it's holiday light. >> join us again at 11:00. the "today" show is up next. take a look at this. the drawi ♪♪ good morning. one of the busiest travel days of a year. >> that once-in-a-generation storm is having a major impact from coast to coast. it's december 23rd. this is "today." holiday havoc. that monster winter storm on the move and leaving travelers stranded. >> there is literally people sleeping all, i mean, in our terminal, all over the place. >> thousands of flights canceled and delayed. a dangerous mix of snow, ice and high winds knocking out power to hundreds of thousands. brutally cold temperatures adding to the problems as more states of emergency are declared.

we have got complete coverage with 170 million americans now in the path. breaking overnight, the january 6th committee releases its final report after an 18-month-long investigation. more than 800 pages placing blame for the insurrection on one man. donald trump. we'll break it down, including a recommendation to bar trump from running in 2024. we're live with the very latest from washington. defiance. north korea firing a new round of missiles overnight, ratcheti up the tension in the region and with the u.s. triple threat. holiday gatherings sparking new concerns amid a nationwide surge of covid, flu and rsv cases and key medicines too hard to find. how can you stay safe as you celebrate with family and friends? we'll ask the white house covid response coordinator when he joins us live. all that, plus racing

against the clock. >> that last-minute energy, that's the way i get things done under pressure all the time. >> inside the shopping and shipping rush with christmas just two days away. this morning where to find the deals and what you can do if you are worried about the storm delaying your packages. and on a roll. jacksonville's defense coming up big against the jets. >> under pressure, he is going to get sacked. >> leading the jaguars to their third straight win and into the playoff hunt ahead of a key weekend of nfl action. today friday, december 23rd, 2022. ♪♪ >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. and good morning to you. welcome to "today" on this friday morning as we roll into christmas weekend. its christmas eve eve. >> we are getting there. >> savannah and hoda getting an early start on their

celebrations. happy to have you. of course, this top story, this monster winter storm impacting nearly every aspect of the holiday rush from coast to coast. >> as that system spreads east and tracks east it's causing a lot of problems. this morning snow falling from the great lakes to parts of the south. in fact, here's what it looks like on the roads around cincinnati, ohio, right now. >> my goodness. those flakes might look pretty but they are helping to create headaches on one of the busiest travel days of the year. thousands of flights are already canceled today with airports in new york, chicago, and seattle reporting some of the largest disruptions. >> another concern, a major temperature drop is also underway. in fact, a live look right now, kansas city, missouri, folks in kansas city, it is negative 6 degrees and it feels even colder. >> we are in the 50s here in new york right now, but consider this. by tonight it will be in the 20s before dipping even lower and a nearly 40-degree plunge in a

matter of hours. that flash freeze will make a lot of roads here slick and dangerous. >> complete coverage this morning. dylan standing by with the full forecast. we are going to start with nbc's maggie vespa. she is at chicago's o'hare international airport. how is it looking there? >> reporter: good morning. from a chaotic o'hare. stress levels peaking from what we saw this week amid the delays and cancelations. the storm has arrived and the impact on the holiday surge is staggering. thousands stacking up. look at cancelations. well over 3,000 already and a lot is because the airlines are conservative. they're canceling the flights as the storm rolls in and a mess on the roads. hundreds of crashes just two

days before christmas. this morning a massive winter storm and a dangerous deep freeze wreaking widespread havoc on holiday travel. nationwide more than 10,400 flights delayed, 2,600 canceled. derailing plans for tens of thousands to spend christmas with loved ones. >> i will have to stick it 0 here. see if i can make it to indiana. >> reporter: snow, high winds and a brutal arctic chill in the great plains and the midwest. a quarter flights canceled in denver, 540 at chicago o'hare, a major hub for united and american airlines. >> it was chaos. it was back and forth and one minute there is a flight at 8:30 or 6:45 and then a minute it's gone. >> reporter: the ripple effects leaving no region untouched. even tampa feeling the air travel pain. >> we were checking every few hours to make sure we weren't going to be delayed or canceled. >> reporter: tens of millions on

the roads struggling, too. whiteout conditions in kansas and missouri making driving dangerous and leaving some motorists stranded. state to state, hundreds of crashes reported on the roads due to severe weather conditions. powerful winds and arctic air causing flash freezes, when temperatures plummet very quickly. cheyenne, wyoming, temperatures below zero with windchills as cold as minus 50. new york, the wind making a dangerous situation worse thursday when a fire broke out on the staten island ferry. 700 passengers forced to wait in freezing winds to be rescued. governors in half a dozen states declaring states of emergency, pleading with people to play it safe and hunker down for the holidays. >> this is not going to be a typical storm. in fact, this could be a life-threatening storm.

please take it seriously. >> reporter: so with the warnings in mind, if you are still trying to drive for the holiday and you don't have to, don't. it is better to hunker down at home but allow extra time and check the warnings along the route. if you try to fly and the flight is canceled the last thing to do is show up here. airline employees are overwhelmed and cannot help you rebook and faster to rebook online or on the app. book in the morning because delays and cancelations back up throughout the day. craig? >> good tips there. maggie vespa there in chicago. thank you. >> let's head from chicago across lake michigan to benton harbor, michigan, where the snow could be measured in feet. shaquille brewster is there. look that. my goodness. >> reporter: good morning. we are feeling the effects of this massive storm here in

benton harbor, michigan. across the lake from chicago. this area under a blizzard storm warning. it's the first such warning they have experienced in nearly six years. so what does that mean? you see the snow. lake-effect snow that they can be expecting to come for the next couple of days. some areas expecting more than two feet of snow. you see the wind. the wind whipping around this snow and in some areas the worst is yet to come, in the toughest winds in the afternoon. some areas expecting up to 60 miles an hour winds. that is why you have michigan state police are telling us to stay off the road. if you have not started that holiday travel, do not start it now because if you look at the roads, it leads to the low vi visibility when you have the wind mixed with the snow already on the ground. guys, i can't let you go without talking about these temperatures look at my thermometer what does that say it says 4 degrees but no you factor in the windchill, it's about 20 degrees below

zero the one piece of good news i'll give you, i checked in with the north pole they say the reindeer are used to this weather. they are comfortable in this weather. even if it's clear, i am not back to you. >> reindeer thrive, do you not okay great work there thank you, shaq. >> please go inside. so cold there, shaq thought you were savannah. >> i know. >> so many americans trying to get home for christmas or waiting to see if loved ones arrive in time, everyone has their eye on the forecast. dylan dreyer, the most popular person right now, in for al. >> that's debatable. >> it's true because everyone cares. >> everyone cares because this is certainly an impactful storm. blizzard warnings in effect not so much because of the falling snow in minneapolis and the dakotas. it's the blowing snow on the ground getting caught up in the 40, 50-mile-per-hour wind gusts and reduces visibility we still hav winter storm warnings in effect across the great lakes and the interior northeast is under some

winter weather advisories. can we just look at temperatures st. louis is 5 degrees below zero detroit 12, pittsburgh 13, here in new york 53 so that's the cold air that's going to surge into the northeast. so the interior northeast expect a flash freeze with the rain on the ground, the puddles will freeze quickly because we will see a major temperature drop as the storm moves through. this is eventually going to transition into a lake effect snowstorm, perhaps one of the worst blizzards that we could see in buffalo since the 1980s not only will we deal with the falling snow on the order of two to three feet, also dealing with the wind gusts up to 60, 70 miles per hour so it is going to be absolutely impossible to travel, especially in the buffalo area off of lake erie, lake ontario, lake michigan where we will see two feet of snow and then again in the parts of western new york we could see two to three feet of snow winds are going to remain very, very gusty through the day today, 40 to 50, over 70-mile-per-hour wind gusts.

not only do we see the temperatures drop, windchills will be around 20 to 30 degrees below zero it will be absolutely brutal. >> we will be spending a lot of time with you this morning we'll come back to you in a bit. thank you. all right. now to breaking news overnight the january 6th committee releasing its find report to the public accusing donald trump of a multipart conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 election and lighting the fire for the attack on the u.s. capitol and it recommends barring the former president from ever holding public office again. ryan nobles is in washington breaking it down for us. ryan, good morning. >> good morning to you and this report is the result of 18 months of work by the select committee. their overall conclusion is clear, the former president donald trump is largely responsible for the events of january 6th. >> reporter: overnight the january 6th select committee releasing the final report a more than 800-page narrative

that concludes former presiden donald trump is directly responsible for the violence on that day. >> it was something that i think for most americans it was beyond imagination. >> reporter: the report providing evidence trump and members of his inner circle in an effort to cling to power and overturn his 2020 election defeat, quote, engaged in at least 200 apparent acts of public or private outrage, pressure or condemnation in the two months between the election and the attack on the nation's capitol. >> it had not been for the encouraged of donald trump would have never occurred. it would have been the normal transfer of power that we do every four years when there is a presidential election. >> reporter: the report comes just days after the nine-member committee voted to recommend the department of justice pursue criminal charges against mr. trump, including obstruction of an official proceeding, congress' certification of electoral votes, and inciting or assisting others in an insurrection earlier this week the former president called the committee's

work, quote, a partisan attempt to sideline him in his 2024 presidential bid the committee also beginning to release hundreds of pages of transcripts, including an interview with star witness former white house aide cassidy hutchinson, who claimed a lawyer with ties to the former president suggested she withhold information from the committee saying, quote, the less the committee thinks you know, the better in a statement, he said he represented hutchinson, quote, honorably, ethically and fully consistent with her sole interests as she communicated them to me the report also includes 11 recommendations to ensure nothing like the attack on the capitol ever happens again among them, urging congress to consider passing legislation to bolster its subpoena power, increase penalties against those who threaten election workers and strengthen the nation's laws against insurrection that would, in effect, bar president trump from holding office again. >> no man who would behave that way at that moment in time can

ever serve in any position of authority in our nation again. he is unfit for any office >> and it's important to point out the committee's criminal referrals to the department of justice carry no legal weight. the decision to indict the former president is now in the hands of special counsel jack smith, who is now in charge of the doj investigation. committee chairman thompson said smith will have access to all the evidence. the committee has collected. >> how is former president trump responding >> overnight he reacted on his social media overnight blaming nancy pelosi for failing to, quote, heed my recommendations for troops to be used in d.c he also continued to perpetuate the lie that the 2020 election was rigged >> all right ryan, thank you. turning to another holiday concern. large gatherings that could add to the so-called tripledemic for weeks now an alarming

combination of flu, covid, and rsv has been overwhelming hospitals and made certain medicines harder to find joining us is the white house covid response coordinator dr. jha, thanks for your time, sir. >> good morning. thank you for having me back >> rsv, flu, covid now we're talking about an uptick in strep cases, as well as folks do gather over the next few days, socially and with families, what is your message to them? what should they know? >> yeah. so the number one message is it's really important to protect our elderly, vulnerable and the single best way to do that, craig, is to make sure that they are vaccinated, that everyone's vaccinated, particularly older americans are vaccinated against covid and flu. we have two terrific vaccines this year, both updated, both of them very effective against the circulating virus out there. >> to that point, i want to get this right, 14.6% of the

population now has got that covid booster that the white house has been recommending. why haven't more folks got the booster shot and been vaccinated >> first of all, 45 million americans have gotten the covid shot that's the new bivalent booster. that's good. you know, but we need more americans to do it and i think there is still people are learning about the fact that we have moved from getting your shot once and being done to really needing that annual shot. i don't count on my flu shot from last year to protect me this year. same thing for covid can't count on the shot from last year to protect you this year and getting that message out to americans, really important to get that shot this year now. >> these critical medication shortages. i was in cvs yesterday they are rationing children's tylenol and pedialyte. i read that health and human services is tapping to the

national stockpile of tamiflu. i heard you say last week there is not a supply issue. if that's true, why are we rationing medicines and tapping into the national stockpile? are folks hoarding medicine? >> no, we have unprecedented demand if you think about it, we are seeing the highest levels of rsv. rsv is on the way down that's good news the worst flu outbreak in ten years and, obviously, covid is still here and rising across the country. that means a lot of demand fda has been in touch with the manufacturers on a daily basis the supplies are good. they are going 24/7. right now the major issue is demand my hope in the next couple of weeks we will see that demand temper and see all the shelves stock up full again. there is no problem with supply. there is a lot of demand right now. >> before i let you go, let's quickly talk about the cdc alert that came out yesterday, i believe, an uptick in invasive

strep cases. two children died in colorado. how concerned should we be about this new uptick in strep >> yeah, so this is a common childhood infection. it often happens after a respiratory viral infection like rsv, flu or covid. thankfully so rare to parents, your kid is getting better, they had a cold, a respiratory virus, if they feel worse again, get them checked out. this alert from cdc was a message to doctors be on the lookout for this treat it early. >> dr. ashish jha, i hope you enjoy the holiday weekend, sir thank you. >> thank you. all right. back to the all-important forecast on this friday before christmas. dylan? >> yeah, of course, we have to keep an eye out for the monster winter storm moving through the northeast back through the great lakes, lake-effect snow, arctic temperatures surging down into texas where temperatures will be in the teens and 20s, windchills

colder and let's not leave out the pacific northwest where rain and mountain snow is going to create travel troubles, as well. that's a look at t the weatherer acacross the c country we'll geget to your r local fort in the next 30 seconds how am i looking? looking good! ththe most cauautious driver w we got am i there? no keep going how's that? i'll s say when now? is ththat good? lots of cars have backup cameras now you know those are for r amateurs there wewe go like a glolove, girl (phone chimes) safe driving and drivewise can save you 40% with allstate click oror call for a ququote todayy good friday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. it's still looking a little smoggy out there in san francisco as we are seeing the fog trapping the pollution, and it is unhealthy to be out there especially as we go into the morning. the north bay, the coast and the bay as well as santa clara valley will have unhealthy amounts of pollutants in the

air. our temperatures today start to warm up. we're headed for the mid-60s in the south bay. as we go through the forecast really nice weekend ahead for our christmas holiday. that's your latest forecast. >> that's your latest forecast. >> weather the big story. ahead, that brutal blast of arctic air with temperatures plunging fast in a lot of places nbc's morgan chesky is in dallas for us >> reporter: yeah, craig, good morning. it is 11 degrees here in dallas. windchill of negative 5. that has a lot of people saying this right here. coming up, when and where this massive winter system that in some cases bringing windchills as low as 50 degrees below zero is expected to hit next. stick around. plus, the final dash for gifts with christmas just two short days away. and if you are still shopping where you can find last-minute bargains and what you need to know if you are waiting on packages to arrive in the storm. we will have that in a bit

first, this is "today" on nbc. ti i haveve somethingng for you. ♪ hi ♪ i haveve somethingng for you t. ♪ ♪ ♪ just annnnounced in n time for r the holidaday,

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coming up, craig is introducing you us to a holiday hero. >> a crossing guard using talents to brighten the days of the kids shehe sees everery kay. we surprprised her, , y'all. after r your localal news. ♪

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a good morning to you. it is 7:26. i'm marcus washington. here's today's top stories including a disgraced cryptocurrency exchange founder now making his way back to the bay area to his family's home. >> reporter: i'm kris sanchez where there are barricades between us and the home of sam bankman-fried's parents. he is going to await trial at their home. the co-founder of the now bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange ftx was freed on $250 million bond, the highest in u.s. history. he had to surrender his passport and is wearing an ankle device. he mismanaged $8 billion and

faces securities fraud and money laundering. two fellow ftx executives pleaded guilty to fraud charges and we're told they are cooperating with the government. he faces arraignment on january 3. >> reporter: two days before christmas and one of san francisco's biggest holiday retailers workers will walk off the job today, a two-day strike. the president says workers want better pay, staffing levels and health care benefits. the company only offered a $1 per hour to be phased in over three years and would not budge on staffing, seniority and health care. union employees plan to begin the two-day strike and will last through saturday. they're asking shoppers to also boycott all macy's stores in the bay area. we did reach out to macy's but they have not responded for comment. we have some low clouds around the bay area but visibility is not too bad until you travel to the delta and the

central valley. we're headed to mid to low 60s for today. as we go into the weekend, it looks really nice for the christmas holiday and rain next week.

♪♪ back at 7:30 on this friday morning, december 23rd with our magnificent norway spruce shining bright on this eve of christmas eve with savannah and hoda enjoying time off. we have "weekend today" co-anchor peter alexander joining us. >> happy holidays. >> those flags outside really whipping. >> that's what the next couple days are looking like for a lot of folks. >> we should point out for folks who celebrate, happy festivus. >> there you go. we have a lot to get to this half hour. a check of your 7:30 headlines.

breaking overnight, north korea firing two ballistic missiles towards the sea according to south korea's military. it is just the latest in an unprecedented number of missile tests this year. japan's coast guard also reported a suspected ballistic missile launch. the move coming days after the u.s. flew nuclear-capable bombers and advanced stealth jets near the korean peninsula. a breakthrough on capitol hill. the senate voting to pass a $1.7 trillion spending package just in time to avert a government shutdown. it includes $45 billion and funding for ukraine. reform of the electoral count act to close loopholes that led to january 6th. and it provides protections for new mothers in the workplace. the house is expected to pass the bill today. to the nfl now. the new york jets and the jacksonville jaguars trying to keep their playoff hopes alive on a wet and rainy, windy night in new jersey. this one was ugly. >> inside the one. diving, the ball comes out!

but he was over the line. he had possession as he crossed the goal line. so it is a touchdown. >> trevor lawrence calling his own number with that one-yard td. that is all the jags would need. they win this one 19-3. things not looking so good for the jets these days with just two games left in the regular season. their qb, zach wilson, getting booed by his hometown fans. the jags can still win their division. >> wilson got booed and benched in the third quarter, as well. let's turn back to that massive winter storm threatening to upend holiday plans all over the country. >> ushering this massive dome of arctic air expected to cover two-thirds of the nation, making this one of the coldest holidays in a generation. >> let's go to nbc's morgan chesky is bundled up in dallas this morning. hey, morgan. >> reporter: hey, guys, good morning. there is no doubt what the word of the day is today. brr!

for millions of americans caught in the massive arctic storm system. in dallas 12 degrees but feels like negative 3 and across the country the record lows are dipping lower. we are seeing dangerously low windchills. this morning a deep arctic freeze crippling much of the country. the swirling powerful storm causing dangerously cold temperatures from the northern plains down to the south. >> it's cold! when it's negative 20, it's another level. >> reporter: a news anchor in montana with a frigid show-and-tell. dousing clothes in water that minutes later were frozen solid. letting him turn a shirt into a frozen airplane. in chicago and kansas city, conditions felt like 30 below zero with a dangerous windchill. in bismarck, north dakota, a bone-crunching 55 below. perhaps the biggest shock, hitting the usually mild south with rare hard freeze warnings

triggered on the gulf coast. >> i don't want to lose one person due to this cold. if we don't take it seriously, we will lose loved ones. >> reporter: in dallas, subfreezing temps at dfw airport could hit 30-year lows. escalating fears cold could cripple the state's power grid like last winter, leading to at least 250 deaths. the governor reassuring residents. >> the grid is going to be able to perform with ease. >> reporter: fort worth officials now opening extra shelter space to protect anyone unhoused. what forecasters call a once-in-a-generation winter storm is bringing record snowfall, wind gusts, and power outages to much of the country. families huddle together for their holiday celebrations, officials are recommending important steps to protect your home and everyone inside from the cold. you can protect pipes from freezing by adding insulation and checking for leaks. seal window drafts and keep curtains closed to prevent heat from escaping. covering floors and doorways

will also keep your home warmer. clean out gutters to prevent any ice build-up. a few tips for this holiday weekend turned polar plunge. and if you are going to be going outside to brave the elements experts say to dress to layers. gloves and hat vital with the record lows. if the temperature drops below zero you can get frostbite in as little as ten minutes. should you lose power have the locations of those warming centers ahead of time so you know where to go. we'll send it back to you. >> good advice. thank you. >> one of the things that's striking is just how wide of a swath we're talking about, the dangerously cold temperatures. dylan is standing by with more. that's the overwhelming majority of the country. >> and stretching to the gulf coast, which is pretty unusual, for this time of year. florida, too, where we have dangerously cold temperatures expected.

so the windchill advisory, the watches, warnings, are posted in pink here but i want to show you how drastic these temperature drops are. it's striking. raleigh at 50 degrees. winds gusting up to 45. d.c. at 44 and new york at 52. watch what happens 12 hours from now. raleigh drops to 20 degrees, still windy. d.c. drops down to 10 degrees. windchills below zero. new york city we drop down to 15 degrees by 7:00. that's a 38-degree temperature drop in 12 hours and then the wind on top of that will make it colder. this is a windstorm as it moves into the northeast and eventually the snow winds down but lake-effect snow takes hold especially across western new york and michigan. good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. on this friday, we'll start out with clouds and also unhealthy air quality. it will look a little smoggy out there, but we will see our temperatures headed for the low 60s and we'll do it all over again tomorrow with slightly warmer temperatures inland. on christmas day we're headed for 67 degrees with a mostly

sunny sky but thin next week we'll start to see a series of storms coming in starting late on monday and temperatures only reach the upper >> and that's your latest forecast. >> all right, dylan. one of our favorite holiday traditions around here his imminence, timothy cardinal dolan paying us a visit to share a christmas message and reflect on the true keeping of the season. >> we'll talk about the meaning of the season. also talk about the way a lot of people celebrate those procrastinators trying to find those gifts and ready to help with your last-minute holiday shopping and shipping concerns. >> well, this is actually one of the busiest shopping days of the entire year. the dash for deals entering the final stretch. and if you are among the perennial procrastinators, myself included, we have got you covered. no need to panic we will break down the best deals and share some tips around how you can even personalize those last-minute buys stay with us ♪ (stalleded engine)

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(sirens) (news report) (sirens) (news report) (grump) today is a a great dayay to shop for yoyourself. let's s ride! (class r rider) why is icece t leadingng our sn class?s? (buzz) it's prorobably the e honey nt cheeririos. he found o out they cacan help r cholesesterol. now he's's taking cacare of hs hearart in fun n new ways. (grump)) that's's what i'm m talking ab! ♪♪ ♪ freedom dodoesn't waiti. librbre. ththe originalal eau de papa. librbre. yyyyes saint l laurent. happy holidays. ♪ 7:41 today's "consumer confidential." it's about holiday shopping. >> oh, yes two days to go, the final dash

for deals is in high gear. >> nbc's emilie ikeda with tips and tricks for checking the last-minute items off your list. good morning >> good morning. it happens to the best of us you don't mean to wait to the last minute and then all of a sudden it's the eve of christmas eve. we are here to help of navigate the final countdown to christmas. >> reporter: it's the final stretch of the dash for deals. and this morning holiday procrastinators are scrambling to scoop up last-minute gifts. what's expected to be one of the busiest shopping days of the year. >> if you concentrate on the things retailers want to offload you have a potential to save really big. >> reporter: slashing prices on gift sets, toys and games and smaller consumer electronics with mounting pressure to clear out shelves amid an uncertain economy. this macbook air 20% off at best buy. up to 50% off kitchen appliances at target. kohl's is luring in customers with up to 30% off lego building sets deep discounts winning over

perennial procrastinators. like madison mcfadden. >> that last-minute energy, that's the way get things done under pressure all the time. >> reporter: the national retail federation reports just over half of u.s. consumers finished their shopping in the week leading up to christmas. if you are feeling that pressure ahead of the holiday weekend, digital gifts make more easy last-minute presents like subscriptions for books, video games, and streaming services. which are considered the top tech gift this season. and then, of course, e-gift cards. remember to give them a personal flair. >> if you can wrap it up in a fun way that can help make it a little more personalized also package a gift card with accessories that go along with it. >> reporter: for the gifts santa isn't delivering, there are shipping options today is the final day t utilize usps and fedex in time for christmas, but expect hefty fees. >> at this point i will pay the extra money for the extra

shipping the other day i paid $35 for something to be shipped on time. >> reporter: retailers like walmart and amazon offer even more flexibility through part of christmas eve with same-day shipping for amazon that plays out at the same-day sites which pushes out roughly 600,000 packages today alone. >> place your order on christmas eve and still get it under the tree in time, within hours under the tree on time. >> reporter: a last-minute scramble for sales and the final countdown to christmas >> everybody is watching the storm. what does it mean for the travel of those orders? >> very good question. according to industry analysts, overall there have been little widespread delays. good news there. if you are concerned about the arrival of your packages, check the shipping carrier's website for updates. in some cases you can reroute your package to a different destination to make sure it arrives in a timely manner if you are still shopping,

experts say lean on curbside or in-store pickup to reduce those risks. watch for the cutoff time. have you checked everything off your list? >> i'm almost finished santa does a lot and i do a lot. we share duties. >> i got a last-minute hustle to do i rely too much on my wife >> it's going to be fine. waved the white flag gift cards >> okay. that's a popular one. >> what about you? >> i have been talking about holiday deals since october and yet still i have things to check off my list. >> good. it will all work out. >> thank you. >> do saz i -- as i say, not as i do all right. up next, we will pay a visit to one of the most festive spots in the world. >> a special tour, behind the scenes of the british castle knknown as thehe real-lifefe "d ababbey. we w will take y you there r rit afteter this sometitimes it's j just inevititable. but if y you're overer 50 or e with a a chronic c conditio, wawaiting coululd be deadld. becacause condititions like heart didisease or d diabets raise yoyour risk ofof serious s illness oror death from untrereated covidid.

and d if you donon't get treatment t within dayays, yoyou may not t be able to get trereatment. so, gogot covid sysymptoms? get teststed and getet treateted right awaway. it can't w wait.

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throughout the holiday season we have been checking out some of america's merriest main streets. we are going to get to this morning's destination in a bit first, a trip across the pond. >> take a look at christmastime, britain's stately homes come to life with opulent decorations. that's true at highclere castle, better known as the real "downton abbey" where the popular show and movies were actually filmed. kelly cobiella is there enjoying the festivities. show us around, kelly. >> reporter: good morning. it takes nearly a year of planning to get this castle christmas ready and we were given an early invite to see all the trimmings with the lord and lady themselves. ♪ >> highclere castle, a festive treat at christmas what a tree! it's beautiful now, this screams christmas.

and it's how tall? >> 25 foot, which means i think it's -- >> reporter: it's all about the bragging rights. >> reporter: she told me putting up the 25-foot christmas tree this year was an instagram hit a team effort needing at least 20 people. ♪ and with our true love ♪ >> reporter: featured in memorable scenes from "downton abbey. this year there is a historical family theme. >> the theme is about ancient egypt and tutankhamen and the golden treasures. >> reporter: i visited egypt last month 100 years after the discovery and saw the treasures of tutankhamun in the cairo museum it was the fifth earl who discovered the tomb with howard carter. >> when he started out there, all he found in his first season, moving thousands of tons of earth, was a mummified cat. many of us would have quit at

that stage far from that, he was so determined, it spurred him on. >> reporter: the castle boasts 300 rooms, many like the library lavishly decorated for the christmas holiday. how many trees >> 60 inside and out. >> reporter: 6-0 >> 6-0. >> reporter: that's a big christmas. >> to your left. >> reporter: and in the dining room, the immaculate table is laid out with precision ready for a feast. with celebrations in mind, it's time for a holiday cocktail. louie is highclere castle's head butler he makes their signature gin and tonic. >> rosemary has a sort of a christmasy flavor. >> it does it's warm. and orange >> reporter: should i try? you can smell the orange and the rosemary oh

♪ for auld lang syne ♪ >> reporter: keeping in the spirit downton style, ready to ring in the year. ♪ for auld lang syne ♪ >> reporter: the castle is open to the public for most of december for afternoon teas and christmas cocktails. and after a couple of weeks of private family time, they'll start planning all over again for next year. guys. >> all right, thank you, kelly. still ahead, a chicago crossing guard has been leading a special toy drive for students in need for more than a decade we will celebrate her amazing spirit with a big surprise. and a special performance from alicia keys that is s after yourur local ne.

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a good morning to you. it is 7:56. i'm marcus washington. and here is a look at what's happening now. >> reporter: just two days before christmas and one of san francisco's biggest holiday retailers workers will walk off the job today, a two-day strike at macy's in union square, the union president says workers want better pay, staffing levels and health care benefits. the company only offered a $1 per hour pay to be phased in over three years and would not budge on the other issues like staffing, seniority and health care. union employees plan to begin the two-day strike at 9:00 this morning and will last through saturday. they're asking shoppers to also boycott all macy's stores in the bay area. we did reach out to macy's but they have not responded for comment. time to get a look at the forecast for you. meteorologist kari hall tracking

that. very foggy as we take a live look outside at san francisco. -- >> looks like we're having trouble with your mic. the air quality is an issue we're faced with today. we'll keep monitoring that throughout the morning. of course you can always go to nbcbayarea.com. kari has the forecast there for you as well as you get ready for the day. we'll be back in 30 minutes with another look at that forecast as well as news of the day for you.

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♪♪ it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, coast to coast chaos. that massive winter storm sweeping across the country. heavy snow, whipping winds, record low temperatures all wreaking havoc on travelers trying to make it to their holiday celebrations. >> this is not going to be a typical storm. >> what you need to know before hitting the roads or heading to the airport. then reason for the season. the archbishop of new york, cardinal timothy dolan stopping

by our studio and the special message he is sharing ahead of christmas as we celebrate with our annual eggnog toast. plus, christmas in the crosswalk. we are going to take you to chicago to meet the crossing guard brightening the season for families in her community. >> all right. let's go. we're moving. we're moving, craig. >> the toy drive she organizes herself for the kids she sees every morning, and a special surprise to help her spread more holiday cheer. and the keys to christmas. ♪ >> 15-time grammy winner alicia keys w with a spececial perforo helping us kick off the holiday weekend with a festive song from her new album. today friday, december 23rd, 2022. ♪♪ >> celebrating christmas from the plaza. >> from texas.

>> indianapolis. >> germany. ♪♪ >> on a sisters trip from new orleans, louisiana. >> from alexandria, virginia. >> brought mom to the "today" show. >> celebrating my 83rd birthday. >> she does not look 83. >> i love it. welcome back to "today." we are so glad you are with us on this friday morning as we kick off the holiday weekend. savannah and hoda enjoying time with their family. we have sheinelle, peter and you as well. >> there are so many people here. despite the chilly temperatures. >> germany, hong kong. >> all right. next week on "today," hoda's conversation with music superstar miley cyrus ahead of her big new year's eve special on nbc. they will chat about that, miley's co-host, her godmother, dolly parton and what the future

holds now that miley turned 30. >> looking forward to that. your news at 8:00. we start with the monster winter storm wreaking havoc from coast to coast now. tens of millions of americans battling heavy snow, brutal cold, dangerous winds, as well. all of that on one of the busiest travel days of the year. dylan's forecast in mere moments. but first nbc's maggie vespa is at chicago international airport with a closer look. things look as chaotic as when we checked in last time. >> reporter: craig, it is chaotic this morning. as it has been all week. this storm hit as you said across the country and the impact on america's travel system and the holiday rush is staggering. the numbers going up since we talked at the top of the hour. thousands of delays and cancelations after airlines and airports including o'hare here

in chicago pre-emptively canceled flights yesterday knowing the storm was rolling in. as we have been talking that brutal snow, ice, damaging winds and the arctic chill behind it making the way across the country now wreaking what involve state to state. in montana, close to negative 70 windchills reported there. a mess on the roads why whiteout conditions in kansas and missouri with hundreds of crashes state to state. experts say what can you do? if you want to drive but you don't have to, definitely stay home. if you must drive allow extra time. if your flight is canceled the last thing to do is show up here. try to book on the website or the app in the morning. craig? >> all right. maggie vespa. maggie, thank you. let's go back now to dylan

with a look at, i guess, where we are getting the worst of it and where it's headed next. >> there are different levels of the worst of it, snow, arctic air, gusty winds. look at the weird temperatures across the country. chicago at minus 8, pittsburgh at 8, new york at 50 degrees. that cold air will surge in behind this storm system and rain in the buffalo area is going to transition to snow and this turns into a lake-effect snow event with blowing snow likely across the great lakes and two to three feet in buffalo, watertown area, new york, winds over 60, 70 miles per hour. absolutely reduced visibility in that part of the country. also across western michigan we will see the snow off of lake michigan, too, and the gusty winds tossed around the snow and it really reduces visibility making it very dangerous to be outside. anyone who lost power or as the winds continue around 40 to 60 miles per hour we could lose power but back behind it the cold temperatures will make it very, very dangerous to be without power for too long. minneapolis the windchill right

now is 33 degrees below zero. kansas city 24 degrees below zero. dallas feels like 5 below. memphis feels like 15 below and all of that cold air continues to move to the east. peter? >> thank you. the january 6th committee is unveiling its final report. it happened yesterday overnight following an historic 18-month investigation. echoing its public hearings, the committee accuses former president trump of a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election and failing to call on supporters to stop their attack on the capitol. nbc's ryan nobles is in washington with the very latest on it. ryan, what do we know? >> the committee's ultimate conclusion is that donald trump is the person most responsible for the events of january 6th. they laid out their case over eight chapters with more than 800 pages, which outlines the plot by trump and allies to pedal the false claim that election was stolen. they argue that lie fired up his supporters across the country and compelled them to come to washington and ultimately storm

the capitol. they demonstrate how trump and a band of conservative lawyers created a questionable theory to line up fake presidential electors to have in place on january 6th. the committee offered up a series of recommendations, including a proposal to strengthen the insurrection act. that would prevent trump from ever running for public office again. now, the former president responding to the report overnight on his social media channel accusing nancy pelosi of not having the proper security protocols in place but then doubling down on his false claim that the election was stolen now, while this is the committee's final report, they plan to continue to release hundreds of transcripts from the interviews that they have conducted over the course of their investigation. peter? >> ryan nobles in washington for us thank you. all right. the news is covered. a holiday weekend boost. as temperatures plunge across the country, that could only mean one thing the hot cocoa season is in full swing and a little girl named

ava, she has it down to a science. first you pour in the milk >> spread it out >> then you stir in the chocolate. of course, you add some marshmallows and then, well, then it's time for the taste test >> ooh >> that's a full dive. >> i guess it's not too hot. clearly. and then just go for it. >> sometimes you've got to go for it as long as it's not too hot. >> bobbing for marshmallows. >> face first in the cocoa her hair bow remains intact. she went back for more must be good. >> adorable. >> the dog got plenty of milk off the floor. everybody is happy. coming up, craig has a wonderful heartwarming holiday story introducing us to a school crossing guard in chicago who goes above and beyond for the kids on her route. plus, our annual visit with cardinal dolan to reflect on the

year, the spirit of the season and the power of reconnecting with family and friends right after this good cup of coffee wewe'll be rigight back. ♪♪ r onone powewered toothbhbrush brand recommmmended by dental l professiononals. philipips sonicarere makes it easy fofor you recommmmended by dental l professiononals. toto always geget brushing r right. recommmmended by dental l professiononals. dwigight was a 1 13-year-oldld with canancer whwhen he cameme to st. juj. this kid i is now 73 y year. thatat's what wewe do at st.t.. this kid i is now 73 y year. give t thanks for r the healthts in youour life this kid i is now 73 y year. and gigive a gift t that cocould last a a lifetime.e.

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we are back at 8:13. our toy drive spectacular. we have a special story for you this morning first, let's put up our qr code. if you'd like to donate on this final day of our push to help kids in need. >> it's on the screen there. christmas two days away, santa and his elves are working hard craig met one of his honorary helpers who is devoted to giving back to her community. >> her name is angela thompson she is a crossing guard for the chicago school district. for the past 15 years angela has been holding her very own toy drive. handing out gifts to the kids who cross her intersection every day, and this year we wanted to make sure it was the best toy drive yet. >> good morning, good morning! >> reporter: at this intersection angela thompson is the bright light. >> how was your day? did you have a better day from this morning >> reporter: for nearly two decades she has been helping elementary school students cross the street safely. you get to see those kids grow up

you say hello in the morning you say good-bye in the afternoon. >> it's not just the hello and good-bye for me. in the morning i can have a child having a bad day and how can we make your day better? >> reporter: and during this time of year angela spends her time off the clock spreading holiday cheer. >> this is 25% off >> reporter: by organizing her very own toy drive, shopping for gifts to give to the children who brighten her day. >> she is the coolest crossing guard. >> she comes out of nowhere to make sure we get across the street. >> reporter: back to the beginning of this toy drive. how was this born? >> there was a young mother. she was just crying and talking about what she couldn't do for her children and so i told her, i said, hey, see me next week so that week when she stopped and saw me, i had all of these gifts and her tears, oh my god, her tears just, it touched me.

it made me wonder, how many young parents are going through something? >> reporter: thanks to donations from her family and friends like her daughter, asia, angela makes her list - >> $337.56. >> reporter: and checks it twice. this year angela and her hard working elves are wrapping over 70 gifts each toy wrapped, a gift in more ways than one. >> i'm helping out because the love for angie and her passion for what she does. >> reporter: angela and santa claus have a plan. they will deliver the wrapped presents to students right here on the last day before winter break begins i suited up with angela, stop sign in hand to meet the kids on her shopping list. >> all right let's go let's go craig, we're moving. we're moving, craig. >> a nice job. >> hi. >> reporter: okay. you look like you are on the nice list. merry christmas. >> craig you got to beat the light back

>> reporter: sorry sorry. >> craig, you are going to get fired on your first day. [ laughter ] >> reporter: can't get past me no, no i am not losing a kid on my watch. how was your school day? >> good! >> reporter: yes, yes! angela, what happens if you run out of gifts >> the time i ran out of gifts, a good samaritan stopped and brought me gifts. >> reporter: but this time we didn't want to take any chances. we took angela to this elementary school where the kids we met attend class. angela had no idea what was waiting for her. what is this >> wow [ cheers and applause >> reporter: hello >> hi. >> reporter: y'all know miss angela? in honor of your hard work, the folks at hasbro has decided they are going to give a gift to every child in this auditorium on your behalf santa, elves, y'all come out

[ cheers and applause ♪ ♪ >> reporter: you deserve this, angela >> yes >> reporter: merry christmas. >> you guys have some? here's a toy are you happy? you like it? >> reporter: how do you feel >> i am so happy it's amazing this is what i like. this is priceless. >> reporter: merry christmas oh, miss angela. we should point out hasbro didn't just donate a toy for every kid at the school. they gave a lot of extra toys. this toy drive continues what i loved about angela, she didn't go through an organization or like - >> she just did it. >> she saw a need. >> she asked her friends, there

are kids, they need gifts. can you help >> the faces of the kids in that auditorium, that is what it's about. >> priceless >> my goodness that was great. let's check in with dylan for the latest on the forecast. >> good morning, guys. out here it's not that bad on the plaza. one the good spots we want to give a special hello. where is your dad watching from? >> richmond, virginia. >> reporter: whelan? >> yes >> ironically enough he said he wanted you to bring me home for christmas. we can't do that i can say hi and merry christmas, whelan. we miss you here in new york in new york it's one of the better spots now because temperatures are actually in the 50s and we are going to see things take a turn though the next couple of hours in fact, we have got some of our coldest temperatures working into the upper midwest the upper plains, the northern plains, temperatures are already down below zero in st. louis we are going to see temperatures, windchills feeling like it's about 15 degrees below zero the windchills are going to be brutal stretching down into texas along the gulf coast, too.

it's also snowy in the pacific northwest. so if you are traveling up through seattle, we have had a lot of airport delays, too, because of the rain good friday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. it's starting out smoggy across the bay area, low visibility in some spots, but we'll increasingly start to see more sunshine today as we are headed for the upper 50s and low 60s for this afternoon, not bad at all. as we go into the weekend, we're looking at warmer air moving in for the inland areas, upper 60s. next week is when we'll have a series of storms coming in, and we'll be watching. >> that's your latest forecast. back to you. >> all right there are some christmas traditions here in studio 1a we can't do without one, the eggnog flowing backstage and on this table here. >> that's right. the other, our favorite eggnog partaker joining us to talk

about the real reason for the season, his imminence, timothy dolan, the archbishop of new york. >> thank you for coming back >> a blessed christmas. >> blessed christmas to you. >> good to be with you you had some of this already >> oh, yes i am trying to slow down. >> it won't be the 12 days of christmas. it could be the 12 step program. >> exactly >> if we keep on this. >> it is pretty good [ laughter ] >> i'll be singing >> on that note, it's tradition you are here in studio 1a. >> how is al >> well, we were going to talk about that. >> is he doing okay? >> yes he is much better. >> thank you for asking. >> he is on the road to recovery. >> okay. >> he is much better. >> way to go. >> say a special prayer. >> without him, there is more eggnog [ laughter ] >> i have a feeling we will get a text in a minute we were thinking about it. the last couple of years have been tough not that this year isn't tough a lot of people not able to be with family. for me it's been a couple of years. people are coming back together for this holiday. >> thank god. >> what is your message this

holiday season >> you got something, sheinelle. it has been a dark time, hasn't it i was home for thanksgiving. our first without mom. we lost her in march so there is always a darkness to go around. and even though there is darkness, this year seems to have been a full house, you know, you look at ukraine, you look at the violence, you look at the political division and turmoil, some of that weather story, the people that are going to be stranded and suffering anyway, good to tag that good to recognize that good to acknowledge that because in a way when we tag the darkness, when we admit that there is some tension and some trauma and suffering in our life, really what we're saying is i need someone or something to fill that you know, the philosophers tell us that evil is not something, it's a lack of something it's a hole that -- it's the

absence of good. in a way, when we tag all this darkness that's going on in the world, what we're saying is i need some light. i need some light. and you, as a believer, i believe that jesus, who revealed himself as light to the world, you think of the christmas star in the middle of the darkest time of the year, the darkest time of the day, midnight, that light to the world, that's what we got we need a little christmas we need some light it's the darkest time of the year naturally was it yesterday >> shortest day of the year. >> shortest day of the year. now the sun begins to go up. darn it, light always trumps darkness, you know life always wins over death. and that, of course, is the message of christmas. >> cardinal, a lot of folks this time of year is special difficult because, to your point, they are reminded of a loved one that they lost. >> yes. >> or they are suffering from loneliness and the holidays are another reminder of them being

alone. >> right. >> what's your message to those -- >> my message to them, if we look back in reverent and grateful reflection and memory of those people, we miss them, you bet we do, but we turn that into a prayer of thanksgiving, prayer of praise to god. thank you, lord, that we had them kind of wish i still did i really miss them, especially this time of the year. but am i ever happy i had them and they were gifts to me. and instead of maybe kind of feeling sorry for myself and sitting in the corner, maybe i ought to be the kind of person who, when i'm gone, people are going to miss and people look back and say, boy, we miss aunt alice or grandma we want to be those kinds of people, don't we >> yes. >> instead of kind of missing them, we turn it into gratitude and turn it into a prayer. can i be that light for other people like he or she was to me? >> we have a minute left can you speak to someone who may be watching this morning who feels lonely

>> yeah. first of all, we are never lonely, okay here is the scoop. i am talking to believers, but i invite everybody to believe. so the son of god was born on that christmas day in bethlehem because he wants to be reborn in our hearts all right? so we have always got that divine spark we have always got that person, the divine, almighty god, his son jesus, we've always got him in our heart, in our soul. we are never, ever alone we have always got god we are never by ourselves. we are never abandoned as the angels said that first christmas, be not afraid, a savior is born you are not alone. >> let the church say amen and pass the eggnog. >> amen to that. [ laughter ] >> blessed christmas, folks. >> yes >> fantastic so needed. >> way to go.

still ahead, holiday music in studio 1a courtesy of superstar alicia keys. that's coming up and a special holiday-themed menu for a big nfl battle on christmas night. we will have that with our eggnog >> i met them. >> yes ♪ good morning. it's 8:26. i'm ginger conejero saab. six people are in custody accused of stealing nearly $200,000 worth of gas in the south bay. it happened at a valero gas station south of highway 101. police say suspects used the computer to take control of a fuel pump and over time they siphoned 30,000 gallons of gas, putting most of it into plastic-lined garbage bags. they're accused of causing $20,000 in damage to the equipment. surveillance footage helped crack the case. let's look at your weather forecast with meteorologist kari

hall. >> we're starting out with some unhealthy air quality, and it is the spare-the-air alert day, so no wood burning. it will be hazy out there as our temperatures head for the low 60s. tomorrow more sunshine but also reaching into the mid-60s, and our christmas day will be very comfortable, upper 60s for the inland areas and a mix of sun and clouds. next week we'll be turning our attention to an incoming storm set to arrive on monday evening, continuing off and on throughout next week. could have a pretty big impact for us here in the bay area, but as we go into the weekend, we're looking at some dry conditions and highs in the low 60s in san francisco and cooler next week with rain.

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♪ back at 8:30 on this friday morning with a spirited plaza crowd, just two days before christmas. also, the final day of our toy

drive spectacular. we are wrapping it up with one of our favorite people on the planet, no question about it we call him the mayor of rockefeller center, c.j. everyone knows him and loves him around here for sure. >> a big thanks to c.j. and a big thanks to all of you here on the plaza and all of you watching at home as well for your generosity. with your help and with the help of our corporate donors, we have collected more than 10,000 toys to make holidays brighter for the children all over this country. so big round of applause to everyone [ applause ] >> to all of you donating today as well, thank you, thank you. >> a blowout chilly folks, by the way, plenty of time if you want to take part. for all the information you need you can scan that qr code on our screen right now you can also head to our website today.com. coming up in just a bit, one of our favorites around here, alicia keys, the 15-time grammy winner treating us to one of the songs on her very first holiday

album. and chef zane holmquist is here he is going to celebrate christmas with us. he brought a festive hat, too. the tenth year in a row, he will hang out with us his recipes for holiday-inspired appetizers and drinks that also can double as ideal snacks for "sunday night football." a big "sunday night football" matchup. >> sound good. and next week we turn our attention to new year's eve. it's time. all the tips and hacks for food, entertaining and that champagne toast to make your celebrations sparkle. right now, the forecast, which we are living through right now. >> we are living through it. other parts of the country are getting it right now we will get that around here, too, in new york city. right now the heavy snow is going to be mostly focused across interior new york, pennsylvania, lake-effect snow is going to take hold, we could see two to three feet of snow. we will likely see airport delays because of the gusty winds, gusting up to 40 to 60, 70 miles per hour. all up and down the east coast we will see the delays

saturday still dealing with the blizzard conditions in and around the great lakes the storm will pull away the winds will still be strong and impacts especially tomorrow morning in boston, new york, philadelphia, detroit likely to see some delays and cancellations, too, and then on christmas day we will certainly see a white christmas off the great lakes because of the snow that's falling now a white christmas also through the northern plains. bitter cold temperatures extend into the southeast teens and 20s through the midwest, too windchills even colder above-average temperatures in the southwest. if you are headed that way, it's nice with temperatures in th 60s. that's what's going on around the country. now here's a peek out your window. i'm meteorologist kari hall. temperatures for today, low 60s for the inland area. it will look hazy because of our air quality. it's going to be unhealthy, especially for people who are sense toich a high amount of pollutants in the air. as we go into the day tomorrow, more of the same with some mid-60s in the valleys.

sunday, christmas day, is looking very nice. next week, we have some rain. ♪ sunday might be christmas but we have also got "football night in america." the bucs headed out to arizona to take on the cardinals the first time tom brady playing on christmas day a fun fact for you looks nice in glendale, clear and mild, temperatures around 64 degrees. that is sunday night, "football night in america." >> all right there we go. all right. dylan, now it's time for a final stop here on the "merriest main street" series we so enjoyed this we are getting our kicks on route 66. >> yeah, my old stomping grounds. we have julie chen from 2news oklahoma, our affiliate in tulsa. she is there good morning >> good morning, you guys.

on the coldest morning of the year, but, of course, that's the way oklahoma does it the wind sweeping down the plain. that's how we do it, right, sapulpa? [ cheers and applause >> check out the crowd that has shown up on this frigid morning! [ cheers and applause we know how to do a merry hometown here in oklahoma. and let me tell you, the stuff that has happened in this hometown right outside of the city of tulsa, this is the stuff that wonderful warm and fuzzy christmas movies are made of but this is real life. let me set the scene for you a group of individuals who love their hometown, they wanted to do something really big for christmas, so they mobilized hundreds of volunteers to put together thousands of christmas decorations. the children of this town, they

put together over 35,000 lights to build something the root 66 christmas shoot. something unlike anything america has seen and like another famous movie, if you build it, they will come, and have they ever [ cheers and applause >> will, why did you want to do this for your city >> we wanted to create something very unique and original for our town to get people to come here and recognize how good our town is, check out our restaurants, our retail stores and everything that goes along with it. i think we have had pretty good success. >> you sure have this is a true labor of love how long have you worked on this >> the quick answer is two years. we had to develop the idea and then we also had to get the approval of the local authorities, the city, even the state, because we are on the historical route 66.

there is a lot of logistics planning in that and then we had to go out and convince so many people to privately fundraise and fund this project then more importantly, we had to go out and try to convince 600 to 1,000 volunteers to help construct this thing. >> my goodness it is unbelievable from religious to route 66. and what makes this along route 66 the merriest hometown >> we feel our community is geared towards big and small community activities of all kinds. that's how we feel like we can compete with the other communities around with the private fundraising we did, to put this project together, that's what makes it the merriest. >> it's the merriest of all. right here on route 66, if you build it, they will come, and have they ever we are grateful now the "today" show. >> love it. >> it's great. >> our christmas chute here on route 66

we are grateful. we want to say -- >> merry christmas happy new year >> merry christmas >> stay warm i love that. julie and will, thank you so much what a great way to finish up our "merriest main street" series a big thank you to all of our affiliate stations for their help all month long. >> it's been cool to see how so many cities and town celebrate christmas all over america when we come back, we have got another reason to be very merry. a special holiday performance from the one, the only alicia keys first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪ keys. keys. first, this is "toda on nbc.y" - [narrator] every day, our lives are filled with choices,

both simple and life-changing. what's not a choice? addiction to opioids like fentanyl.

but even with opioid use disorder, you still have a choice. by choosing treatment, you choose family, your career and your life on your terms. choose change, california, and find medically proven treatment options at choosechangeca.org. ♪ >> announcer: the citi music series on "today" is proudly

presented to you by citi ♪ we are back now at 8:40. a very special edition of our citi music series. >> 15-time grammy winner, alicia keys released her first holiday album this month earlier this month she stopped by to celebrate. >> before she left, we asked if she would grace us with a bonus performance. with "not even a king" from her album "santa baby," here is alicia keys. ♪ money ♪ ♪ some people pour out their money ♪ ♪ oh diamonds ♪ ♪ some people waste their life counting their thousands ♪ ♪ i don't care what they're offering ♪ ♪ how much gold they bring ♪ ♪ can't afford what we've got ♪ ♪ not even the king ♪ ♪ can't afford what we've got ♪ ♪ not even the king ♪

♪ oh castles ♪ ♪ some people so lonely what good is a castle ♪ ♪ surrounded by peopl but ain't got a friend that's not on the payroll ♪ ♪ oh and i don't care what they bring ♪ ♪ they can have everything ♪ ♪ can't afford what we've got ♪ ♪ not even the king ♪ ♪ can't afford what we've got ♪ ♪ not even the king ♪ ♪ all the king's horses and all the king's men came charging to get when we got ♪ ♪ they offered the crown and they offered the throne ♪ ♪ but i already got all that i want ♪ ♪ all the king's horses and all

the king's men ♪ ♪ they came marching through ♪ ♪ they offered the world just t have what we got ♪ ♪ but i found the world in you ♪ ♪ i found the world in you ♪ ♪ so darling listen ♪ ♪ your arms around me worth mor than a kingdom ♪ ♪ yeah i believe that ♪ ♪ the trust that you feel the king's never felt that ♪ ♪ yeah this is the song we sing ♪ ♪ we don't need anything ♪ ♪ they can't afford this ♪ ♪ this is priceless ♪

♪ can't afford what we've got ♪ ♪ not even the king ♪ ♪ can't afford what we got ♪ ♪ not even the king ♪ [ applause ] >> alicia keys up next, recipes for a fun holiday-inspired game day feast for sunday for sunday first, this is "today" on nbc. dedetect this:s: livingng with hiv,v, i learned d i can stay u undetectablble with fewer memedicines. i learned d i can stay u undetectablble that's w why i switcheded to dovat. dovatoto is for sosome adults o are e starting h hiv-1 t tret or replalacing theirir currt hiv-v-1 regimen.n.

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before. >> fantastic norweigian cheese has a nutty flavor to it it's great. >> what are we making? >> we are going to make skiers on horseback take the pits out of the dates take our cheese. once you get that pit out, we cut our cheese just to size. we stuff these we want to precook this bacon a little bit so four to five minutes. we are going to roll these things up. >> that's good. >> super easy. >> anytime you roll something with bacon - >> it's better we will give those a little bit. >> try it. >> we are going to precook that and give one a try. >> so good. >> they are going to look like this we are going to bake these four to five minutes and they will come out just like this. crispy outside, sweet carmely cheese, dates. amazing for a football game. >> that's yummy, chef. >> all right we go from the dates now to the cool popcorn >> popcorn we have got some butter in here.

make a little caramel. we popped the popcorn. add the brown sugar. >> brown sugar that was sheinelle jones' nickname in high school. >> that's right, craig. >> hey oh. >> never gets old. >> we are going to add a little vanilla, molasses. that gives us some of that flavor of our -- >> it's good. >> our gingerbread some oil, and we are going to get this up to - >> that's how you make - >> this is going to make the caramel. we are going to end up with this so this beautiful caramel. we pour -- >> whoa! >> we pour this over our popcorn. we are going to give it a toss sheet pan. after we come out of our baking, add some of our holiday treats. >> that's clever the kids would love this. >> add -- >> some more chocolate chips >> whatever your favorites are no hard candy, but gumdrops, m&ms, any of the holiday treats.

give it a toss >> this is perfect. >> craig is trying to get his hand in your bowl. >> oh, yeah. so you have got your ginger, nutmeg, all-spice. we have our popcorn done. >> that's yummy. >> we are making a chilled hot chocolate. we made this dairy-free. you can switch and use whole milk if you want, half and half. we went with oat milk. we are going to add a little dark cocoa powder. and we are going to add sugar, some vanilla and some orange juice. that's going to give a little bit of orange flavor in the back. >> yeah, just a little bit of orange >> we are going to get this until it's warm. we are going to add our chocolate. you can go milk chocolate if you prefer. >> like a milk chocolate soda. >> it is we will end up with this so we are going to put it in our shaker once it's in the shaker with ice. this is how we make the chilled

bit. so we've got our ice in here we give it a little shake. >> it's creative it's different. >> come to the glass and then add our seltzer. >> oh? >> i have never had anything like that. >> me neither. >> a little cinnamon finish with our orange. >> fun to do something new. >> yeah. >> thank you so good. merry christmas. >> merry christmas to you all. >> chef zane, thank you. all these recipes on the website today.com/food and catch this christmas night battle between the bucs and cardinals sunday night only on nbc. back in a moment first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪

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♪♪ ♪ stick around for more festive recipes and holiday fun in the third and fourth hours. right now we want to wrap up this hour with a big thank you

to our amazing crew. >> because we are so grateful for all of our producers, editors, writers, production, and studio crew. they keep this train running all year long. so here is our tribute to them merry christmas, everybody. >> merry christmas ♪ ♪ ♪ we live in the hustle mirror ♪ ♪ do we wait meditate or fade away ♪ ♪ everyone's so serious ♪ ♪ we should be delirious and having fun ♪ ♪ slow down and look around you wear the crown ♪ ♪ time flies in a second ♪ ♪ close your eyes you're gonna miss it ♪ ♪ i found the secre all we got to do ♪ ♪ yeah ♪ ♪ all we got to do ♪ ♪ is dance, sing, laugh, love ♪ ♪ you want it you want it ♪

♪ dance, sing, laugh, love ♪ ♪ you got i you got it ♪ ♪ dance, sing, laugh, love ♪ ♪ you want it you got it ♪ ♪ that should make you feel good ♪ ♪ that should make you feel good ♪ ♪ ooh ♪ ♪ you know ooh ♪ ♪ your heart is made of rainbows ♪ ♪ even when it's dark you know the rainbows ain't like jesus christ and buddha ever fight ♪ ♪ honey love your work and try ♪ your hardest ♪ ♪ life is art and you'll be honest ♪ ♪ replicate the things we hate so stay away from negativity ♪ d ♪ time flies in a second ♪ ♪ close your eyes you are gonna miss it ♪ ♪ i found the secre all we got do ♪ ♪ all we got to do ♪ it ♪

♪ dance, sing, ♪ dance, sing, laugh, oh ♪ ♪ you want it you want it ♪ ♪ dance, sing, laugh, oh ♪ ♪ you got i you got it ♪ ♪ dance, sing, laugh, love ♪ ♪ you want it you got it ♪ ♪ that should make you feel good ♪ ♪ that should make you feel good ♪ ♪ oh you know it should make yo feel good ♪ ♪ dance, sing, laugh ♪ ♪ should make you feel good ♪ ♪ you got it ♪ woo, ♪ woo you know ♪ ♪ oh you know it should mak sup second ♪ ♪ close you feel good, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ time flie supersonic second ♪ ♪ close your eyes you know you are going to miss it ♪ ♪ i finally found the secret ♪ ♪ all we got to do ♪ ♪ is dance, sing, laugh love ♪ ♪ you want it you want it ♪ ♪ dance, sing, laugh love ♪ ♪ you got i you got it ♪ ♪ dance, sing, laugh, love ♪ ♪ you want it you got it ♪ ♪ that should make you feel good ♪ ♪ that should make you feel

good ♪ ♪ woo ♪ ♪ feel good ♪ ♪ dance, sing, laugh, love ♪ ♪ you want it you got it ♪ ♪ oooh ♪ ♪ dance, sing, laugh, love ♪ ♪ you want it you got it ♪ ♪ make you feel good ♪ ♪ good morning. it's 8:56. i'm ginger conejero saab. workers at macy's flagship store in san francisco's union square are walking off the job today two days before christmas. it comes as the union tries to work out a new contract, and

workers say inflation is hitting them hard. they also say the most recent talks two days ago failed. macy's is not commenting. tom jensen is looking into the impact this is hag on last-minute holiday shoppers and will have a live report in our midday news. some people tonight are hoping for an early lottery christmas present. tonight's mega millions♪

this morning on the "3rd hour of today" start your engines for our buddyup. the four of us raced to the go-kart track to feel the need for speed. wait until you see what happened when one of us wiept a little to fast >> ooh then, dylan taps into the art of beer making when she goes on the job with two women trying to change the brewery experience and then "today food." celebrity chef maikel simon a last-minute recipe you can make for your family this holiday weekend. that's ahead today, friday, december 23rd, 2022. ♪