dry and we sometimes do get these spells during our wet months where we're looking ahead in the forecast, like where is the rain? but that's what we're settling into for the next few days. i can tell you where the slowing is. it's getting out of san francisco, south 101 one incident cleared around silver a second in the same area now slows folks heading south out of the city. all right. thank you mike. today's show is coming up ahead. and we are continuing today in the bay on roku and other streaming platforms. we're going to talk with the leader of one east bay city getting ready for a festive night tonight as they prepare to light up their holiday tree. watch our 8 a.m. newscast right here on nbc bay area dot com or on our smartphone app. all right. and just remember, 20 days until christmas. that is wild. good wednesday morning. if you are about to head out the dooryou better bundle up. >> temperatures are plunging, and al is tracking a new round of snow.

goodorning. it's december 4th. and this is "today." arctic blast. tens of millions waking up to the coldest air of the season. record lows possible in the south. blizzard conditions and dangerous winds stretching from the midwest to new england. al has your full forecast straight ahead. transition trouble. the president-elect's embattled pick for secretary facing alarming new allegations this morning from his own former coworkers. >> the articles i've read is cause for concern. >> donald trump now reportedly considering other options for the pentagon with pete hegseth's fate hanging in the balance. we're live in washington. chaos in south korea. protests escalating after the country's embattled president tries to impose martial law. the backlash, swift and certain. lawmakers rebelling and critics demanding the president's resignation.

the u.s. with tens of thousands of american troops in the region apparently caught off guard. a live report from seoul just ahead. desperate search. emergency crews in pennsylvania racing to find a grandmother who vanished and could be trapped in a massive sink hole. we'll have the very latest. mystery in the sky. large drones circling over new jersey and rattling residents. >> we want to know what's happening and we want it to stop. >> so what's behind them? the fbi now launching an investigation. those stories, plus the temu craze. it's the popular app offering big savings for holiday shoppers. but what are you getting for those rock bottom prices? you will want to see what happened when vicky nguyen and her team went shopping. and light it up. >> two, one. there you go. hey!

>> the u.s. capitol christmas tree set aglow, and we're just hours away from flipping the switch on the world's most famous norway spruce right here in rockefeller center today, december 4th, 2024. from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> that's so cute. good morning. welcome to "today." even the passersby are in their christmas spirit. >> right on cue. >> another blast of dangerous winter weather. some areas already hit hard by that lake effect snow, could be in for another two feet. >> wow. more than 70 million people are under wind alerts this morning. more than 20 million under winter alerts and even blizzard warnings in parts of maryland and parts of west virginia. some areas could hit record low temperatures today. that's 10 to 20 degrees below normal.

>> in other words, we will be needing our coats and hats to light the rockefeller christmas tree later tonight. al will have that forecast in just a minute. first, let's get with sam brock. he's over with the star of tonight's show. hi, sam. >> reporter: good morning. look, a warm welcome, so to speak, from the christmas season comes with a chilly caveat. it is expected to be 7 to 10 degrees below normal. the 74-foot norway spruce behind me, the first one from massachusetts to come to rockefeller from 1969. at the same time new york's governor warning there could be a foot of snow near the great lakes as perilous road conditions could get worse. this morning dangerous snow and ice still piling up in parts of the country from a relentless wintery blast that's already led to several deaths. among the fatalities, three people in iowa killed when a driver crossed into traffic trying to get around a snowplow.

in pennsylvania, roofs collapsing under the weight of several feet of snow, including this car wash, that was empty at the time. some communities industrial trying to fire out how to handle five feet of snow after days after accumulation. in other sections of the keystone state, schools forced to evacuate out of an abundance of caution. the warning signs as plentiful as the snow. >> multiple semis involved. >> reporter: on i-90 in erie, a multi-vehicle accident snarling traffic. >> are they going to be able to stop? >> reporter: and a wild scene where a cargo train was unable to brake before smashing into this semitruck. the driver thankfully y able to jump to safety before impact. another driver's windshield taking a direct hit from the snowplow. >> as i was going under the underpass, all the snow he was plowing just came crashing down

on top of my windshield. >> reporter: those t tirelessl driving the snowplows working around the clock as the winter deluge leaves some stranded. >> we had young children. we had young adults that were traveling alone. we had elderly people that needed life-saving medicine stuck in vehicles. >> i think we're at that point where a lot of people are getting tired and frustrated, but we're here to help. >> reporter: and, guys, the concern now is that clipper system coming straight from canada expected to hit here in the northeast, the midwest and the great lakes. as for the tree lighting cereny, the broadcast begins at 8:00. and 50,000 led lights will be illuminating the plaza tonight. >> as al goes, if one light goes out, they all go out. >> how is it looking for us tonight, al? >> not bad. it will be chilly. it will be windy. good morning, everybody. we got a lot of folks who will be dealing with much worse.

in fact, 19 million people from warsaw all the way up to maine with weather advisories and blizzard warnings right around elkins, west virginia. we have this cold canadian air coming across the wide open waters of the great lakes. mid to upper 40s, so that air absorbs that moisture, comes in over the land, cools off, cloud, snow and, boom, snow amounts up to two feet of snow. that tug hill plateau area south of water town, erie and buffalo, could be another foot or more of snow. and the wind advisories from sioux falls all the way to state college, philadelphia, 74 million people under wind advisories, could be gusts of 45 to 55 miles an hour. look at these peak wind gusts. new york 47 miles an hour wind gusts. columbus 40.

springfield, 40, and 45 in the windy city of chicago. and we have awfully cold from alabama to spring hill, freeze watches, freeze warnings and advisories. pensacola looking at 39. and tallahassee at 25, guys. and that's just the beginning of an onslaught of cold air, which we'll look at a little bit later. >> all right, al. thank you. this morning new questions are being raised about pete hegseth, president-elect trump's embattled choice for defense secretary facing an uphill battle from senators. trump is considering possible replacements at the pentagon. peter alexander is on the story for us. hey, peter. good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning to you. support for president-elect trump's pete hegseth's support may be wearing thin following a series of allegations about his character. the latest, as you know, focuses on whether hegseth drank

excessively with former fox news colleagues shares their thoughts. the trump transition team is publicly standing behind him as the president and his team are considering possible alternatives. this morning, his pentagon pick's pete hegseth's troubles, president trump may be considering other options, two sources familiar with the situation say ron desantis as a possible placement. according to people familiar with the discussions. nbc news has not confirmed the report. both desantis and the trump transition team did not respond to our request for comment. but pete hegseth's nomination appears to be in trouble. multiple republican sources tell nbc news that as many as six senate republicans are not comfortable supporting his bid to lead the pentagon. he can only afford to lose three. a key trump ally expressing hesitation. >> articles i have read, there is a number of concerns. i don't know if it's true or not, but he'll go through the

process. >> reporter: yesterday new allegations of excessive drinking also emerging about the decorated combat veteran. nbc news spoke with ten current and former fox news employees that worked with pete hegseth on one of the network's morning shows and said that the former co-host drank in ways that concerned them. two saying on more than a dozen occasions they smelt alcohol on him before he went on air. everyone would be talking about it behind the scenes. another former employee saying he should not be secretary of defense. adding, his drinking should be disqualifying. a trump transition spokesperson called the allegations disgusting, completely unfounded and false. fox news did not respond to requests for comment. pete hegseth's has denied an allegation of sexual assault from 2016. -- 2017. he was never charged with a crime. pete hegseth was also pressed about his recent comments that women should not serve in combat.

>> do you think they should be in combat? >> i think they're already in combat. >> reporter: some republicans urging colleagues to reserve judgment. >> i would urge my colleagues to let him have his hearing. >> reporter: and trump's team is expressing confidence in his pick. >> there aren't any concerns. we feel very good about his positioning for being confirmed by the senate. >> peter, with these mounting questions over the future of pete hegseth's nomination, another cabinet pick actually just dropped out. tell me about that. >> reporter: so this is trump's choice to head the dea. the drug enforcement administration, he's also backing out. pulling out just days after trump announced he would nominate the florida county sheriff in the tampa area. he ran in opposition from trump's base for his strict enforcement of covid lockdowns there. but recent withdrawal of matt gaetz and pete hegseth's

troubles, they are hoping to avoid any more of the distractions, just finalizing an agreement to allow trump's team to submit names for fbi background checks going forward. savannah? >> peter, thank you very much. in the meantime, a developing story overseas, chaos erupting in south korea. its president facing calls to step down or face impeachment after he suddenly declared martial law. the stunning move met with widespread protests and an almost immediate vote to lift it. nbc's janis mackey frayer is there for us. >> reporter: good morning. as you can hear and see, the protests are continuing here. people are gathered in front of the national assembly building where just 24 hours ago an extraordinary chain of events that has tossed democracy in south korea into turmoil. this morning a political crisis is deepening in south korea, a

critical u.s. ally. it comes after a chaotic night that saw the military mobilized around the national assembly, its version of congress. all of it triggered by south korean president's extraordinary move to declare martial law, an attempt to replace the country's democratic government with military rule. yoon says he did it to stop what he called north korean anti-state forces within the government. the ill-fated move fuelling a tense standoff, with protesters scuffling with police as helicopters flew overhead. one opposition lawmaker live streaming how he climbed a fence to get back inside the legislative building for an emergency vote that forced yoon to revoke the order within hours. today there are widespread calls for the president to resign or face impeachment. all of it appearing to catch the u.s. off guard, with some 30,000 american troops stationed here.

the white house and pentagon saying they're relieved yoon backed down. >> right now there has been essentially no impact on u.s. forces. >> reporter: the scene is unnerving for south korean's old enough to remember when dictators ran the country. and the last time martial law was imposed in 1980. now with north korea more hostile and closer to russia than ever, the leadership of one of america's staunchest allies appears on the verge of collapse. now, what comes next isn't clear. opposition parties are even threatening to have yoon arrested. and while instability is not new here on the korean peninsula, this is a unique and uncertain phase that's unfolding. hoda? >> all right, janis mackey frayer there for us in seoul. thank you. all right. 14 minutes after the hour, and craig is here. good morning. >> good morning. good morning to you as well. a frantic search playing out in pennsylvania overnight after a

grandmother suddenly vanished and police believe she may have fallen into a deep sink hole. nbc's emilie ikeda is here with more on this story. >> good morning to you. authorities believe that woman was out searching for her lost cat when she herself went missing. the five-year-old was alone in the woman's car for some ten hours in the cold. now rescue teams are racing against the clock in what they call an all hands on deck mission. a desperate search overnight in southwestern pennsylvania. emergency crews trying to track down a missing grandmother who they say may have fallen into a 30 foot sink hole while looking for her cat. police say the family contacted pennsylvania state police around 1:00 a.m. tuesday to report her missing. >> they believe the second individual may be in a sink hole. >> a few hours later, they found her car parked near a restaurant. less than 20 feet away, a surprise sink hole that developed about the size of a manhole.

>> it was most likely created during the time while, unfortunately, mrs. pollard was walking around. there is no evidence of any time where that hole would have been here prior to her deciding to walk around looking for her cat. >> inside the vehicle, authorities found pollard's 5-year-old granddaughter unharmed despite frigid temperatures in the 20s. crews now searching with audio devices and thermal cameras, so far finding a shoe, a possible clue that pollard fell into the hole. >> we're hoping there is a void she could still be in. >> this morning, family, friends and rescue personnel holding out hope for pollard's safe return. >> we need a little bit of luck on our side. >> officials say sink holes are not uncommon in that part of pennsylvania because of coal mining activity, an added challenge with crews having to be extra careful not to further disturb the unstable ground.

>> keep us posted on that. the season is officially underway in our nation's capitol. >> 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. there you go. hey! >> house speaker mike johnson joined by a fourth grader from alaska to flip the switch on the capitol christmas tree. rose burk received the honor of lighting the tree after she won an essay contest. the 53-foot tree nicknamed spruce wayne came from the alaskan national forest. what an honor for her. that must have felt to amazing to do that. >> it's all right. it's okay. >> exactly. not that we're comparing. >> we're not going to tree shame. >> we're tree shaming. >> it's not happening. that's not the spirit. >> we do it every year. >> yep. >> come on. >> come on. >> we just got a tree. we just happen to have the best. but other than that -- anyway, take a look tonight between 8:00 and 10:00. kelly clarkson going to be

joining us. we have wind gusts of up to 25 miles an hour. some late showers just as that tree gets lit. temperatures going to be about 40, but windchills will make it feel like it's in the low 30s. now, the rest of the country today, we are looking at windy conditions, snowy conditions around the great lakes. strong morning chill down into the lower gulf. mild out west. we will get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds.

as we take a live look outside in san rafael. it is a little bit of the way of some light, patchy fog, but a beautiful sunrise as you're heading to work. this morning. and today, even though it's a cold start, we're headed for the upper 60s. it will be in the upper 60s for much of the bay area, where we are looking at some upper 60s fofor san jose, but then you hed down to morgan hill. it will make i >> y eso es lo último del weather. guys? >> all right, al. thank you. coming up, a growing mystery in new jersey that now has the attention of the fbi. large drones hovering overhead on an almost nightly basis. nbc's stephanie gosk is looking up into it. >> yeah, this is a mystery guys, for sure. so one drone makes a buzz. a bunch of drones together make a big buzz. that is what people in new jersey are seeing and hearing. they don't know why. it's got them spooked. we'll have the details coming

up. >> all right, stephanie. also ahead, we're trying out temu, a wildly popular app for buying discounted products. how well do they hold up against major brands? you will see what vicky nguyen found. but, first, this is "today" on nbc.

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look at our top stories, which include a dire financial forecast for san francisco as the city looks to turn a new page with city leadership. i'm ginger conejero saab in san francisco, where the latest fiscal update shows a grim outlook for the city's budget, punctuated by an $876 million deficit. san francisco mayor elect danielle louis calls it a crisis. he says he's ready to face it, but he may be facing more hurdles. trump's advisers are reportedly discussing how to withhold federal resources from cities that refuse to participate in deportations of undocumented immigrants. the city's budget deficit could grow to up to $1 billion if federal funding is cut. a new information on the bay area climber now missing after a climb in new zealand. 50 year old carlos romero is a certified guide from livermore. he and two other climbers never arrived for their flight home this week after climbing aoraki, also known as mount cook. severe weather through at least

tomorrow is preventing teams from continuing to search for them. let's take a look at our forecast here at home. good morning to you, kari. good morning. and it's another cool start with a lot of our temperatures in the 40s. but we are back to the upper 60s for this afternoon, 68 degrees will be the high in santa rosa, napa, as well as oakland and over toward palo alto, with some low 70s expected for the south county. this will repeat tomorrow with more sunshine moving ahead. chris. all right. thank you, kari. and don't forget, you can watch today in the bay live at 8:00 will be streaming. and we are talking about celebrating the holidays. we'll show you how one east bay city is lighting up the season this year. you can watch on roku and almost everywhere else you stream.

back now at 7:30. we are counting down to tonight's magical moment. guys, we are so lucky. we get to help light up that rockefeller center tree. that incredible event is happening right here on nbc and peacock. we've got so many cool holiday performances. look, the crowds are going to be out tonight, too. in fact, one of the performers, a duo, dan + shay, they're going to join us in our next hour. >> the plaza turned out. >> and a whole family. >> leaping santas. i mean, look at this. >> i had not seen them. >> coming out to play, all right. >> it's gonna be good. >> gonna be good. mystery in the skies over new jersey. >> nervous residents are reporting large drones hovering over their houses, strange sightings sparking local and

federal investigations right now. stephanie gosk has been looking into it. good morning. >> good morning. some residents say they started noticing them in mid-november. as you say, sometimes lingering over people's homes in the middle of the night. concerning enough that now the fbi is getting involved. >> it's not a plane. >> mysterious drones have been popping up in the night sky over new jersey. >> this is a video of the mars county drones with characteristic triangle lights. >> residents sharing eerie videos like this on social media. mike walsh says he's been seeing them since mid-november. >> they kind of sound like a helicopter, depending on how big they are and how large they are. there is red and green lights on either side of them. >> he reported them to local police, but no explanation. they seem to fly in coordinated groups, appearing every night except thanksgiving and disappearing as soon as the sun comes up. >> there were seven or eight hovering right near my home. it is a complete violation of privacy. and unnerving.

i couldn't sleep last night. >> authorities say there is no known threat to public safety. but residents have stayed on alert. >> there is more over there. look. look, guys. there is one there, one there, one there. >> the drone sightings are near the trump national golf club, a frequent overnight stop for president trump. drones have been banned over trump's golf course. and now the fbi is investigating. residents are frustrated at the lack of information from authorities. >> we want to know what's happening, and we want it to stop. >> yeah. i mean, i have so many questions. first of all, could there be any legal consequences for whoever is behind it? >> all right. well, technically by new jersey laif these drones are registered and they are at least 400 feet abo buildings, then they're legal. but they're clearly alarming people. and you can understand why, because it's been happening repeatedly. as some of those people in our story have said, they're just not getting answers from law

enforcement. >> and they're big, too. >> some as big as small cars. >> i didn't even know they could be that big. >> stay on this one, please. >> thank you, stef. still ahead, a study on popular weight loss drugs, comparing how well they work and their safety. we will break down your results and what you need to know if you are taking them or considering it. >> plus, vicky nguyen is trying out a popular way to save on gifts this season. >> good morning, guys. are you temu curious? this is a chinese shopping app a lot of people are seeing ads for. millions of products at rock bottom prices, but how well do those products perform? well, we tried some of them. you will want to see some of the results. that's coming up next right here on "today." . up to a travel mugs worth. rapid cold brew... way faster than the drive through. plus you get microfoam that's so luxurious. it's like sipping a cashmere cappuccino. anything they can brew,

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coming up on 7:38 now with today's holiday consumer. >> if you are in the middle of shopping for gifts and looking to save money, vicky nguyen is here with a story you need to see. what is it? if you are temu curious. >> you may all remember temu from its super bowl ad saying

you can shop by a billionaire. it is one of the most popular shopping apps out there because of the variety of items you can find at rock bottom prices. from juicers to hair tools and shoes. we tried it to help you decide whether to buy it. ♪ ♪ shop like a billionaire ♪ ♪ >> temu taking america by storm with millions of products for a fraction of retail prices. experts predict 1 in 5 purchases this holiday season will be made on chinese shopping apps like temu. tempted by $29 running shoes or a $14 smart watch? my nbc news colleagues and i tried six different products. the brand name retail price more than $1,000. the price we paid for temu versions $180. >> this is the oura ring and this is the smart ring. >> this woman wakes up at 4:30 every morning. so she spent $300 for the oura

ring to track her sleep, exercise and health. she compared it to the $16 ring from temu. >> it is consistent with the oura ring data. it is not telling you as much as the oura ring is telling you, but it gets the basic numbers down. >> the product was very glitchy. there were tons of ads. and my step count was over 5,000 off. >> these $29 running shoes look a lot like these $275 elite shoes. correspondent brian cheung laced up and took them for a 5k run. >> the sole is so stiff that you want more cushion in a running shoe. if you are doing longer distances or maybe even training for a race, i would not recommend these. >> i gave the juicer is spin. at $34, it is comparable to a $60 one. >> well, that was loud. >> the motor was powerful, and it delivered a delicious beet juice. no complaints from me.

next, a $29 hair tool, similar to the $570 dyson air wrap. we tried it out on savannah sellers. >> this is a lot louder. >> and also gets a lot hotter, too. >> the hair stylist noticed while they both have similar attachments, the quality is different. >> with the round brushes, they're about the same size, but the actual dyson, the bristles are a little softer. >> she compared them on multiple air hypes. she did one side of savannah's hair with each tool. the temu curls didn't last as long. >> it's been a half an hour, and my director said one side is looking '70s and one side is looking '80s. >> the expresso machine at $63. our producer says it took her several attempts to get the machine to work. >> it is definitely a little watered down and a little bit more sour. >> but she said it stuttered and became alarmingly hot. >> the machine is still really hot. coffee is everywhere.

>> mark is the editor-in-chief of tom's guide. they report on durability and safety tests for electronic products. >> what is your advice to people when they're buying specifically electronics on a site like temu. >> if it isn't a name brand, be wary. it is a lot like a scratch-off lottery ticket. sometimes you are a winner and sometimes you are not. >> he recommends home decor over gadgets and avoid products that must stay plugged in. its smart watch were been the margin of error. that the expresso machine got hot because of a preheating option and that it suspended the running shoes from sale. >> okay. what if you find something and any number of those things happen. can you return? >> you can. our experts recommend keeping the bar code, at least. overall officially 3 out of the 6 products worked.

this smart ring stopped tracking her sleep two weeks in. so that's the thing. sometimes these things look good and on first blush they work, but then other times they just don't. and then, you know, for example, you buy something like these headphones. you can't really try them on. so they end up being smaller perhaps than you think or lighter weight. the materials aren't what you expect or they promise features they don't have. that's why you want to be careful and cautious about what you buy. >> electronics seem like -- >> our expert recommended, if it's fashion, home decor, containers to store your shoes in, that's fine. something that has to stay plugged in or is electronic, that's where you might want to give it pause. >> if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. >> and even if you can return it, who wants to take the time? it's wasteful to get these electronic products to find out

they are not what you expected, so maybe save up and buy the item that you really want because you know it will last. you will have a warranty, it will be easier to get fixed. >> all right, cool. thank you, vicky nguyen. about that time to get a check of the weather, mr. roker. >> always reliable, that forecast. >> i guess i will have to return that nuclear reactor. got that temu deal and it just doesn't work. anyway, we are looking -- pardon? >> amazon for your nuclear reactor. >> there you go. so we got this existing cold air in the northeast great lakes. our next surge of arctic air is coming in out of canada. look at these temperatures. international falls 17. chicago 37. boston 36. then temperatures tomorrow really start to take a bit of a tumble. chicago, a high of 28 degrees. memphis 39. bismarck 17. d.c. 39 degrees. and it turns a little milder as we head to the weekend. by sunday, new york, 6 degrees. 60 degrees in atlanta. that

outside in walnut creek. a chilly morning, but it is all clear. and we still have that layer of that pollution that's been settling in, affecting our air quality across the bay area will be moderate today, as our high temperatures head for the mid to upper 60s. in the south county, we're once again in the low 70s and our weather is on. we're not seeing much of a change tomor and that's your latest weather. guys? >> all right, al. thank you. all right. call and a comeback. inside the big business of books with bighains and shops racing to open new stores from coast-to-coast. that story and your morning boost coming up. but, first, these messages. . the plans available in your area, you may be eligible to get extra benefits with a humana medicare advantage dual-eligible special

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already be part of our large humana networks. so, call the number on your screen now to speak with a licensed humana sales agent. wouldn't you love benefits like a monthly allowance to help pay for eligible groceries, utilities, rent and over-the-counter items? so, if you have medicare and medicaid, call the number on your screen now and speak with a licensed humana sales agent. if you're eligible, they can even help enroll you over the phone in a humana medicare advantage dual-eligible special needs plan. and remember, annual enrollment ends on december 7th. so, call now. humana. a more human way to healthcare. there he is. wherever i go they always ask “where's waldo?” ah, you found me. never “who's waldo?” sometimes it takes someone who really knows you to make you feel seen. gifts that say i get you. etsy has it. upset stomach

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the holiday shopping in full swing. and a popular industry is making a big comeback. >> we're talking about brick and mortar bookstores. they're suddenly booming. in fact, barnes and noble opened up to 60 stores this year alone. jenna has been talking about this for a long time. maggie vespa is at one of them in chicago. hey, maggie. >> hey, guys. good morning. yeah, happy to take that cue from jenna. yeah, the secret is simple. they say the chain store vibes are gone and smaller, cozier vibes are in, often in unique spaces like this historic bank building in chicago. by the way, it is not just the chains. indy stores citing a surge in reading during the pandemic. they're thriving, too, setting the stage for a holiday bookstore battle. this holiday shopping season -- >> let's go to the brand-new barnes and noble.

>> book lovers are buzzing about a surge in brick and mortar. >> treat yourself to a new book or two or five. >> with reading retail giant barnes and noble opening up to 60 stores nationwide this year, the most in a sisingle yeasince 2007. one in chicago housed in this historic bank building. beloved by book talk and local shoppers. >> i think there is something special about looking at book covers. >> i saw a kids' book that i had when i was a child, so it just kind of warmed my heart. >> i love bookstores. i love them. >> is barnes and noble making a comeback? >> it's made a comeback. >> after years of declining sales, the ceo is working to turn the page with smaller stores, each with its own aesthetic. >> we gave back our stores to our teams to organize themselves, display books, whatever they like. >> i read you are aiming for indy bookstore vibes in barnes

and noble now. is that true? >> that's certainly true. >> speaking of, independent bookstores are booming, too, with nearly 300 opening nationwide in 2023, according to the american book sellers association, setting the stage for a literary face-off straight out of the rom-com classic "you've got mail". >> can we save the shop around the corner? >> yeah! >> when you first heard a barnes and noble was moving in down the street, what was your reaction? >> oh, gosh. i lost sleep. >> owners at this book cafe are stressed about the competition. but in a world of e-readers and online giant, amazon, are thrilled to see black and mortar thriving. >> i think every small town or any town in america deserves to have a bookstore that reflects them. >> that is a lovely neighborhood to think of every neighborhood, every town. >> yeah, yeah. isn't it great? i'll visit them all. >> yeah, i would go to all those bookstores, by the way.

it is worth noting bookstores big and small make the bulk of their money the holiday season. if you like this being a reality, think about buying those gifts, those books in person. barnes and noble for their part, they say sales are soaring and they're not done. they plan to open 60 more stores next year, maybe taking into account the idea for this new section, all the "today show" anchors' books in one place just for easy browsing. >> well done there, maggie. >> by the way, that is so cool. yeah. i do think it is so cool to be able to go into a place, open it up and read it. i get it. >> it is the whole experience. >> the smell of walking in is nostalgic. it just brings you to a good place. >> we have this bookstore up in our town. the chatham bookstore. from courtney to nick, they had this little kids' corner. it is still there. every saturday you go in and there are kids sitting there. >> i know you can buy books on amazon. but when you go into a bookstore, you see that book and you are like, wait, what about that one and you get into it.

>> you said for a while now we're all going into analog. >> absolutely. what is olis new again. look at the bookstore there new on our corner. >> yep, doing great. all right. coming up in "popstart," we've got it loaded with pop stars, pop songs and pop-tarts. all that coming up after your local news and weather. . still have moderate to severe ulcerative colitis... ...or crohn's disease symptoms after taking... ...a medication like humira or remicade? put them in check with rinvoq, a once-daily pill.

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[silence] the freestyle libre 3 plus sensor tracks your glucose in real time so everyone else doesn't have to, and over time it can help lower your a1c confident choices for more control of your life. this is progress. learn more and try for free at freestylelibre.us ♪♪ you'll love this! centrum silver is clinically proven to support memory in older adults. so you can keep saying, you mastered it! you fixed it! you nailed it! you did it! with centrum silver, clinically proven to support memory in older adults. good morning to you. it's 756. i'm kris sanchez. and i'm marcus washington. well, happening now we are moving you forwardrd, ying to understand the next steps for the city of oakland. after the mayor was recalled. i'm bob redell later this morning a10:00 at oakland city

hall. city council president nikki fortunato bass, along with other city leaders. they will outline the timeline for selecting someone to replace current mayor sheng thao, who you'll recall, was recalled from office during the election. this past november. city leaders also plan to go over a report from the city attorney that details when mayor chow will be officially removed from office, as well as how an interim mayor will be selected until a special election is held, which would most likely take place april 15th of next year. all right, let's take a look at our forecast. good morning kari. good morning. and we started out with cool temperatures and sunshine across much of the bay area. and that sun is going to help us out as we go into the afternoon. our temperatures warming up back into the upper 60s for the north bay, as well as the east bay, with some low 70s expected for the south county. this afternoon, morgan hill headed up to 73 degrees with some mid 60s in san francisco. and tomorrow is a repeat of today. not much of a

change. and we see this pattern holding for friday as well as the weekend. back to you. thanks, kari. be sure to watch our today in the bay live streaming newscast, which starts in just a few minutes. we're going to take a

♪ it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, winter wallop.

more snow on the way and record low temperatures. >> a lot of people are tire and frustrated. and the countdown to our tree light something on.n. alas the full forecast for tonight. then weight watching. the new study comparing two popular weight loss drugs. so what are the differences and which one works best? and style icon. we're celebrating carolyn bessette-kennedy's legacy ahead of a major auction. >> i feel like she was the epitome of timeless classic style. >> and we have those looks right here in studio 1a. all that, plus beyoncé's big news. and dan + shay help make the season bright. ♪ ♪ it's officially christmas -- >> with a live performance today, wednesday, december 4th, 2024.

♪ >> here for our fifth annirsary! >> hi, daddydy! >> from midland, texexas. >> celebrating our 60th birthday. >> from missouri! >> kentucky. >> knoxville, tennessee. >> danville, california. >> and duluth, minnesota. >> hi to our parents and our kids. >> back in caramel, indiana. >> sisters' trip from portland city. >> and des moines. >> lifelong "today show" fans from greenville, michigan. >> staying up late for the tree lighting, but woke up early for "today"! [ applause ] >> well, good morning, everybody. welcome back to "today." it is great to have you along with us on a wednesday morning. well, we told you our plaza crowd knows how to show up in

style. not only are they ready for the tree lighting, they are actually dressed like the tree in some cases, and we are here for it. >> there are two people dressed head-to-toe in tree outfits. >> it's giving christmas. >> it's giving. >> yes. let's get to our news at 8:00. we begin with that early blast of winter. tens of millions waking up to the coldest air of the season. in some parts of the country, dangerous snow and ice are still piling up. communities from the northeast to the great lakes trying to figure out what to do with all that snow after several days of accumulation, such as in erie, pennsylvania. let's check back in with al and what we can expect the rest of the week. >> more snow and more cold coming in. good morning, everybody. all the way from marquette, michigan, we're looking at snow. 19 million people under winter weather advisories. winter storm watches and we have some blizzard warnings down through west virginia. this cold canadian air coming

across the great lakes, picking up all that warmer moisture air. temperatures are in the 40s, mid to upper 40s. the great lake water cools off as it comes over the land. it will dump more snow. tug hill plateau could see another two feet or more just south of water town. between erie and watertown and the u.p. of michigan could see upwards of a foot. 17 million people under wind advisories, high wind warnings. wind gusts from chicago, minneapolis, state college, all the way to washington, d.c. springfield 43 miles an hour gusts. detroit 39 miles an hour gusts. so it will be windy and cold and snowy over the next several days. guys? >> all right, al. thank you. a new study out just this morning compares who popular weight loss drugs, wegovy and zepbound. the study was conducted by eli

lilly, who happens to be the maker of zepbound. dr. natalie azar is here to bring it all down. the fact that eli lilly conducted this particular study, tell us about the study, is it legit? >> oh, it's absolutely legit. we do like and do need to have head to head trials from different brand name drugs. and somebody has to sponsor the trials, so we see this all the time in our rheumatology drugs. we do see drugs going head to head. so we talked a lot over the last couple of years about what kind of weight loss could be achieved with wegovy versus with zepbound. this study compares the effectiveness of these two drugs together. what they found was that the weight loss with zepbound was significantly more than what was seen with wegovy. people could expect to lose 20% of their body weight and with wegovy, almost 14% of their body weight, which is approximately 33 pounds. this is consistent with what we have seen in the real world. so the difference between the

two drugs, zepbound is targeting two hormones. wegovy is targeting only one hormone. that's part of the explanation for why we see these differences. >> there are two different drugs, so what are the differences? >> yeah. i think a lot of people use ozempic synonymously with weight loss drugs. it is commercialized as mounjaro. that's for type two diabetes. zepbound for weight loss. a lot of times when we have done this topic, sort of like ozempic is to -- you know how we used to do that in school. >> sort of like pepsi is to coke. >> basically they were comparing zepbound versus wegovy and zepbound seemed to win out. >> based on the study, if you are on one should you switch to

the other or stay on whatever is working for you? >> i have had patients that have not responded well to one or tolerated something else better. we all know insurance dictates a lot of what's covered or not. if you are on something and it's working for you, no need to jump to the other drug. >> thank you. good news for frontier airlines passengers. we're looking for five star service. that airline will soon offer first class seating options. the denver-based airline says starting in september, it will add two rows of first class seats at the front of its airbus planes. that's not all, though. frontier also plans to increase some other perks like free companion tickets for its top tier frequent flyers. by next summer, customers will be able to redeem their miles to waive baggage fees for seating options as well. >> ready for a boost? >> yes, we are. >> a high school football team's dramatic entrance did not go

quite as planned. this is in chandler, arizona. here's what happened when the flaps of an inflatable tunnel failed to open. you saw it. the players tried to push through the flaps. then they trampled it. but the pyrotechnics went off without a hitch. despite that beginning, arizona college prep, they won that game. in fact, it was a blow-out. >> i mean, can we talk about the fact that you have high school football teams coming out like their division 1 college teams? >> i like. >> cool. >> okay, well done. speaking of football, by the way, remember the pop-tart that stole the show during last year's college season. remember that guy? let's just say he got toasted. now he needs to be replaced. how you can help pick the next beloved mascot. first we're celebrating carolyn bessette-kennedy's style legacy and getting a firsthand

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welcome back. carolyn bessette-kennedy remains an icon in fashion. >> this morning we do have an exclusive look at three of carolyn's most beloved jackets as part of sotheby's fashion icon sale. >> first, let's take a look back at her timeless style. >> carolyn bessette-kennedy was the style icon of her time. her simple, chic outfits and sleek hair were the height of '90s fashion. and 25 years after her tragic death, carolyn's style is still being discovered daily on social media. >> i feel like s the epitome of timeless, classic style. there is something about her specifically that, like, is just the blueprint. >> beautiful and elegant,

carolyn captured america's heart and the heart of america's most eligible bachelor. >> the closest we have to a crown prince was married over the weekend. >> carolyn grew up in greenich, connecticut and worked for calvin klein before she married john kennedy jr. the couple lived a glamorous life in new york city. but carolyn was most well-known for her every day looks, jeans and blazers, statement jackets and boots. immortalized as a fashion icon. shortly after her death, carolyn was remembered by her friends as exceptional. >> she was bright. she was beautiful. she was independent. >> you just pictured her always smiling. she was always laughing. really a lovely person. >> well, we're joined now by lucy bishop, fashion and handbag specialist at sotheby's. how is it they have come up for auction. >> well, that's a long story, but i'll tell you the short version.

it's been 25 years. it's hard to believe that these pieces a now officially vintage. these are collectible items. and how they came to auction is i called up rosemarie. i cold called her. >> this is caroline's friend that she gave these pieces to. >> exactly. these were given by carolyn to rosemarie. she was a very close friend. she was john's executive assistant. she worked very closely with him at "george" magazine and she was gifted these pieces and she's been holding on to them ever since and treasuring them. >> let's talk about this first piece. when you think of carolyn, i don't picture her in a leopard print, but she loved this one. >> she branched out in something more adventurous. this piece is more vintage, so it dates from around 1969. and she found it in a paris flea

market. and rosemarie was getting ready for a date, and she called up caroline and said, i'm going on a date. i don't know what to wear. i think every woman has had this exact conversation with one of her girlfriends. what am i going to wear? carolyn said, come around. we will find something, and she give her this print. >> how much would something like this go for? >> well, the auction already open. the test mates range, they start at $15,000 through to $30,000. the bidding has begun. if you want to know where they're at currently, you have to go to sotheby's.com. >> this is a wool coat, a prada jacket? >> yes. prada was one of carolyn's favorite designers. this coat in particular was evidently a favorite because she's photographed on so many occasions wearing it.

she also had it in different colors. you see, carolyn, if she liked something, she bought it in every color. >> it works. >> yeah, exactly. >> do you think the person that buys this will likely wear it or is it something to be displayed? in your experience, what happens with a piece like this? >> the beauty of an auction is we don't know what's going to happen until those final few minutes. i think it is unlikely. i think, you know, we've got a wide range of interest all over the world from museums, institutions and private individuals and collectors. >> let's go over here. this is really pretty. this is more of a suit jacket, less of an overcoat. does it come with the skirt or is it with the jacket? >> it is the jacket that carolyn is photographed in. this jacket is by a very avant-garde designer. she looked fabulous in it.

she's photographed with john arriving at an awards ceremony in new york and just looking incredibly chic. >> all these memories, too. >> thank you for bringing them to us. >> thank you for having me. >> all three of them, if you want to check it out, will be on display. the auction does run through december 17th. all right. let's head over to mr. roker and get a check of the forecast. hey, al. >> hey, hoda, thanks so much. snowy and windy around the great lakes today. however, it is going to be a really chilly start to the morning in the southeast and florida. rainy day with snow and wind in the plains. mild

>> la mejor hora de la mañana. with pop-tarts. >> we are going to start this morning with billboard, counting down its list of the greatest pop stars of the 21st century. so far the lineup as included lady gaga, drake, rihanna, taylor swift. so who is number one?tape. let's roll the tape. ♪ ♪ ♪ i could be your bodyguard ♪ ♪ >> and the crown goes to queen b, of course. billboard naming the 32-time grammy winner at the top of their list, explaining that, while taylor swift is the century's biggest pop star by the numbers, beyoncé won based on her full 25 years of influence, impact and evolution.

i think that makes sense. >> i don't disagree with that. >> you don't disagree. >> no. >> i'm glad you didn't because the beehive would go after you. we don't want to lose you. and spotify giving users all the data about their most streamed music of the year. the top three songs from around the world in 2024, sabrina carpenter's "expresso" at number one. followed by "beautiful things" and "birds of a feather" from billie eilish. we peek at our list. savannah, no surprise here, your number one song was, of course, "fortnight." you are not our only swifty on this couch because hoda's number one goes to "cruel summer." and, guys, it looks like you are on trend. taylor was the most streamed artist on the platform. >> w well, we e swifties and our kids have control of our spotify. >> that's absolutely why.

>> they don't just listen to a song once. >> over and over for days. >> craig, what did you have on repeat? >> if i'm not mistaken, it was your jam. it was shaboozey. that was my number one, number one song. ♪ >> al, what did you end up with? >> it's the same every year. >> a team? >> no, no. "philadelphia freedom". >> well, it's playing in your dressing room all the time. >> every morning, yeah. >> especially, we just talked sight. i just listen all the time. >> i also had a throwback. this is random. "the middle" by jimmy eat world. right? because of the kids. they want to listen to it over and over. >> my cousin-in-law is the drummer for jimmy eat world. >> can you let him know we're streaming that 24/7?

>> i'll let him know that. >> go to spotify and find your own recap. you know what you are up to all mother. next up, "gilmore girls." it is only one thing powerful enough to bring the e show bac >> please. please, please, please. >> how many cups have you had this morning? >> none. >> plus? >> five. but yours is better. >> you have a problem. >> yes, i do. >> junky. >> angel. you've got wings, baby. >> you've got wings. >> of course, coffee is bringing them back. this week, the stars reunited for a walmart holiday commercial. here's a peek. >> luke. >> lorelai. >> coffee, coffee, coffee. >> coming right up. >> luke, you shouldn't have. >> i had to. you're drinking me out of business. >> thank you. >> all right, luke. lorelai and kirk back for this

one. asked if there would be any more episodes of the program, that's up to the creator. fans will just have to keep their caffeinated fingers crossed. >> it is having quite the resurgence. >> it is, especially from the tween girls. >> and then it's streaming. >> all that's old is new again. therere you go >> that's what i'm banking on. >> hanging on to that one. >> all right. next up, it's wednesday. you know what that means? >> what? >> a new episode of "making space" just dropped. to find it, scan our qr code at the bottom of the screen. this week's guest designer and founder kendra scott opens up about what keeps her motivated. >> you know, i always just keep my head down. and every day i wake up and i'm never complacent. i want to be better than i was yesterday. no one can do it alone. and i say often i'm -- my name is on the brand. but it is the dna of all the people that have worked with me, worked with me, that have believed in me, that have been there for me. that is why i'm sitting here

today. >> it sounds like another great conversation. >> she is awesome. she really gives back, like beyond. she's a billion -- i mean, she's got a billion dollar company. started off with a woman just selling jewelry in a tray. and still she gives back and gives back. i think that's what keeps her going. just cool. >> all right. well, listen to the latest episode. just search for "making space" with hoda kotb wherever you get your podcast. hoda, we're not done with you just yet. you have a sneak peek at the latest issue of "people" magazine. it includes the most intriguing people of the year list. and look who's there. >> wait. why? >> yes. >> you're with quite the list of people, too. >> look at you. >> okay. wow. wow. >> is that taylor? >> i found you very intriguing. >> what was intriguing about her? we know, but what did they say? >> who knows? >> you have to actually buy the magazine.

>> you can read what's intriguing about hoda and everyone else, all the people featured on the list. pick up the latest issue of "people" on newsstands nationwide on friday. finally, we have been talking about it. pop-tarts. last year the beloved pastry announced its first ever edible mascot at pop-tarts bowl. maybe you remember this. rest in peace frosted strawberry. we have hot fudge sunday and now a mystery reveal is frosted cinnamon rolls. >> are we allowed to break these? >> yes. these are the mini versions. >> are you sure? >> you should ask somebody. >> they say it's okay. >> is that the cinnamon roll one? >> oh, this is strawberry. this is enormous. >> i like them toasted. >> me, too. >> you need a big toaster. >> oh, my god. cinnamon roll is a ten. >> really? >> can i have some? >> try it.

>> i'm okay with it. fans can vote for their favorite online, but it is the super bowl's mvp will choose which edible mascot makes it to mouth heaven. it's scheduled for december 28th. best of luck to all the colleges and all the pastries involved in there. coming up, we are so lucky. we have a legend here. zoe saldana is here to tell us about her new crime musical being hailed as one of the most original movies of the year. but, first, your local news. >> it's good. >> yeah, real good.

my favorite time of year. >> tonight on nbc. ♪ hey, everybody. we are back. welcome in. what a crowd. and look at these two. dan + shay, they are here, and they're going to treat us to an incredibly festive performance. and they're just helping us out. this is our toy drive spectacular. don't forget, you guys. you can get involved from home. all you ha to do is scan the qr code. head to today.com to find out how you can give some toys. >> it's quite the crowd out t here. >> dan + shay fired up, looking forward to their music. also, we have a chat with one of the biggest crowds in hollywood. zoe saldana, with two films earning more than $2 billion.

she's earning high praise for her roles, too. she will tell us all about it. >> okay. and then after that, jill martin is here with some holiday gift sets at deep, deep discounts. got a brand-new holiday steals and deals. >> all right. that time of year. >> coming up in the 3rd hour, stephanie ruhle is breaking down the first steps to creating a budget. >> guys, we want to see everyone out here on the plaza friday wearing your favorite pajamas. >> oh, pajama day? >> that's right. celebrating the 60th anniversary of the holiday classic rudolph. that's right. it's back on nbc, baby. >> where it should be. >> by the way, that was a brilliant idea. you all love rudolph. >> yes. so come back to the plaza on friday. wear long johns underneath. >> the ones with the footies and the trap door in the back. that will be great. well, anyway, let's show you what's going on. i will explain it to you later. christmas in rockefeller center tonight. wind gusts up to 25 miles an

hour.. la showers. the windchill will make it feel like a low 30s. and our weekend outlook, lake effect snow, great lakes. texas rain on friday. sunshine out west. a few showers in the pacific northwest and that expands on saturday. more snow showers in the east on saturday, and the rain continuing down through the gulf. sunday, sunday -- sunshine not as cold. that heavy rain moves up into the mississippi river valley. more s good wednesday morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. today we'll see temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s. it's back to what we saw yesterday with all of that sunshine and expected to repeat tomorrow as well as friday, with some cool overnight temperatures dipping down to the low 40s and then rebounding into the upper 60s. it looks like this pattern stays with us even into the middle of next week. with

>> look what's going on. >> you got the trees. we got santa, and we got rudolph. this is the best. >> it's the whole group. you have that look. >> the leaping santas, i love it. >> there you go. al? >> come on over here. look who's here. can only mean one thing. my mother texts me, which is jenna's read with jenna december selection? >> don't you like that i'm trying to pull it out of my pocket? i am so honored to announce this month's read with jenna pick. it is "devotions," the selected poems of mary oliver. this collection showcases her best work. it is a beautiful exploration of nature, love, what it means to be human and you know that i have been obsessed with mary oliver since my grandmother, jenna, would read to me her poems on the burnt grasses of

midland, texas. where you are discovering her for the first time or re-reading with me, you will find beauty and solace in her words. and hoda, you can get this for christmas -- >> by the way, i have a copy of that book. it is by my bedside. i open it in random places. it fills me up. it is that book. it is the book you want on your bedside table. >> right. "devotions" available wherever you buy your books. i prefer you to go to a local indy bookstore -- >> ever since you came here, you have been saying please shop at indy bookstores. i feel like that's something that caught on. >> thank you, hoda. read with us. this is a beautiful, beautiful book if you want some hope. send it to nancy. nancy is my number one reader. >> she really is. i am so glad you chose poetry. >> are you happy? >> very happy. >> a reminder, if you are still looking for that perfect gift,

our sponsor, audible, as a special liday deal. get this, a three-month subscription for 99 cents per month. that's cheaper than a coffee. so to get it, scan that qr code or head to today.com and be sure to shop some of my favorite audio books. >> good job. what a great one. all right. just ahead, she's a triple threat, acting, singing, dancing. she has a new movie. we will sit down with zoe saldana. but, first, this is "today" on nbc. .

been here before? or haven't been here at all? your nexfavorite thing about this place is waiting to be discovered. did you know you can do this? ... pretty cool, right? ... and you don't want to miss that. you can also ride this ... and then race on over to do this... and before you leave? you definitely wanna see that.

we are back at 8:37 with zoe saldana. she starred in four of the highest grossing folks of all time, including avatar, "avengers." now she is trying something new and exciting. it is a musical.

she takes on an unexpected assignment, helping a mexican cartel leader to fake their death to live authentically for their true self. take a look.♪ ♪ >> this has got it all. it's got crime. it's a musical. it's got an incredible plot. i am, so many things to be drawn to, but i was wondering about comfort zones. you know how sometimes we all live in our comfort zones? did this feel like a step outside for you? >> absolutely. but it was a familiar zone. this was something that i did as a child. i sang and i danced, and that was sort of like musical theater was a part of my life so

vividly. then as my career took off in acting, i was able to utilize all of those tools for other performances and genres, but never specifically for dance. so to get to reconnect and revisit that part of my life was extremely rewarding. >> beautiful. and this, you are doing this film in spanish. this is your first -- >> my first language, right. >> your native tongue. >> my native tongue. >> and the first time you have done it in a film. what did it feel like for you? >> it is amazing. we all have such a connection with the language spoken to us in our most vulnerable state, which is when we're very, very little and tender. you know, spanish is how my mothers and my fathers heal me and feed me and nurture me and celebrate me. i do that with my boys as well. so being able to sort of, you know, create -- perform a character like this that's all-encompassing who i am as an artist and a person was awesome. >> this plot was one that you must have leaned into it. how would you describe this

film? i know we did it in the intro. >> it is difficult to describe. i actually love the way that you described it because by not going into specific detail, you're still catering to that curiosity. this is a movie that will make you feel first and then think later. i think that sometimes, you know, films and art is meant to do that. if we approach art head-on, then we kind of rob ourselves from an emotion that maybe a piece of art is supposed to make us feel. it is about these four women that are growing up in extremely challenging environments. and, yet, their quest for love, self-love, self-acceptance and freedom is a familiar kind of theme for so many people. and the director is an amazing film maker. he's super, duper french. so he vacillates with so many dramas in this film without ever specifically staying in one. that's what makes the movie feel fresh.

it is provocative. it's brave. it's bold. but at the heart of it, it is really about love. >> you are such a cool human, by the way. you are just cool. i love there is a picture of you and your whole family. you guys were at the premier. to see you and your children and your husband in that beautiful scene. then they were telling me "people" magazine named you one of the most intriguing people. there are a lot of fun accolades coming your way, and i just want to say congratulations. >> thank you so much. >> you are a great person. i'm happy to sit with you today. >> thank y. so are you. merry christmas. >> we should mention that it is available to stream right now on netflix. coming up next, a few holiday steals and deals with jill martin filled with great gift sets. but, first, this is "today" on nbc.

jill's steals and deals is sponsored by wells fargo credit cards. credit cards made for the way

you live. that's real life ready. >> we are back at 8:44. steals and deals, the most wonderful time of the year. and what's more wonderful than giving presents to the people that you love? and to do that, we brought in the very best. our friend and lifestyle contributor jill martin is sharing some gift sets for everyone on your list. you know what to do. you scan that qr code just right below us right there. you scan that qr code at the bottom of the screen. what's up? >> hi. my sack is almost empty. i only have two more steals and deals. the north pole is almost finished. what's cool about this one is we did sets. you either get two or three of these. you can split them up, give separate gifts, you understand. >> oh. >> so this is a set of two. the retail $65, the deal price $29, 55% off. they're neoprene and machine

washable and water resistant. >> machine washable, that's key. >> you get the 10 inch and the 7.5 inch. why that's so cool. when you put your makeup in a makeup bag, it gets messy and then you can throw it in the washing machine. so a triumph. and there is interesting color blocks. i love orange and khaki. >> sunglasses? >> yeah. these are for women. the set of three comes in this beautiful box. retail $149, 73% off. what's great about these is i lose everything. so if i'm going to lose something, i wouldather wear them. i mean, these arare cool. but there is all different ones. and i have no -- this shape is for your face. wear what you want. have a good time. deal price $39, three in a set. >> satin pillow cases. >> these are an absolute triumph. these are monogrammed pillow cases, a set of two. retail $199, up to 76% off. i use these every night. i love that dan + shay is watching my every move. not only do they prevent breakage in your hair, if you put moisturizer on, it won't absorb the moisturizer you use.

>> our director. this is for you. you know dan uses a satin pillow case. >> every night. >> i knew it. i knew it. >> and moving on, everybody needs to exfoliate. just smell that. >> oh, that is nice. >> yeah. so these i love. the lalicious sugar scrub. deal price $29, 62% off. i think they're all unisex, but this one is the woodsy one designed for men. >> that's hot. >> that's hot, i love that. but you could split them up like if you have a book club. but all the sets are amazing. i can't pick my favorite. although, i love sugar coffee. >> look at how adorable these are. they're soy, so i knew you were going to say that. they just really bring out not only holiday scents, but ones you love. like this one is coconut lime. and i also love these because if

you put them in the freezer when you are done burning them, and they have 80 hours of burn time, you can use the mason jar as a vase. >> i also love the fact that they're made in the usa. let's talk about this stand. >> deal price $18, 60% off. you got two. who, when you are cooking, watching a movie, your kids are at a restaurant, i know you are not supposed to do that, but it's happens. i'm part of it as an aunt. but they're a set of two with beautiful colors. you could go with this hawaiian theme, flower theme, and a gift for everything. >> jill martin, love it. can you go through it one more time. >> absolutely. the monogrammed satin pillow cases, the sugar scrub sets, the surf's up candle holiday sets and the gator grip smartphone stand sets. >> jill martin, thank you, thank you.

to start shopping, scan that qr code or you can go to today.com/deals. you will find more exclusive deals. just ahead, dan + shay warming up for tonht's performance. ig known for pursuing your passions. no one wants to be known for cancer but a treatment can be. keytruda is known to treat cancer. fda-approved for 17 types of cancer, including certain early-stage and advanced cancers. one of those cancers is early-stage

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exploring ways to treat even more types of cancer. it's tru. keytruda from merck. see all the types of cancer keytruda is known for at keytruda.com and ask your doctor if keytruda could be right for you. the citi concert series on "today" is proudly sponsored by citi. ♪ >> welcome back. we are getting in the holiday spirit ahead of tonight's tree lighting with a festive performance from two of our favorite faves. >> dan + shay are out with a new holiday album. it is officially christmas, the double album. so it features timeless classics, some great new songs. and they will perform here one of their original tracks. y'all coming up with an original track at christmastime. >> all the christmas songs have already been written. mariah did it and now we're just picking up the scraps.

>> but you have done it. >> i don't know how we did it. it was crazy. i blame it on the little b of snow we got in nashville. we never get snow. y'all get snow all the time in new york city. we had rain at the parade. >> we remember that. >> we got a little snow and we were, like, we should make a christmas album. we got started on it and we were like, we should make two christmas albums. >> i love it. now, was there a big debate over which classics to do? because we all have our favorites? >> we kind of got to do all of them. i think every classic song that's on there were songs that we gratated towards and songs like "silent night" that we got to do that was really special. yeah. i would sing this for like the last ten years. i just walk in around christmas and sing ♪ chestnuts roasting on an open fire. >> you will perform tonight at the tree lighting. you were at the parade. what are you going to play for us right now? >> we will sing "take me home

for christmas." it's one of our favorite original christmas songs and we are fired up to sing it. >> all right. take it away, dan + shay.♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ when december comes ♪♪ when it's getting cold outside ♪♪ and the bags are packed ♪♪ i don't want to say good-bye ♪♪ when i see the trees light up ♪♪ when i hang the mistletoe ♪♪ and i'm by the fire ♪♪ i don't want ♪ ♪ ♪ baby, won't you take me home for christmas ♪ ♪ show me round your town ♪ ♪ take me where you used to watch the snow come down ♪ all of your traditions ♪

♪ i want to know 'em all ♪ ♪ you'll check every box off my list ♪ ♪ if you take me home for christmas ♪ ♪ yeah ♪ ♪ take me home ♪ ♪ i want to spend the night before ♪ ♪ drinkin' with your high school friends ♪ ♪ round the neighborhood ♪ ♪ we can do a little carolling ♪ ♪ watchin' santa fly ♪ ♪ cross a christmas moon ♪ ♪ don't need gifts this year ♪ ♪ if i got you ♪ ♪ baby, won't you take me home for christmas ♪ ♪ show me round your town ♪ ♪ take me where you used to watch the snow come down ♪ ♪ all of your tradition ♪

♪ i wanna know them all ♪ ♪ wanna be by your side ♪ ♪ when you open your eyes ♪ ♪ and say, baby, it's christmas ♪ ♪ yes i do ♪ ♪ ooh ♪ ♪ baby, won't you take me home for christmas ♪ ♪ show me round your town ♪ ♪ take me where you used to watch the snow come down ♪ ♪ all your traditions ♪ ♪ i want to know 'em all ♪ ♪ you'll check every box off my list ♪ ♪ if you take me home for christmas ♪ ♪ oh, yeah, babe ♪ ♪ take me home ♪ ♪♪ um-da ♪

♪ dum-da, dum-da ♪ ♪ oh ♪it, baby ♪ da-da-da ♪ ♪ oh ♪ ♪ won't you take me home for christmas?it. >> i mean, that was awesome. and shay, you brought that home. by the way, that song ♪ >> come on! come on! >> well, that's how you do it. >> i mean, that was awesome. and shay, you brought that home. by the way, that song is so catchy and so awesome. >> i saw you singing along over there. >> you did it. you did the whole thing. y'all were awesome. give it up for dan + shay, everybody. they're back with more music in our next hour and we'll be at the tree lighting. be sure to join us. christmas at rockefeller center right here on nbc. >> we are back after your local news. bye! .

the happiest place in the high desert was not what it marcus washington oakland leaders today will lay out the plan to replace recalled mayor sheng thao council president nikki fortunato bass will reveal the proposed timeline for selecting a new mayor in a special election. council members also plan to go over a recent report from the city attorney. that report details when mayor tau will officially be removed, as well as the selection of an interim mayor. until that special election takes place. happening now jurors started deliberations in the murder trial of nima momeni. he's accused of stabbing cash app co-founder bob lee last april in san francisco. now, if convicted, he faces life in prison. our ginger conejero saab is insidthee

this morning on the 3rd hour of "today," the big dig.