >> that's interesting. >> alaska, it's platonic in alaska and romantic in vermont something like that. that was sort of the range there. >> okay, so those are the things we wished for in 2020. what are people hoping or wishing for this year in 2021? >> yeah, again, it's like self improvement, self help that tends to be number one here you know, it is travel moving up a little bit, and the other thing is to do this by generation i thought this was interesting who is making the resolutions in 2021 the youngest

91%, nearly 92% of folks in generation z are making new year's resolutions watch how this moves as you go through the age categories, with millennials, still very high with genx, its high, baby boomers, down to 60% with the silent generation, the oldest group in here, under 50%. so generationally, i think maybe it's a lot more -- it may be that we get here, they know how these things go. >> exactly the older you get -- >> the less you care we have given up what the heck. >> i never keep my resolutions why bother >> i may be dead tomorrow. i'm just hanging on. >> that was fun. steve, thank you so much bravo. we love you. happy new year >> you, too. >> all right, we love him. don't you? still ahead on this new year's morning, how some of our favorite traditions had to change because of the coronavirus. and all the ways we managed to still have some fun in 2020.

>> there was a lot to smile about. plus, it's become one of our favorite parts of the show, hoda shares her morning boost every morning. what if we whittled our entire year down to our absolute favorites? we have. we call it the boosties and we're going to share it with you after your local news. a majority of adults who took ozempic® reached an a1c under 7 and maintained it. here's your a1c. oh! my a1c is under 7! (announcer) and you may lose weight. adults who took ozempic® lost on average up to 12 pounds. i lost almost 12 pounds! oh! (announcer) for those also with known heart disease, ozempic® lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death. it lowers the risk. oh! and i only have to take it once a week. oh! ♪ oh, oh, oh, ozempic®! ♪ (announcer) ozempic® is not for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. do not share needles or pens. don't reuse needles.

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a very good morning to you. it is 7:56. i'm laura garcia. here is a look at what's happening now. >> reporter: i'm bob redell at the bay bridge toll plaza. tarting today an all-new electronic toll collection goes into effect. if you are a fastrak or license plate holder you will not notice any changes. you will still receive your bill. however, if you're not enrolled in those programs, you will now receive a monthly bill instead of individual notices for each time you cross the bridge. you'll notice that we haven't had toll collectors in the toll booths since the start of the pandemic in march. again, today just makes the switch to electronics official. rob mayeda is in for kari this morning. he has a look at our new year's day forecast. and a new year's day forecast will be changing as we head to the afternoon.

we'll watch for increasing clouds during the day and eventually rain making a comeback towards the north "today in the bay" just after sundown tonight. highs between now and then upper 50s. 61 degrees in san jose. upper 50s around the inland east bay and tri-valley. and our hour-by-hour outlook you can see by 9:00 the rain spreading out of the north bay passing overnight across the rest of the bay area into saturday morning. so as we head into the weekend forecast we will see a chance of a few showers at times near the coastal hills with our next storm rolling in as you approach monday and another to follow by wednesday. laura? all right, thanks so much. and thank you for joining us as well. another local news update in half an hour. happy new year.

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, fresh start. it's 8:00 on "today."° coming up, fresh start the country welcomes a new year after a night of celebrations like never before. this morning, we'll toast 2021 with a look at the moments that made us laugh, smile, and cry from the touching to the triumphant, and hoda reveals her choices for our annual boosty awards, today, friday, january 1st, 2021.

♪ so raise your glass >> happy new year. >> from tennessee, cheers to the new year >> from california, from our family to yours. >> happy new year. >> a new year has begun. it's 2021! >> i love that. they're going all out. welcome back to "today." the first "today" of the new year it's friday morning. you know, opening day. 2021 it sounds so good, doesn't it? >> it feels great. we have a lot in store this hour we have been talking about the boosties, the best of the morning boosts, one of our fun parts of the show. we can't wait to share those with you coming up. >> let's get right to a check of your news at 8:00. weekend "today" coanchor peter alexander has the headlines. happy new year >> happy new year, the shoulder to shoulder crowds that normally pack time said squares on new years eve replaced overnight by

mostly empty streets few hured invited guests including first responders, gathered to watch the ball drop, putting an end to 2020 public health officials encouraging everybody else to watch the celebrations on tv >> from the u.s. to australia, celebrations were largely muted due to the pandemic. nbc's molly hunter is in london this morning molly, good morning. >> hey, peter. happy new year look, for most of the world, new year's eve celebrations looked very similar to what i'm sure you enjoyed in d.c. and what i had in london. that is to say, pretty quiet, but not everywhere take a look. if you live in new zealand, last night was unbelievably normal. the country stamped out covid and gathered by the thousands. in wuhan, china, they partied on the streets were packed. the city hasn't reported a local covid case since may

but in sydney, australia, the fireworks over the famed harbor still lighting up the sky, but no crowds. in tokyo, celebrations canceled but a bell rang in the new year. and across the world, leader after leader rallied their citizens vladimir putin says together we will overcome it angela merkel says we'll get through this together. >> this was also the year when we rediscovered the spirit of togetherness >> celebrations across europe were muted in germany, buying fireworks outlawed in france, 100,000 police out to enforce the strict curfew, and here in the uk, as the new covi majority of the variant runs rampant, the death toll pushed to the highest since april, the majority of the country under a tier four lockdown, there were no fireworks above the river

thames. in vatican city, the 84-year-old pope bowing out of his new year's day mass, instead offering a message to the faithful as the rest of the world slept, already in 2021, a smaller new york crowd still able to celebrate the crystal ball drop. ushering in the kind of hope we all need this morning. and you heard there in the piece, world leaders urging people to come together. and the message is really the same to all of us, from moscow to paris to d.c. to l.a., stay at home and certainly we're all living weirdly parallel lives right now. all of us hoping for a brighter 2021 peter. >> yeah, that's for sure molly, thank you so much also today, wisconsin pharmacist has been arrested for allegedly ruining hundreds of doses of coronavirus vaccine. officials say he intentionally removed more than 500 doses of the vaccine from refrigerated storage, knowing it would make the vaccines ineffective 57 people were administered the drug before officials found out what happened. now, a look at your forecast a big storm will bring a wintry

>> right now, enjoying a little hazy sunshine but increasing clouds heading toward the afternoon and eventually some rain in the north bay after about sun down tonight. highs upper 50s to low 60s underneath the increasing clouds. after sun down tonight, rain spilling out of the north bay into most of the bay area overnight into early saturday. we'll start off the weekend with a few showers which we'll see near some of the coastal mountains at times this weekend. and the next storm arriving monday. >> that's a look at the n >> that's a look at the news and your forecast. after an exhausting and heartbreaking 2020, here is to a much better, a hopeful year ahead in the new year. back to you guys have a very, very good new year. >> coming up next, as we celebrate 2021's arrival, we'll take a special look back at those pockets of light and of

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tell your doctor about your medicines and if you're pregnant or planning to be. otezla. show more of you. we are back. craig and carson are with us for the first we are back. craig and carson are with us for the first time on this holiday morning. they're working from home. happy new year, guys >> happy new year, guys. >> happy new year, everybody good to see you all. >> indeed. >> you know, like everyone else, we have had to make adjustments because of the pandemic here on "today." in fact, carson and i demonstrating that right now working from home, right, buddy? >> that's right. working from home. it's something we have all done this year, and it hasn't always been perfect, but like you, we managed, and we did it sharing laughs, smiles, and certainly hope for better days >> i really love a new beginning. doesn't it feel like it's all full of possibility? 2020, let's go >> going to be great ♪ we are together together in

this ♪ ♪ together we're strong ♪ my brother my sister don't give up on hope ♪ ♪ it's going to get better when we are together ♪ >> this is the new normal. we're getting used to keeping ourselves -- this is your dance space, this is my dance space. >> this show has been around a long time, but never has this happened before. we have hoda in our studio, al and i are working at home. we'll say, hoda, this was the shortest commute in the history of the world >> good morning. i see you. >> my husband is helping me get this signal up, and has duct taped the door so that the kids don't run in >> that's really the headline from this today. >> it's another day of working from home for many americans including two i'm very familiar

with, al roker and craig melvin. i have to say, it's a little lonely around here >> you know where he's going, hoda >> no idea >> he's going to his neck of the woods. >> this is kid generated imagery. >> carson breaking news. there seems to have been a shake-up in the graphics department what's going on? >> the graphics department is starting a training program now. >> who's on graphics now >> hannah is up now and jackson is moving up to management, may i say. >> we're live from studio 1a good morning, everybody. >> roker is back in the house. >> wait, carson just walked in >> just walked in the studio >> joining us from utah. >> yeah, really. >> cousin carson, come on down >> he's right there. >> stadium seating >> there you go. >> i was looking all over for you, i couldn't find you >> can we come in? >> come on in.

>> good. >> i have to point something out. savaah got here one minute ago, and her dress is on backwards. boom shock ka laka. >> see, it's catching on, al it looks good. >> you should see my pants let's not. >> in the hole that we predrilled >> it was in the hole, martha. >> no, you weren't >> i'm happy, it's upside down >> right before we came on, my mic, which is right here, dropped down by shirt. and then i knew i was supposed to read the intro, so i made a decision to reach out and get it >> oh, we can't hear you, al >> i'm my own tech, and i sat on my wireless mic and changed the channel. >> next up, our pop start, we go to john krasinski. what happened there? graphics department telling me he didn't change the ink

cartridge on the printer >> yes, we did spell phoenix wrong. but as we have been saying, it's part of the christmas spirit >> every time we do a typo, make up a song. >> that's the worst part of quarantine >> for me, the best is spending time with family, having an incredibly concentrated amount of time with them during a period in their lives that i'll never get back if i had to pick the worst thing, it's the incredibly concentrated amount of time with my kids and the time i'll never get back ♪ so far from a garden >> one of those a days you'll turn me loose and i'll be talking about a high pressure system coming in >> and then i'll go to the left

and then i'll dance a bit. ♪ actions speak louder than lov songs ♪ ♪ speak louder than love songs >> we're living our best life. >> movie tough guy mark wahlberg has a dog this big that runs his life >> he thinks he's a pitbull, for sure >> you know al what do you think? >> that's called a long day at work >> stay right there. >> i'm wearing shorts. >> nice legs >> so sorry. >> you have kids >> i'm on a show no respect i'm so sorry >> let's go. let's make some noise. >> hoda's right in there >> i'm ready, jimmy. >> it was a great way to start off the day.

it was flattering. ♪ ♪ ♪ a wine and sugar high ♪ ♪ a wine and sugar high ♪ to the beer and the whiskey ♪ they always get me ♪ they always get me ♪ and i got all my friends here with me ♪ ♪ they always get me have a

♪ they get me yeah ♪ have a little faith in me >> you girls can sing that with me ♪ have a little faith in me hav a little faith in me ♪ ♪ have a little faith in me >> it's our delay. we don't sound too good, do we >> we thought we sounded great >> our hearts were in the right place. our mouths were just wrong ♪ baby shark doo doo doo ♪ ♪ mommy shark doo doo doo ♪ baby shark doo doo doo ♪ mommy shark doo doo doo >> thanks, uncle al. >> i'll say it again ♪ find my answer on the road >> not too bad ♪ i'm going to ride till i can' no more ♪ >> hoda, looking at our wardrobe choices today reminds me of a joke my kindergartner really

thinks is funny. i would catch up to you if i could only mustard the energy. >> that is some awesome hair >> it shows. the hairstylist is back. >> carson, promise a photo of the final haircut. without further ado, he's bald and he's beautiful broad way. >> studio 1a theater proudly presents "today's" best of broadway. ♪ ♪ you'll be back time will tell ♪ ♪ you'll remember that i served you well ♪ my memory

♪ all day long with my memory ♪ ♪ you and i defying gravity ♪ and nobody in all of us no wizard that there is or was ♪ ♪ is ever going to bring me down ♪ ♪ i hope you're happy >> what's the verdict? come on, who wins? >> i think he takes it with the avocado. >> yes yes! >> you're saying there's a chance >> i wanted it so bad, and i got it >> sausage is a little crispier than some might like >> things look a little charred. >> that looks totally burnt. >> that's partially burned everybody on the campground's a critic

>> we have what we call in new england ice tea. and this smells like college over here. i'm just going to say. we're going to add tequila, gin, vodka. >> what? >> i can't even remember what the last one is. >> i was going to ask you for croutons but - >> and just a little dripping cat hair >> strain the water first. oops did you see that >> yes >> my favorite time was coming on the show for my first book. magical. just magical >> it's big. it's bad it's on nbc. >> wow >> hope you don't go home and talk like that >> i don't deborah would kill me. >> al roker, we did the air hug. we're air kissing. >> right here in front of macy's >> for the 94th macy's

thanksgiving parade. >> it says welcome to 30 rock, universal orlando. >> these are heroes. putting their lives on the line to keep us safe. >> every teacher in the high school is going to get a free dell laptop computer free internet access by our parent company comcast >> the great american sandwich relay. the guinness world record for the most people in an online sandwich making relay. i'm proud to say we also raised over $15,000 >> we're officially kicking off our "today's" season of giving food drive >> they will give out about

70,000 pounds of food today. >> thanks to you, more than $2 million was raised >> what? >> yes, $2 million, according to feed america, will make about 20 million meals. >> we missed all those moments on the plaza, so this morning we have our very first "today" virtual plaza. check out these smiling faces. >> you guys are the cutest i love it. ♪ i know that there will be better days ♪ ♪ better days ♪ better days ♪ i know that there will be better days ♪ ♪ better days ♪ may we never ever never live today ♪ ♪ i know there will be better days ♪ ♪ may we ever shed another tear to today ♪ ♪ because oh i know there will be better days ♪

>> that was beautiful. >> wow >> yay >> erica, thank you. that's erica levens in action. boy, what do you think >> it proves you don't have to physically be together to be close. >> but i can't wait. it looked like we were sitting on each other's laps in the old days >> i did not realize we sat that close. >> i want to get right back there, all awkwardly close again. it was awesome >> oh, man that was pretty cool pretty cool. so many moments of joy that led that year. carson, what were you going to say, babe? >> really remarkable, if you think about what we were able to do in 2020, just from a production standpoint, not just us but the people behind the scenes at the show, there way we pivoted and still covered stories that mattered. when you see it back, it's amazing. savannah, that mustard ketchup joke in that moment was my moment of the year >> i was so humiliated when i heard it again >> it's a good kid joke. >> charlie used to have a

t-shirt. >> as we move on, one of our favorite moments on this show was the gospel singer turned viral sensation. y'all remember her katie french >> you remember her viral video. this is back in august her quarantine song, the fridge again, took over social media, racking up over 12 million views because we can all relate. ♪ i'm at the fridge again ♪ she's at the fridge again ♪ time for my snack ♪ but it's only been two minute since the last ♪ >> amazing so then we were lucky enough because katie stopped by again in november with a thanksgiving song and then of course, we figured that she would be the perfect person to start 2021 off on the right foot so we asked her for one more song so without further ado, here is katie french with "happy new year to you. ♪ moving forward no turning back ♪ ♪ no it's a new day ♪ looks like i'm on the right

track ♪ ♪ move over all doubt and fear because 2021 is finally here ♪ ♪ come on let's celebrate ♪ piblg up your bag no time to wait ♪ ♪ get up it is time to move ♪ happy new year to you ♪ hey i packed my joy my peace my hopes and belief no time for worry or stress i'm going to give it my best yes ♪ ♪ come on let's celebrate ♪ pick up your bags no time to waste ♪ ♪ get up, it is time to move ♪ happy new year to you >> let's go. katie.

>> wow >> they're going to turn that into a song. >> yes where is ryan teter. >> she could be a contestant on the voice's choir. >> coming up on new year's morning, when they're all so good, how do you pick just a handful from the tear jerkers to the most uplifting and inspiring moments? it's the best of hoda's morning boosts in 2020 but first, your local news

good morning. i'm scott mcgrew. an investigation is under way into who or what sparked a small fire outside the san jose museum of art overnight. san jose fire crews putting out several fires throughout the city. they could be warming fires or arson. plus, big changes to your morning and evening commute. bay area bridges are rolling out new electronic tolling today. no more human toll collectors. for more information on the new changes, you can go to nbcbayarea.com. let's get a quick check of your weather this morning. >> we're seeing a sunny start. hazy skies followed up by a cloudy finish heading towards

the afternoon and eventually some rain showing up in the north bay after sundown tonight. san jose, 40 degrees. temperatures approaching the 60-degree mark by early afternoon. 59 in san francisco. upper 50s around the east bay and tri-valley for today. after sundown tonight, you can see the rain bands pushing out of the north bay around 9:00 and through most of the bay area. by early tomorrow morning, for the weekend, a few showers possible near coastal hilltops but a more significant storm with more rain due in by monday as another one following up towards the middle part of the week. >> thank you. we'll have another local news update in half an hour and all the news of the day at nbcbayarea.com.

8:30 now on this friday morning, january 1st, 2021 and we want to be the first to wish you and yours a very happy new year we were able to tape this earlier, so like many of you, we could sleep in and we could start the year with

our families as well, hoda kotb. >> we're snoring right now >> coming up, guys, the boosties lots of cute kids, baby animals made appearances in last year's morning boost. this morning, we rounded up some of our very favorites that never fail to make us smile, laugh, and maybe shed a few happy tears. >> i don't know how you chose the top ones >> also, we want to take care of your support while supporting small businesses jill martin has the answer she's going to join us with great ideas, new shops to know about in the new year. >> first, >> right now seeing a sunny start as you see just over my shoulder from the work from home weather center here in danville. cloudy skies and rain showing up in the north bay. highs upper 50s and low 60s. in terms of the rain, that should hold off until after sundown tonight. the rest of the bay area through early saturday morning, may see a few showers near coastal hilltops.

next round of more significant rain on monday. coming up next, sweet reunions between families, between people and pets and the other heartwarming moments we loved the most from hoda's morning boost. first, this is "today" on nbc. a drink with friends can turn into a few. stop! it's easy to lose track. and getting a dui is easier than you think. plan ahead, call a cab. share a ride. if you choose to drink, choose a sober way to go. go safely, california.

a drink with friends can turn into a few. stop! it's easy to lose track. and getting a dui is easier than you think. plan ahead, call a cab. share a ride. if you choose to drink, choose a sober way to go. go safely, california. year's day, and we have been waiting all morning long for this it's time for our second annual boostie awards >> during a year filled with so much uncertainty, there was always one part of the show we could rely on to make us smile or cry, laugh, sometimes all at the same time. hoda's morning boost >> okay, guys, can i just tell you, looking back through hundreds of videos, we didn't know how to narrow the list down, so this year instead of putting them into categories we're just going to reveal our

overall favorite the first boostie award goes to the grandpa who pulled at our heart strings. craig, i know you remember this one. randy long from alabama brought out an old bucket of baseballs to the batting cage with a note attached it read in part, i pitched them to my son and grandson for countless rounds my son is now 46 my grandson, 23. i'm 72, and what i won't give to pitch a couple buckets with them well, this boost was even more special because we had a chance to talk to randy and his grandson, ethan, and we saw the two of them back in the batting cage together. so y'all remember that one >> oh, yeah. >> that was sweet. >> and the son and grandson were saying after this became viral, we never knew what it meant to grandpa. and so then they got together. so it's really, really sweet >> that was beautiful. all right, next up, there's nothing better than a special surprise caught on camera, and one man did just that when he asked his brother henry to help him with some digging out back,

and that's when henry found a bottle and in the bottle, there was a message. >> will you please say yes to be my best man? love will. what >> you want to be my best man? >> that was a fan favorite that moment. >> perfect >> right moment of realization. so beautiful shall we keep the sweet hugs coming, kiddos our next set of awards are for the reunions that made us smile. 2020 was about reuniting with people we love we saw the creative ways people went above and beyond. we're honoring three first up, watch what happens when a young boy looks at the sidelines during soccer practice and notices something.

>> okay. >> couldn't have run any faster. >> when you hadn't seen your dad in so long because he's been serving, that's what you do. next up, a surprise mom got the best birthday gift of all, when her grown-up kids returned home to celebrate, but remember, they came in one at a time? take a look. >> surprise! >> oh, get out of here get out of here. >> happy birthday, mom >> is alex coming? >> oh, my gosh no way oh, my gosh.

the best birthday ever >> best birthday ever. how about alex all right. i think we watched this next one on repeat. our friend and colleague janis mackey frayer, was away from her family members 49 days covering the pandemic in china after a 14-day quarantine, it was finally time for a sprint to the finish line. she and her son. take a look. >> gets me every time. >> every time, because she gave up so much to cover the pandemic it was so early. what a scary time. she's in china, away from her little boy for almost two months it gets me every time. >> i think all of us were picturing our kid in that moment, how we would feel. that was beautiful >> speaking of reunions, even animals, they got in on the action

how about the baby goat? the baby goat who reunites with his mom after the baby fell into a pit. cared for by a family. like, are you my mother? take a look. >> watch it one more time. >> please. just one more time >> look at it. >> so sweet. all right. >> scampering. it's so good >> come on okay, and how about a little laugh, shall we? this is our last boostie award it goes to a woman who was just trying to do the right thing there was a squirrel who fell into the kiddy pool. let me get this chair and nudge it out it will be easy. it almost worked >> i'm saving you. let me save you!

thank you. >> that's so good. >> when you're reasoning with a squirrel, you're going to have problems let's watch one more time. >> hey, rocky. watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat. >> by the way, it took two tries but she ended up getting the squirrel out of there. a little thing to lift your spirits a little >> that's nuts. >> we could have done this whole show on this because there are so many good ones. hoda, thank you. >> ready for next year >> yes >> we'll get you started >> yes >> can't wait. >> when we come back here, two birds, one stone if you're looking to jump start your wellness routine as we start the new year, jill martin has some ways to do that and to support small businesses at the same time but first, this is "today" on nbc.

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shining a spotlight on small business, working hard to stay afloat >> yeah, it's been a tough year for them today, lifestyle contributor jill martin joins us with encouragement to shop small and pick up products to refresh and renew your wellness routine in 2021 in the process. good morning >> good morning, everyone. happy new year today, i have four great small businesses to watch in 2021. all focused on health and wellness first up, a brand called jupiter. now jupiter was founded by two men and industry newbies the two left their careers in finance and entertainment to create modern solutions for scalp friendly hair care recently featured on the allure editors' favorite product list and named one of vogue's best dandruff shampoos. jupiter offers a better and cleaner way to care for your hair.

a lot of people battle dry skin and scalp in the winr months, and this dermatologist tested hair care line helped treat kand rough and soothe your scalp. their shampoos, conditions, and hair masks are vegan, sulfate, and cruelty free and are safe for all hair types prices begin at $23. next up, a brand called sibling. founded by a brother and sister duo, eva and david hence the name siblings. the brand offers sustainable candle making kits for adults to relax and unwind this is super cool the goal of siblings is to create affordable high quality products that reduce waste and last longer. siblings diy candle kits let you reuse vessels that you might have at home, and then make another when they burn out. their candle wax is a natural brend of coconut, soy, and bees wax that is clean and long burning and the scent is great this is a fun activity you can do with the whole family and create your own comfy, cozy environment to kick off 2021 all right, prices begin at $22

next up, zach and zoey sweet bee farms. it's a family business run by summer johnson and her husband cam at their new jersey farm named after their children, the brand's signature raw honey is both healthy and delicious now, the couple was inspired to get into beekeeping after using raw honey to successfully treat zach's asthma and seasonal allergies. zach and zoe comes from the hives to the jar the johnsons' bottles are honeyed by hand. they contain vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids great for your health. comes in great flavors, too. prices begin at $20. love that story. last but definitely not least, this is one of my favorite new brands a way to make her feel a little better a brand called welly the new year often brings a new fitness routine, and bumps and bruises are bound to happen. meet welly, a new way to do

first aid, founded by eric ryan and doug stupenberg. it makes first aid purposeful and playful. the fabric bandages and ointments are packaged in fun tins with whimsical patterns they're so compact, perfect to stash in your purse, diaper bag. the prices begin at $7.99 and will make your kids feel just a little better. that wraps up our small business spotlight. i'm so grateful to be able to shine a light on these incredible companies trying to pivot and make it work good-bye, 2020, and happy new year, everyone here's to a better 2021. i'll send it back to you in the studio >> to shop these great health and wellness products and check out other small businesses, head to today.com/shop. >> we're back on this new year's day morning, but first, this is "today" on nbc

this fine morning with a toast and here's hoping that this one works out better than the one we did last year. remember that one? >> that one didn't hold up so well our first toast is to all of you at home. we wish you the best health and happiness with your loved ones in 2021. but we have a couple moments let's go around the table. al, what are you thinking about as we start a new year >> i'm thinking about the love and support of family and friends that we realize those are the people who hold us up and you want to be quarantined together and spend the time together, because i think we have taken for granted the people around us and this has taught us the people that are most important >> absolutely. i think i'm next in the boxes. i just want to say, you know, it was hard to be apart, physically apart in 2020, and there were long stretches where all of us

on this show were not in the same place, but we now know what real togetherness is, and it's not about the physical space it's how you feel about each other. i love everybody and i'm looking forward to the next year of being together physically, but i think our bond is stronger than ever. and i'm grateful for everybody >> oh, hear hear savannah guthrie i always wish i said what she said that's how we always do. >> me, too >> i do hope you guys in 2021, for those of you and those of us who haven't been able to see loved ones or people we care about that 2021 is filled with members, old friends, all the people you wish you could hug. so that's what i'm hoping for in 2021 craig. >> same here, my friend. a return to hugs you know, there was so much lost in 2020, loss of life, loss of livelihoods. but i think in the midst of all of that, to mr. roker's point to a certain extent, when we return to normal, and we will return to

normal, we'll appreciate all of it so much more. so here's to 2021, and good riddance, 2020 >> bye >> yeah. >> that's for sure well, i guess i'm last, so i'll pick it up i hope in 2021 the las vegas raiders can finally get a defense. i feel like they're really close to getting there, to the super bowl but they fired paul guenther -- oh, we're being serious. i'm sorry. i have to say thinking back to 2020, i think about the bravery of my wife siri in march we were so afraid of the pandemic as it was just happening, she was pregnant with our baby goldie, and our baby, who she delivered. i couldn't even go in with her

she stayed overnight her bravery reflected also in all of the first responders and medical workers. so many of us were scared to make a trip to the local market, and people were going out there every single day it's that bravery, i just commend that in 2020 and i'm sure it will continue in 2021. >> let's say we raise a glass to our incredible staff who makes the show possible all year long. we love you. we want to wish everyone a happy new year >> this whole time period is really a testament to bonds that are greater than typical closeness. they're real closeness, emotional closeness, and our friendships have carried that and have kind of lifted us up. i mean, we're far away i feel as close to you as ever, if not more. >> closer. >> especially because these are trying times ♪ there's no way to pay you back ♪

♪ let your heart know i love yo for that ♪ ♪ honest and selfless prod ♪ i don't know if this helps, but it is a good job good job ♪ ♪ doing a good job don't get to down the world needs you now and know that you matter ♪ >> folks at home are working really hard at "today. it's the people putting the show together, the producers, the writers, everybody working from home people stepping up i want you to look at every single face. they worked each day, and we really want to say thank you ♪ doing a good job a good job ♪ you're doing a good job don't get too down ♪ ♪ the world needs you now know ♪ as soon as you walk through that you matter matter matter ♪ ♪ ♪ six in the morning as soon as you walk through the door ♪ ♪ i need you again ♪ the world is out of order ♪ it is not as sound when you'r not around ♪ ♪ all day on your feet hard

♪ to keep that energy i know when it feel like the end of the road you don't let go ♪ ♪ you just press forward ♪ you are the engine that makes all things go ♪ ♪ always in disguise my hero ♪ i see a light in the dark ♪ smile on my face that we know it is hard ♪ ♪ and there is no way to ever pay you back ♪ ♪ bless your heart and know i love you for that ♪ ♪ honest and selfless ♪ i don't know if this helps it but good job ♪ ♪ you're doliing a good job ♪ ♪ a good job and good job and don't get too down because the world needs you now and know that you matter matter matter ♪

♪ yay it's a good job ♪ doing a good job good job ♪ you're doing a good job ♪ don't get too down the world needs you know ♪ ♪ know that you matter matter matter yay yay ♪ ♪ and the mothers and the fathers and the teach aers and the preachers and the friends and those that show up from the bottom the top and those listeners who hear us, and this is for you ♪ ♪ you make me feel ♪ doing a good job doing a good job ♪ ♪ don't get too down ♪ girl needs yo now ♪ know that you matter matter matter ♪ ♪ yay yay

good morning, everyone. 8:56. i'm scott mccrew groou. an investigation is under way into who or what sparked a small fire outside the san jose museum of art overnight. fire crews put out several fires throughout the city. they could be warming fires or maybe set on purpose. to get the latest updates in that investigation, check out

our twitter. it was a quiet night in san francisco where the famed fireworks show along the embarcadero was canceled. vendors at union square saw far fewer customers than they're used to. indoor and outdoor dining off the table. some restaurant workers served up a meal in protest outside san francisco city hall. chilly start to 2021. live look at san jose. a rain storm is on its way to the bay area. expect to get hit later this evening. happening now, changes to your commute this year. starting today, bay area bridges will switch over to all electronic tolling instead of a human toll collector. the tells were temporarily suspended in march because of the pandemic. we have lots going on, including a lot of look at weather. that's all available at nbcbayarea.com and more weather coming up in an hour.

rockefeller plaza, this is the third hour of "today." >> well, good morning, and happy new year, everybody. >> happy new year. >> january 1st, 2020 officially behind us. it's 2021. i'm al along with dylan, sheinelle, craig working from home so he's been blatto all morning. it's fantastic >> cheers, guys. we made it to 2021 >> 2021. >> and everything just flips now, right >> all good. >> we're going to collectively will it to be better >> we'll try to talk softly