into our newsroom, an appeals court has removed prosecutor fani willis from georgia election case. this is against trump. we will have a full update for you coming up during our 8 a.m. streaming newscast. all right. the big weather story and traffic story is the fog that you might encounter as you leave the house. yeah. and that's going to today. it looks like it clears up a little bit more quickly. so temperatures will be slightly warmer. our next round of rain comes in on saturday. and not foggy necessarily in mountain view, but this crash has been called an alert now by chp because three lanes of northbound 101 are blocked just about ellis street. that's just north of where 237 and 101 come together. you see the slowing despite lighter traffic. all right. thank you. mike. well, that's what's happening here on today in the bay. keep it right here. because today show is coming up. that's right. and at 8:00 will be streaming over on roku and your other streaming platforms. we're going to talk about more. another power hike for pg&e, potentially. here we go. all right. have a good morning. we'll see

americans coast to coast waking up to major breaking news. >> a strike at amazon during the final push to christmas. good morning. it's december 19th. this is "today." >> breaking overnight. walkout. thousands of workers and drivers at amazon hitting the picket lines on one of the busiest shipping days of the year. the largest ever strike against the retail giant said to impact holiday deliveries across the country. we'll have everything you need to know. chaos on capitol hill. republicans under pressure from president-elect trump and elon musk. rejecting a deal to avoid a government shutdown. democrats voicing frustration. >> it's bizarre and disturbing and dangerous. >> with the clock ticking, the potential toll on holiday travel, federal workers and

military families. we're live in washington. new twist. the fbi linking a california man to the deadly mass shooting in the school in wisconsin. the 20-year-old detained overnight. straight ahead, his connection to the female shooter and the alleged attack they may have been planning together. royal family drama, prince andrew expected to skip two beloved holiday traditions after being caught up in a new scandal, this time over his ties to an alleged spy. inside the growing fallout and what the prince is saying about his latest controversy. those stories plus on the move. the holiday travel rush kicking into high gear today, expected to smash even more records. but winter weather threatening to impact the plans of millions of americans all across the country. al's full forecast just ahead. and oh, what fun. ♪♪ >> that's cool. >> from 30 rock thrills --

>> oh, my god. >> and unforgettable adventures in paris. >> it's like a postcard wherever you look. >> to packed concerts. ♪♪ >> and epic stars. >> hey, let me get this weather together real quick. >> a look back at the amazing moments we shared this year, today, thursday, december 19th, 2024. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning. welcome to "today." it's a thursday morning. happy to have you with us. we like our annual look back. we remember all of the things that happened. >> it's so fun. we always ask how that all happened in one year. it will be a good time to look back and enjoy in a few.

we have to look ahead. six days left to christmas and hanukkah. it's a busy time and it could be getting even more hectic. >> we have a live shot of the u.s. capitol, by t way, where lawmakers have less than 48 hours to keep the government open through the holidays. >> okay. i see your government shutdown and i'll raise you breaking news for anyone ordering last-minute gifts online. the have launched what they're calling the largest strike against amazon in u.s. history and of course, it is playing out during the busiest time of the year. >> we have it all covered. we start with priya sridhar outside the amazon facility in atlanta. priya, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, hoda. that's right. just a few hours ago, the teamsters began striking at several amazon facilities, including this one outside atlanta, california, new york city, and illinois, calling it the largest strike against amazon in u.s. history. the union says this nationwide action follows what it describes

as amazon's repeated refusal to follow the law and bargain with the thousands of amazon workers that organized with the teamsters leaving consumers wondering how all of this could affect their deliveries just days before christmas. this morning, a holiday headache that could derail deliveries for amazon shoppers.s. just days before christmas, the teamsters union announcing that some workers at amazon facilities will start striking across the country. >> we want reasonable benefits and sick pay without being fired. >> vacation time. better safety. >> reporter: the teamsters say union workers will join new york city, atlanta and california and illinois. others are prepared to join them. the group's president writing, if your package is delayed during the holidays, you can blame amazon's insatiable greed. the teamsters say 10,000 delivery drivers and workers at amazon facilities have joined the union.

amazon employs 1.5 million in its warehouses and corporate offices. the union says it's striking over pay and working conditions. >> the pain we have. >> it's horrible. >> reporter: amazon says the teamsters quote intentionally mislead the public saying in the statements earlier this week, disputing that the union represents thousands of employees and drivers and saying it attempted to coerce amazon employees and third-party drivers to join them. amazon also says it doesn't expect an impact on its operations. but labor experts say the timing of strikes is strategic. >> you want to make sure that the customer desperately wants to get their packages. that puts more pressure on the company to go to the bargaining table and get results. >> reporter: the strike leaving shoppers wondering about their deliveries during the peak of the holiday crush. amazon went on to stay the

teamsters conduct the past week has been illegal. the teamsters for its part says it wants amazon to recognize its union. it's unclear at this point just how long the strike could potentially last. hoda. >> priya sridhar there for us in atlanta. priya, thank you. now, to the looming and growing threat of government shutdown. a funding plan to avoid that is now teetering on the brink after president-elect trump and elon musk weighed in against it. and the deal fell apart. ryan nobles is joining us with the latest. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. simply put, congress is running out of time. the deadline to fund the government is tomorrow at midnight and right now, they do not have a proposal with enough votes to pass both the house and senate in time. in the span of just a few hours, a massive bipartisan spending deal, agreed to by leaders in the house and senate went from a glide pass to passage to dead on arrival. killed by president-elect trump

urged on by his adviser elon musk. now congress is racing to avoid a shutdown which would halt some government services and leave many federal workers and military members without a paycheck around the holidays. the original deal hatched by speaker johnson included $100 billion in disaster relief and $10 billion in aid for farmers. but it also included a long list of pet projects from lawmakers from both sides, like a provision to increase the pay of members of congress. some hard-line republicans already opposed. >> this is a [ bleep ] i don't know how to say that. we're forced into this. >> reporter: musk will lead the effort to cut government spending and has been close to the president-elect throughout the transition period. the billionaire regularly posting a tax on the bill, writing yesterday, who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to beoted out in two years. trump himself quickly followed suit. encouraging his gop colleagues

to get smart and tough, if democrats threaten to shut down the government unless we give them everything they want, then call their bluff. >> this is why we won on november 5th. everyone is sick and tired of over spending. >> speaker johnson noting musk's influence earlier yesterday. >> elon and vivek and i are on a i was explaining to them the background of this. remember, guys, we still have just a razor thin margin of republicans. >> reporter: now he's back to square one, forced to rewrite the original bill for a much smaller version. house democrats are warning their support for a new package is no guarantee. >> house republicans will now own any harm that is visited upon the american people that results from a government shutdown or worse. >> reporter: and amidst all the chaos around government funding, two sources familiar with the process tell nbc news that the

house ethics committee voted in secret to release their report into former congressman matt gaetz. it is expected to come out right as lawmakers leave for their holiday break. gaetz pushed back on the news of the report's release, saying his conduct was embarrassing but not criminal, and pointing out that the justice department chose not to charge him with any crimes. savannah. >> ryan nobles on the hill for us, thank you. let's move now to breaking news overnight in the wisconsin school shooting investigation. federal agents have now detained a 20-year-old man in california who they say was communicating with the teenage shooter. nbc's shaquille brewster has details. hey, shaq, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, hoda. a major twist in the investigation that may potentially shed light on a level of planning ahead of the shooting. it came almost exactly as we learned new information about the people killed. overnight, we learned a man in california was detained for his connections to the 15-year-old

wisconsin school shooter. authorities say natalie rupnow shot and killed a teacher and fellow student at abundant live christian school on monday before taking her life. according to a restraining order 20-year-old alexander paffendorf had been communicating with the teen. the document says he admitted to the fbi agents he said he would arm himself and target a government building. police and fbi went to his home on tuesday to confiscate his weapons and ammunition. a major update as the madison community is still in mourning. >> it is hard to see a community like this being so torn apart. >> reporter: for the first time, the two victims shot and killed have been publicly identified by the medical examiner's office. 14-year-old freshman, rubi vergara, remembered for her gentle and loving heart. she was gifted in art and music. the school says the other victim, 42-year-old staff member

erin west, served our teachers and students with grace, humor and wisdom. as new video shows students retrieving belongings from the school that they were forced to leave behind immediately after the shooting. >> you can't believe the horror. >> reporter: charles moore, the head of the network of schools that includes abundant life says the two students who remain hospitalized are in, quote, grave condition. >> that's on our hearts and minds every day. >> reporter: we know that california man was detained, but it's not clear if he was arrested. the fbi san diego office not commenting on this case, but madison police saying separately that they recovered two guns inside the school. they say that the atf helped them trace those weapons but they're not releasing any more information into that as they try to figure out how this teenager was able to obtain the gun. hoda. >> shaquille brewster in madison. thank you. a developing story overseas

this morning. russian president vladimir putin holding his traditional end of year news conference this morning nearly three years into the ukraine war and days after the assassination of one of his top generals in moscow. nbc's chief international correspondent keir simmons was there. he joins us. keir, good morning. >> reporter: savannah, good morning to you. after a series of questions by nbc news, president putin made news. he says he has not yet spoken to former president assad of syria since he fled here to russia. he promised to ask assad about the missing journalist austin tice. he said he hasn't spoken to president-elect trump in four years and there are no plans of a meeting. this morning, president putin holding his traditional end of year question and answer session. a marathon over many hours, just

days after a russian general w s assassinated in moscow. putin was asked about ukraine. >> translator: i have to say the situation is changing drastically. our military men are regaining territory by square kilometers. >> reporter: nbc news asked the russian leader about the incoming trump administration and about the overthrow of president assad, who putin propped up for many years. the fall of the syrian dictator seen as a defeat for russia's autocrat. >> reporter: large numbers of russians have died, including a general assassinated this week in moscow. the leader of syria overthrown. mr. president, when you face president-elect trump, you will be the weaker leader. how do you propose to compromise? what are you going to offer? >> translator: you said this conversation will take place when i am in a position of weakness. you and those that are paying you in the united states might really want russia to be in a position of weakness. i have a different position on this. i believe that russia has become

significantly stronger over the last two to three years. why? because we are becoming a truly sovereign country. >> reporter: last night, the mother of american journalist austin tice, missing in syria for 12 years, wrote to president putin asking the russian leader to help find him. you have profound connections with the syrian government, she wrote, in the letter obtained by nbc news. she said she would be willing to travel to moscow if it would help bring austin safely home. >> reporter: the mother of american journalist, missing in syria, austin tice has written to you and asked for ysh help to try to find him. are you prepared to ask president assad for information about what happened in syria? >> translator: i haven't met wi assad since his arrival i moscow, i promise, i will ask him this question. >> reporter: savannah, i pressed him on whether he would be prepared to compromise over ukraine. he said politics is the art of

compromise. his first comments since the assassination of the general in moscow, he said it shows the nature of the key regime. savannah. >> keir simmons, thank you very much, appreciate it. 7:15, craig joins the table. the weather is the story of the day. >> oh, yes, hoda, savannah, good morning, good morning to you as well. six days to o go, the liday travel rush is on. it's off, it's running, set to shatter another round of records at airports coast to coast. here's the thing, though, severe weather threatening to throw a grinch-like wrench in the plans of millions of travelers. we will get to mr. roker's forecast in a moment. we have maggie vespa at the minneapolis airport where it is cold and snowy. hey there, maggie. >> reporter: good morning. it is absolutely brutal out here. all of this falling just in the last couple of hours. that's how intense it's been, and it's already throwing a

wrench into some holiday plans. here, minneapolis airport officials implementing a temporary ground stop earlier this morning. that's since been updated to a ground delay. all of this as millions of americans get that jump art on their holiday travel. this morning, america's holiday home stretch on a collision course with yet another record travel rush and the headaches it can bring. >> i just learned that my flight has been canceled, so i am trying to get to a new flight right now. >> we had a lot of time, our flight is not until 2:00, we're about two and a half hours earlier. >> reporter: why did you do that? >> just in case. traffic, crazy crowds. >> reporter: aaa says at least 119 million americans are slated to hit the roads and the skies for the holidays, with the tsa predicting nearly 40 million passengers will pass through airports between today and january 2nd, up more than 6% from last year. this as mother nature could

disrupt even the best laid plans with parts of the upper midwest expecting up to half a foot of snow by friday, while down in florida, heavy rain, flooding streets in fort lauderdale. some major airports already making adjustments. >> we're asking all of our passengers to please show up on time. >> reporter: after a record setting, yet largely smooth thanksgiving crunch, airlines say they are ready for the next big test. >> christmas is going to be another gang buster travel period. >> reporter: united airlines ceo scott kirby telling tom costello, safety remains paramount. gas prices on average down from a year ago. now,ust over $3 a gallon. experts advising drivers to plan for potential weather and traffic delays, and avoid traveling while tired. tips to get where you're going

safely and make merry with the ones you love. all right. if you still have flexibility in those holiday travel plans, this might not be, as the wind picks up, the most popular option. but experts recommend actually traveling on the holidays, if you can, christmas eve, christmas day, new year's eve, new year's day. the roads an absolute mess. planning around weather, craig, is key. >> amen to that. get inside, maggie vespa in minnesota. thank you. al is keeping his eye on the weather, and this is the story. >> that's right. here we go, and you saw the snow in maggie's live shot. here it is, verification on the radar. we've got heavier snow, part of an alberta clipper, from bismarck to the north of chicago, winter weather advisories, winter storm warnings as well. this alberta clipper comes across. arctic air starting to spill into the plains, record warmth down south, the rain will end in florida.

we'll start to see sunshine, especially down in alberta, in orlando, i should say, midwest, northeasternrn hubs, droit, chicago, all may have some problems. boston, new york, philly, some delays, looking good in washington, d.c., st. louis, a problem or two. if you're going to be driving along i-76, i-81, i-90, i-80. slick spots, watch for that. we move into saturday, especially the eastern lakes, chilly in the southeast, heavy rain along the pacific northwest coast into parts of northern california. and then on sunday, the coldest air of the season moves into the great lakes, the northeast, mid atlantic states, but sunshine across the south, we're looking for an atmospheric river in the pacific northwest. again, right now, that's going to be limited there. much of the weather on sunday across the country, looking pretty good. we're going to get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds.

(twinkle sound) if only you could get her (dolphin sounds) a little bit of all the things. ohhh... don't overthink it. give something beautiful. the best beauty gifts are only at sephora. making it into the low 60s for the inland areas. and tomorrow will be a repeat of today, starting out with clouds and then a lot of sunshine. but as we welcome in winter, we'll see scattered showers, the north bay seeing the highest chance of that rain, and then mostly cloudy from sunday into monday, with rain returning going into early next week on christmas and that's your latest weather, guys.

>> al, thank you, more drama surrounding the royal family, prince andrew is at the center of a new controversy after being linked to a spying scandal. nbc's liz kreutz is following that story. hey, liz. >> good morning. the uk authority is saying the brother, why it's prompting prince andrew to bow out of the family's christmas celebrations. plus, tis the season for holiday tipping, so who should get one, how much, is giving an actual gift okay?

all right, so this is one of our favorite mornings of the year. >> it is! >> from so this is one of our favorite times of thyear. >> yes, from memorable concerts to stars in 1 a to the thrills and excitement of the paris olympics, we're going to look back at all the fun we had in

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good morning to you. it is 726. i'm kris sanchez and breaking this morning. bay area amazon workers are joining a nationwide strike. our bob redell is here monitoring that. bob what's happening? well good morning to you, chris. the big question is what kind of impact will this have on operations? amazon says the strike does not expect that to have any impact. a labor relations professor who spoke to nbc news doesn't entirely agree. says if your item is already in route, you should be okay. but if it's still at the warehouse, could be a problem. so here you go. workers in san francisco, they walked out about 90 minutes ago. they're at the amazon warehouse there on toland street, not far from bayview hunters point. the teamster union that represents delivery drivers for amazon and workers at amazon facilities and warehouses, says thousands of its members at nine amazon facilities nationwide are going on strike today. the union authorized the strike earlier this week because it says amazon is refusing to negotiate for a fair contract. that, quote,

guarantees the wages, health care and safety of its workers, and also because they won't recognize them as union employees. bob redell, nbc bay area news. thanks, bob. we've been tracking some patchy fog in parts of the bay area and starting out clear this morning in oakland. at least we are seeing clear visibility there, but we've seen some patches of fog in the north bay as well as the delta. and once that clears up, we are going to have a nice afternoon. high temperatures reaching into the low 60s and the potential of fog once again tomorrow morning. partly cloudy throughout the day and for our first day of winter we'll see some scattered showers and more rain next week. chris. all right. thank you. kari. don't forget you can watch today in the bay live as we stream at 8:00 this morning. for many workers, working remote is about to get farther away in the rear mirror. we will talk about the corporate changes coming in the new year. you can watch on roku,

♪el ♪ ♪ the first noel the angels did say ♪ ♪ was to certain poor shepherds in fields where they lay ♪ ♪ in fields ♪ >> we are back at 7:30. that will put you in the right frame of mind. music from the national children's chorus, we are so happy to have them here. this is our annual choir week. those voices, they're going to share them with us all morning long. >> grammy winners on top of all of it. amazing. we have a lot to get to this half hour. we're starting with new drama inside the royal family. >> prince andrew is reportedly going to be missing several holiday gatherings, including the lunch hosted by the king today after his name surfaced in

connection with an alleged spying case. >> nbc's liz kreutz has the story this morning. hi, liz, morning. >> hey, guys, good morning. this is the latest controversy surrounding king charles' younger brother. prince andrew will not be joining the usual christmas traditionings. the prince felt this was the right thing to do after being back in the headlines over his involvement with that alleged chinese spy. the holidays may look a little different this year for the royal family. according to the bbc, citing royal sources, king charles' youn young brother prince andrew is stepping away from two christmas celebrations, the traditional holiday gathering at the country home of prince charles and queen camila. it comes after backlash to the connection to an alleged chinese spy. the bbc says the prince felt this was the right thing to do and that his ex-wife fergie helped to advise him in that decision. nbc news has reached out to

buckingham palace for comment. >> this is a huge blow to andrew. he has lost any sort of public life and work, and now he's having to absence himself from private family gatherings. >> prince andrew's decision to keep a low profile comes after the duke was recently linked to a alleged chinese spy, he developed a degree of trust from the man who was barred from the activities. yang denies the accusations, and prince andrew in a statement to nbc news says he ceased all contact with the individual once concerns were raised, adding, they never discussed anything sensitive. it's the latest controversy surrounding the scandal-prone royal, who once stood second in line to the british throne. he was stripped of his royal duties after being linked to convicted pedophile jeffrey epstein and accused of sexual assault, allegations he denies.

>> however difficult the situation is, he remains the king's brother. situation, he remains the king's brother. he's not going to be completely cast out. >> so, liz, what do we expect the royal family's christmas celebrations to look like this year, then? >> as always, it's going to start with the king's christmas lunch at buckingham palace today. the biggest event is christmas day when 45 members of the royal family will gather at the king's sand ring ham estate. the tradition is one of the highest profile events for the family. prince andrew was on the walk last year, but not this year amid the latest controversy. savannah. >> liz, thank you. still ahead, new developments this morning in the ceo murder case. the accused gunman preparing to be extradited back to new york. we'll have the latest in a live report. first, we have some very timely tips and advice when it comes to holiday tipping. we'll have that for you right after this.

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[background chatter and laughter] ♪ despite last minute stress, ♪ ♪ few were livering except walmart express. ♪ ♪ stockings were hung by the fireplace with care, ♪ ♪ knowing in about an hour ♪ ♪ stuffers would soon be there. ♪ express delivery to y'all, and to all a good night! if you have wet amd, you never want to lose sight of the things you love. some things should stand the test of time. long-lasting eylea hd could significantly improve your vision. more people on eylea hd had no fluid in the retina compared to those on eylea at 4 months. eylea hd is the only wet amd therapy that helped 8 out of 10 people go up to 4 months between injections after 3 initial monthly treatments. if you have an eye infection, eye pain or redness, or allergies to eylea hd, don't use. eye injections like eylea hd may cause eye infection, separation of the retina, or rare but severe swelling of blood vessels in the eye.

an increase in eye pressure has been seen. there is an uncommon risk of heart attack or stroke associated with blood clots. the most common side effects were blurred vision, cataract, corneal injury, and eye floaters. and there's still so much to see. if you are on eylea or a similar type of treatment, ask your retina specialist about eylea hd today for the potential for fewer injections. how much did you guys tip? >> we were going to give 50. if you guys gave more, we don't want to look bad. >> this year, we made them home made cookies. >> and 25 it is. >> we are back with a friendly reminder that it is that time of year again for tipping, the service and care workers in your life. >> who exactly should you be tipping, how much is appropriate? >> brian cheung has all of the answers. he's nbc's business correspondent. we have done some stories over

the past few months, about tipping in this country. do we think that's going to have any effect on tipping during the holiday season? >> there was a bank rate survey that said a third of americans think tipping culture is out of control. the holidays are the time to recognize people in your life that make a contribution over the course of the year. you want to prioritize the people when it comes to giving tips to services you use the most, the people that dap you up every time you walk into your apartment building and whose work makes the biggest impact on you. this would be the time to do it. and peopleo expect to tip more than they did last year for those types of people. >> let's start with in and around the house, like a housekeeper, that kind of thing. >> starting off with a caveat that these are guidelines, not necessarily hard rules. this is part of the culture, coming from emily post institute, for housekeepers and dog walkers, generally a week's pay. for regular babysitters, one evening's pay, these are for people who are regularly around the house.

for those that help around the house, you maybe see on a more sporadic basis, handyman, 15 to $40. apartment building staff, doorman, 15 to $80 each is the guideline. >> outside of the house, you go out for a blow dry or the same place to get your nails done. >> people you may not see every day but on some regular basis, the guideline is about the cost of one appointment in terms of a tip. so pet groomer, massage therapist, personal trainer, nail technician, you want to keep them happy. they probably know you better than most people, about one appointment is the guideline. >> aren't there certain workers who can't accept tips? >> this is very important. when it comes to certain types of workers, you have to be careful. in some cases, they can't take a cash gift. i'm thinking of, for example, usps, your mailman, they can't take any gift over $25, and they can't take cash at all. in that case, maybe baked cookies would be good for them. nursing home employees and trash and recycling collectors, they

have policies with their companies and the local municipalities, that they have to play by as well. that's different depending on what company you look at and where you live. double check online. >> school supplies helps with that. >> that's a good idea. what are some gift ideas if you can't do cash for whatever reason. >> teachers, and it's interesting because some surveys show that on a median basis, people plan to tip their teachers, $25 is the median. in many cases, they don't want to give cash to the teacher, they choose not to do that, at the same time, you don't want 20 parents to come in with mugs. maybe coordinate something that could be useful, for example, supplies for the classroom, that could be helpful as well. >> gift cards for a blow dry is good for a teacher. >> for sure. how much should you tip a weatherman? >> a weatherman, i mean, for this one, it's unlimited. >> priceless. >> priceless. >> my tip is to shutup. that's what they tell me to do. it's going to be cooling down

here in the northeast today. clouds and fog that we're dealing with in parts of the bay area this morning, clearing out and temperatures headed for the low 60s. cold again tonight and we'll see a repeat tomorrow, the first day of winter. that's when rain comes back. we'll see scattered showers coming in, mainly for the north bay and cloudy for the rest of the weekend, and another widespread rain event coming in on ch and that's your latest weather. weather, guys. we're marking a special milestone for the queen of christmas, right after this. fun recip... (high pitched sound)

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and a protein blend to feed muscles up to 7 hours. ♪♪ lets just get a closer look mom? nina, wait [elevator swoosh] [spell blast] [screams] five immersive worlds [lightning strikes] one amazing theme park our universe will never be the same mia? oh, youve got to see this epic universe, only at universal orlando resort (vo) chex party mix. mix up delicious holiday memories with epic universe, “snoopy” “charlie brown” and the rest of the gang. sharing that holiday feeling with chex never gets old!

i told myself i was ok with my moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis symptoms... ...with my psoriatic arthritis symptoms. but just ok isn't ok. and i was done settling. if you still have symptoms after trying a tnf blocker like humira or enbrel, rinvoq works differently. rinvoq is a once-daily pill that can rapidly relieve joint pain, stiffness, and swelling as fast as 2 weeks for some. and even at the 3-year mark, many people felt this relief. rinvoq can stop joint damage. and in psa, can leave skin clear or almost clear. rinvoq can lower ability to fight infections. before treatment, test for tb and do bloodwork. serious infections, blood clots, some fatal; ...cancers, including lymphoma and skin; serious allergic reactions; gi tears; death;

heart attack; and stroke occurred. cv event risk increases in age 50 plus with a heart disease risk factor. tell your doctor if you've had these events, infection, hep b or c, smoked, are pregnant oplanning. don't take if allergic or have an infection. done settling? ask your rheumatologist for rinvoq. and take back what's yours. (♪♪) we're back with carson. and we're back with a christmas classic. >> you hear that, that is. that's the best most popular christmas song. mariah carey, all i want for christmas is you, just turned 30. a look back at its record breaking legacy. >> good morning, and now it will be stuck in our heads all day. that holiday hit has made mariah carey the only artist in history to top the billboard top 100 chart across four decades. i guess you can call it the gift

that keeps on giving. ♪ >> from the fifirst noteo the unmistakable high note. ♪ mariah carey's "all i want for christmas is you" is instantly recognizable. singing her way into holiday history, now in the song's 30th year. >> i love the lyrics, and i like the, like, melody. >> it just became the first seasonal song to break 2 billion streams on spotify, and is already the only one to go certified diamond. ♪5 million in annual royalties for the queen of christmas. ♪ it's time ♪ >> reporter: a title she fully embraces, from her christmastime tour to her upcoming performance on nfl christmas game day. but even carey didn't expect the >> translated into big bucks,

song's meteoric success when she released it at 25 years old, nervous it was too early in her career for christmas music. >> i wanted it to be like, you know, make people happy and make myself happy. >> reporter: the carroll just crowned the billboard hot 100 for the 16th total week, the greatest dominance of any female artist, as others are trying to shake up the hearts with new holiday tunes. but they have a long way to catch the reigning queen and her history-making holiday hit. ♪ >> and guys, it's pretty hard to break into this genera. of the top five songs on spotify's most streamed holiday hits of all time, only one, ariana grande's, santa tell me, was released in the past decade. people want nostalgia. >> and that was prominent in the movie "love actually." >> all three of us have never seen it. >> please watch it this christmas! not on the list. emily, thank you for that story.

appreciate it. >> it's wonderful. >> feels like a good time for a boost. >> it's a christmas miracle for a grandma in connecticut. her daughter and son-in-law paid her a surprise visit just days after adopt ing a newborn baby. >> oh, my god. oh, my god. this is the best. this is the best. >> now, here's the reason this was such a miracle. michelle and her husband dan waited four years to adopt the baby. because of interstate adoption laws, sometimes you're not allowed to leave your state for several days. however, they got a green light, and they got to go earlier than expected. they decided to drive straight to connecticut to grandma's house and surprise her just in time for christmas. >> very sweet. >> that's a good one. still ahead thisorning, stars, singing, dancing, a lot of laughs, we're going to re-live

the fun we had this year on "today." but first -- get off that couch and come to old navy for holiday styles and steals! (vo) chex party mix. mix up delicious holiday memories with to old navy for holiday “snoopy” “charlie brown” and the rest of the gang. sharing that holiday feeling with chex never gets old!

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washington. happening now san francisco amazon workers joining a nationwide strike. those workers walked out early this morning picketing outside of the amazon warehouse south of potrero hill. now, that strike threat covers what now is believed to be a nine warehouse facilities across the country. teamsters accused the company of not recognizing the union or meeting the deadline to come to the bargaining table. amazon issued new comment this morning saying that any strike measures will not impact customers, while people on the pinsula will have the chance tonight to ask leaders about their response to the tsunami warning issued two weeks ago. members of san mateo county's emergency management department are leading a town hall meeting in half moon bay. you might remember that warning was triggered by a 7.0 earthquake off the coast of humboldt county. tonight's meeting will focus on ways to increase preparedness for future events like those. it starts at 6:00 tonight. it's at mavericks

house on broadway. if you want to go. let's get a look at that forecast for us today. kari, how is it shaping up? we've started out with some fog in parts of the bay area, mainly the east bay and the north bay. seeing the worst of it right now with a live look outside in walnut creek. it's going to be foggy at least through 10 to 11:00, and that's when the dense fog advisory will expire and their temperatures will be cooler. but elsewhere, where it's sunny, we're headed for the upper 60s and low 70s for the south county today, north bay in the upper 60s. and then we're going to see rain returning to the bay area for the first day of winter on saturday. back to you. all right. be sure to watch our today in the bay live streaming newscast. it starts in just a few minutes at 8:00. we'll talk about working remote. it's getting further away in the rear view mirror. will tell you why. you can watch on pluto and roku

it's 8:00 on "today," coming up, holiday walkout. thousands of workers and drivers at amazon hitting the picket lines this morning. >> what do we want? >> the largest strike against days before christmas, so how will it impact your deliveries? we're live with the latest. and tis the season, a major winter storm on the move this morning expected to create hazardous travel conditions. everything you need to know and al's full forecast straight ahead. plus, oh, what fun. we are looking back at some of our favorite moments from 2024. >> that's fun. >> but from the star studded guests. >> it had to be you ♪ ♪ wonderful you. >> to concerts and celebrations. >> let's dance, everybody. >> and everything in between. ♪♪ >> it's show time.

>> come join the party, today, thursday, december 19th, 2024. >> say cheese. ♪♪ >> celebrating haley's sweet 16. >> at the "today" show. >> experiencing christmas in new york from greenville, north carolina. >> norfolk, virginia. >> rhode island. >> and hopkins, west virginia. ♪♪ >> from o wings mills, maryland. >> brought mom to celebrate her 80th bld. >> -- birthday with savannah and hoda. >> come on, let's celebrate, we're ready. we're so happy you guys came out on this chilly thursday morning. we got a crowd. we've got some creative signs, and we're ready to go out and say, hello. >> as many people on as we can. got a busy one, let's get right to our news at 8:00, we're going to start with breaking news. thousands of workers at amazon

hitting the picket line this morning, less than a week before christmas, they want better pay, safer conditions, and longer breaks. nbc's priya sridhar is in atlanta, she's got the very latest on this breaking news. hey, priya, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, hoda. that's right, just a few hours ago, about 10,000 amazon workers and delivery drivers began striking at various facilities across the country, including this one outside of atlanta, california, illinois, and new york city. they're asking for better pay and working conditions, and they're calling it the largest strike against amazon in u.s. history. the union is calling this nationwide action against amazon after what it describes as repeated refusal to follow the law and bargain with the thousands of amazon workers who organized with the teamsters. amazon said in a statement that the teamsters' conduct over the past week and the past year have been illegal and that they're quote, intentionally misleading the public. they're saying that this is going to have a minimal impact

on its operations, but it's leaving consumers wondering just how all of this could affect their holiday shopping deliveries, especially since we're just days away from christmas. hoda. >> priya sridhar in atlanta, thank you. the accused gunman in the brazen murder of unitedhealthcare ceo is expected to be brought back to new york to face charges as soon as today, it comes after an appearance in a pennsylvania courtroom. nbc's stephanie gosk was there. stephanie, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. luigi mangione was here. he had his first hearing on the pennsylvania charges and he was scheduled to have a hearing on his extradition but he waived that hearing. what that meant is he was then transferred into new york authority y custody. we're told by a member of the nypd on the ground that he was going to be taken to a nearby airport and flown in a

helicopter back to new york wherhe would immediately go to court in southern manhattan where he would be processed, finger printed and eventually arraigned. we are also learning this morning that he could face possible federal charges, according to two sources familiar with the matter, they are considering federal crimes as well. his attorney saying that would be a pile on and she has constitutional concerns. savannah. >> stephanie, outside the courthouse. thank you very much. the oldest known stone tablet inscribed with the ten commandments sold for more than $5 million at an auction yesterday. the tablet dates from 300 to 800 a.d. and is inscribed with the commandments in paleo hebrew script. it was unearthed in israel in 1913. the 155 pound marble slab was purchased by an anonymous buyer who plans to donate to an israeli institution.

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♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ hit it! ♪ ♪♪ welcome back. jenna is here. sparkling. as we are about to celebrate the fun times we have shared here in 2024. but first, let's get a check of the weather. >> let's show you what we have going on outside right now. temperatures down here in the east, alberta clipper bringing snow across th

and that's and that's your latest weather. >> thanks, buddy. 2024 has been another event-filled year. right here on "today." >> we celebrated the plaza's 30th anniversary, we caught up with tons of stars. we rocked the paris olympics and so much more happened. >> sit back, relax, and enjoy all the fun times we have shared. ♪ we can defy the odds and make waves ♪ ♪ electric emotion connection ♪ ♪ that's the focus celebrate when you rise to the moment ♪ ♪ all across the globe let me hear you say ♪ ♪ yeah yeah yeah let me hear you say ♪ ♪ yeah yeah yeah yeah let me hear you say ♪ ♪ yeah yeah yeah yeah everybody say ♪

♪ yeah yeah yeah yeah ♪ ♪ >> how about that? that's a way to wake up. good morning, everybody. welcome to "today," nice to have you with us. >> good morning, sunshine. >> good morning, moon and stars. >> look who's here, bright, fresh. >> hi, good morning, everybody. >> sometimes i think people forget that taylor swift grew up on a christmas tree farm. >> she did? >> how did you know that? >> i'm a swifty. >> dropping knowledge, love it. ♪ it's your turn. >> candids. >> cameras posing, lots, candids. >> paparazzi. >> hot script. tell us, girl. >> any romantic scenes? >> with me? >> maybe. do you all feel like i have turned into kathie lee. >> that's a basket of our

ceremonies, we decided to toss them in that basket for the whole show. >> mr. daly is back here on the phone. >> you cheater. >> do you want "popstart," today, people? >> eye on carson. >> how many phones do you have? >> i want to be honest with this whole thing. >> i got the burner down here. okay. now we'ron the up and up. okay. >> the best eclipse ever. >> it really is. >> wait, are those moon pies? >> 3, 2, 1. oh, my gosh. >> we got the ticket. >> we ready. >> should we roll it? >> thank you for letting us impose. >> that's fun. come on. this is fun. you've taken three painting idiots and you've made it exciting. >> great job, guys.

>> what is this thing called again? >> toni nightmares. >> i don't le it. >> oh, my god. oh, just get out of here. >> oh, my god. >> and we're back celebrating 30 years on this plaza. >> this is the best part of the day, the heart beat of our show in so many ways. >> first day of breast cancer awareness month, we're so maep t happy thatou joined us. can we give a big round of applause for these lovely ladies in pink. >> we have a mini macy's thanksgiving day parade right here. >> we've got craig. >> where's craig? >> somewhere. >> oh, that's cool. >> let's dance, everybody. ♪ got to cut loose foot loose ♪ ♪ kick off your sunday shoes ♪ ♪ everybody cut foot loose.

>> wow. >> got you. nobody knew about that. hoda. >> that was awesome! ♪ >> bonjour say "today." do you know how high up we are, guys? we're on the eiffel tower, this is how high we are. >> loving the field trips. >> made our way to the louvre. >> it's like a postcard everywhere you look. >> a morning show in the early afternoon. i like the idea. >> i love the idea. >> it's the palace of versailles. >> right here where we're going. >> and now two more queens are walking, and a court jester. right, left. >> team usa, welcome experience, this is the very first stop, athletes come here, they get their gear. team usa! >> i don't think i have ever worked so hard for anything in my life. >> triple espresso, thank you for being with us this morning.

>> i'm just going to relax and see where life takes me. >> we have so many athletes this hour, i think we might need a bigger set. >> awesome athletes, here you are. >> usa, usa. >> too many medal winners to even count. >> you're making your country so proud. ♪ >> all right, everybody, thank you for being here. all right. here we go.like falling in ♪ it feels like falling in love ♪ ♪ baby for the first time ♪ ♪ baby it's my mind ♪ ♪ i'm going to take you past your limits ♪ ♪ i got a spaceship come get in it ♪ ♪ love's going to take you to the moon ♪ ♪ i want to get away i want to fly away ♪

♪ yeah yeah yeah ♪ ♪ oh yeah american child ♪ ♪ a woman need love players never dreamed of can't buy love if you play your hand then it's bye bye love ♪ ♪ make it out alive the will to survive ♪ ♪ the cross wind down the cross wind ♪ ♪ i give you everything to be close to you ♪ ♪ i givyou everything i want to be close to you ♪ ♪

♪ >> that is how you do it. >> oh, man. >> how amazing was that? >> thank you, mr. roker. >> i love when they compliment each other's fashion choices. >> you guys were sitting next to each other, and i said, hi, pretty, and craig goes, hi. >> i want to say how good you look today, craig. that is old school cool, man. >> thank you. >> did you just get a haircut? >> he's been bald for decades. >> it looks extra what? >> extra smooth? >> oh, yeah. >> how do i smell? >> you smell like hops.

>> is there a monsoon we don't know about? >> i don't want to get on a plane, i don't want to reblow dry. >> ♪ here i come and me want to go home ♪ ♪ it's gone it's gone it's all gone ♪ ♪ can you put us in a good spot? >> i'm flying. >> i'm king of the world! >> i dropped something. bend and snap. >> that's a nice move. >> you've got to go faster. >> oh, fast. faster.

>> the chicken is happy because you hear the chicken, the oil. >> it's a happy chicken. >> because the chicken is getting brown, and when you get brown, what happens. >> you get happy. >> any cheese that will melt. >> colby, swiss and cheddar, blend it all together. >> you're going to use my simple marinara sauce. >> store bought or you make your own? >> i'm i taitalian. >> i have never made my own sauce. >> unbelievable. >> mud water, by the way, it's changed my life. >> well, it's changed our lives too. >> how can you leave the tails on the shrimp? >> it's like a handle, you can pick it up. >> there's a fork, though. >> thank you, chefs. cheers. >> you want to help me do the weather? >> no, thank you.

>> my producer asked me to -- >> it's snowing. >> al, what's happening with the weather? >> oh, come on, you got to keep that tradition going. >> it's 57 degrees in mary jane falls. 61 degrees at high point, get that, high point, north carolina. j. hunt on "today." >> the man, the myth, the legend, the one and only, tiger woods. there he is. >> on wednesdays, we do, because -- tina fey is in the house! >> there's a new dunk king in town, y'all. >> it's really nice seeing you. i haven't seen you. >> is it true that taraji p. henson wants to be a superhero. >> i honestly want to be a villain, that doesn't die. >> how about your kids, do they have imaginary friends? >> they're the children of celebrities, they have a wide

range of mal adaptive coping mechanisms. >> the process of an actor, where do i begin? >> how do you maintain the physique of the international sex symbol that you are when you eat pasta all day? my results may vary if i ate pasta 365 days. >> ♪ it had to be you it had to be you wonderful you ♪ ♪ >> wow. >> yep. >> i'm wondering if there could be an "anchorman 3." >> only if you are in "anchorman 3,". >> can cow do a cameo? >> what, yes, can it be a speaking part? >> yes. >> what kind of movie haven't you done that you still want to do? >> i haven't done porno. >> i love the saying, it gets greater later, i believe it. i believe it with everything. >> yeah, well my mom said what belongs to you comes to you.

>> 70 is a number, but nothing to be worried about. >> it's going to be all right. it's going to be all right. >> you just turned 70, how are you feeling about it, as it was approaching? >> what's the -- dread, the word is dread. >> wait a second, i lost the thread. i'm so old, now i lost the thread. i can't remember. >> you can't remember either. >> because i lost the thread too. >> i have no idea what's ahead, and i don't need to know. >> someone yells out something from a movie, here, here's a nickel, tom, i'm going to pay you back for that line. pretty wealthy guy. >> you must have a lot of nickels. >> just enough, just enough. i love you so much. and my gosh, i grieve for, you know, all of us in this country who's going to miss you, and most of all you. >> this guy. >> of course, happy to step in anytime. >> is it true that you said after your 12th album that would

be the last album that you guys would make? >> that's true. >> why is that? >> i'm going to miss you when you're gone. >> i want yoto know. these interviews have been some of the best of my whole career. i'm really grateful to know you. >> wow. >> i hope i come back before you depart here. because you have been so great here for so long. >> thank you, that's really sweet. >> but if not, could i have that necklace? >> just getting one -- oh, an election alert, the big board does not want you to go either, hoda. >> ♪ oh my darling if you try you just might kiss the sky ♪♪♪ ♪ you just might kiss the sky ♪

♪♪ ♪ oh you just might kiss the sky ♪ ♪ ♪ you just might kiss the sky ♪ >> wow. that's a great show. whatever show that is. i would watch that. >> man, we have fun here. >> those are all of our favorite people, too. >> by the way, the people who put that together are our favorites, we've got erica levins, editor maya paul, researcher, samaya dixon. i love a look back. >> that was a big year. >> jenna was saying we didn't put in the part where hoda said she was leaving. that's because we were all sobbing too much or the happy news of craig stepping in. >> let's's celebra. >> i can't believe they pay us to do this. >> i know. >> very cool.

>> you didn't get the memo? >> guys, that was cool. >> they brought us eggnog, should we toast. >> we should toast, definitely. that was fun for us. because we like to, i guess, watch others, it's really the staff and the crew and the producers, the people behind the scenes who wake up every morning who work all night, and all day to put this show together so that we can shine. we are the luckiest ones, we love you so much. this toast goes to you. >> and the viewers every day, we're a part of their family in the mornings. >> and plaza, we love you. >> we do. cheers. cheers, y'all. >> we're back, after checking your local news. >> cheers. >> cheers. >> cheers. >> eyeballs, eyeballs. look in the eyes. >> cheers, cheers.

♪♪ ♪ hark to the bells sweet silver bells ♪ ♪ dingdong dingdong dingdong ♪ ♪ wanting to hear words of good cheer from everywhere ♪ ♪ feeling in the air songs of cheer christs is here ♪ ♪ merry merry merry christmas ♪ ♪ merry merry christmas ♪ ♪ dingdong dingdong ♪ ♪ gone without end to every home ♪ ♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> wow, wow, wow. >> that's special. >> wow. wow. that was beautiful.

>> amazing. >> this is a great tradition. we're back, 8:30. we have the national children's chorus here. cannot wait to hear more from them in just a bit. >> wow. >> i hope my kids are watching. thank you, guys, so much. thank you for getting up this morning. >> grammy winning, too. in the meantime, we have more excitement on the plaza. uncle al is our toy drive elk today, we're excited about that. i want to thank everyone who has contributed at0 rock, not only here but across the country. if you would like to join in, scan the qr code at the bottom of the screen or go to the web site for more. >> when it comes to gift giving, what do you get loved ones who have everything? christine romans is here, she has unique gifts and experiences perfect for any budget and ideal for last minute shoppers. definitely be watching that. speaking of gift idea, chef elena is here, she's going to reveal her favorite picks for

foodies, pasta samplers, a snack beloved by the cast of "the bear," erin french and the lost kitchen and more. >> first, mr. roker, doing double duty near. >> let's show you what we got looking ahead to the weekend, a beautiful day on friday, don't mind some snow around the great lakes. sunny skies from the plains down to texas, warm out west, we move on into saturday. cold and windy, rain and windy from northern california into the pacific northwest, very cold in the plains, and then sunday, sunday, bitterly cold in the northeast. great lakes, sunny and cool, as good. thursday morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. we've seen low clouds and fog all around the bay area in spots. and san rafael seeing at least that street level clear visibility. we're going to see temperatures here in the upper 50s and much of the north bay. low 60s for santa rosa and 62 in san francisco, with upper 60s expected in the south bay to low

70s in the south county. tomorrow is a repeat of today, but rain and that is your latest weather. >> we were just telling the crowd to get your lipstick on because you're about to be on tv again. all right. coming up, you guys. with christmas and hanukkah six days away, what are your gift options if delivery is not an option? christine romans is here with the host of last minute gift ideas, but first, th is is

welcome back, 8:35 with today's holiday consumer, christmas and hanukkah arrive in six short days. your window to check gifts off your list is getting smaller and smaller. don't you worry.

we have nbc's senior business correspondent, christine romans to help. a lot of people are tough to shop for, but you've got answers. >> a lot of people this year, a big theme is buying experiences and gifting experiences because honestly we're buying everything we want for ourselves and we really are in this consumer media right now, so you can buy something like a new activity, and you can make a really beautiful card saying, i have bought you a cooking class at williams sonoma, at a local restaurant with two friends. a pottery class, painting class, winery. >> those are unique too. >> and they allow you to have a gift later on in the year. also, people are gifting vacations. your kids are little. they're going to want stuff under the tree. my kids are a little bit older, they're going to get the big reveal of where we're going for spring break. it was interesting, we're told park city, utah, santa barbara, california, mexico, tokyo, these are the big dollar items this year. >> high ticket. >> smaller dollar, go to a wate.

finally, my favorite, as you know, a and grandpa. you can get a tax break if you can contribute to a 529 college savings plan. if you live in new york, maryland, iowa, kansas, a whole bunch of other states. you get a tax break for putting money into a college savings account into a big, expensive -- >> are you a park, a skating rink, get louisiana, kansas, you get a tax break for putting money into a college saving account instead of a big expensive gift. >> are you a fan of giving an e gift or something like that, or do you like an old fashioned card to say, like, here's your gift? >> i like an old fashioned card, here's your gift. >> what's the better deals. >> the giving experiences, and then value. so especially for luxury, there's going to be fewer luxury yers, luxury sales are going to be down this year. go to dupe.com, google shopping, consumer reports, you can find gift items that are the same kind of genera, but are cheaper,

for example, a sam sonite onlin pro. and the bose, those are a value as well. >> what are some custom gifts? >> this is along the lines of the experience, right, you've got somebody who's a reader. you can get a subscription to bookworm, a foodie. >> what's bookworm? >> a subscription service for books. >> you get a book every month or something? >> who doesn't want cheese. it's some kind of cool cheese, and kiwi co, this is a kids subscription service. there's magazines, hulu, netflix, all kinds of different subscription gifts and then i love this, diy passport. >> what's that? >> use your printer, your mac, i'm going to do a brewery tour of, for example, new jersey or illinois or wisconsin, and then you put places that you can stamp, pick the spots you love. >> i love it. >> coffee shops, local, i love the brewery one. >> of course you do.

and then if you have a celebrity, you can go to someplace called cameo, and get a personal video from a celebrity. >> ryan reynolds will read your thing to somebody. >> or do a voice mail thing. i don't know if he is on cameo. >> lastly, splurges, is that part of this? >> the splurges are so great. because a lot of people are giving to themselves this year. we talk about how value conscious everyone is, and sick and tired of higher misses. guess what, 73% of people are buying a gift for themselves. there are buy one, get one gifts, buy something for hoda, get something for yourself. and pets, 70% of people buy their pets a gift. >> of course. >> did you know that? >> you have to. >> chewy has holiday boxes, target has stocking stuff ergs, and you-- stuffers, and if you can't get them right now, pick them up, especially for target stocking stuffers, and also the pet doesn't know it's christmas morning.

maybe it's january 1st when fie d fido gets the bone. >> people are doing it. coming up next, even more last minute gifts, chef elena besser

we are back with a special holiday edition of "today" food. if you're looking for a last minute gift and that person happens to love food, you have come to the right place this morning because we've got chef elena besser here. she's got some delicious ideas, and this first one, if someone is a pasta lover, perfect. >> it's so true. honestly, popcorn better move over because there's a new tenant in the tin, baby. this is the ruby rosa pasta sampler. an amazing restaurant in new york city. they have an epic pizza, tons of different pizzas, pastas, and now you can take them home. for the pasta lover in your life, this tin is amazing. really great price point, and it

comes with three different pastas, one pound each. they last up to 2 years. who knew. >> roker has been talking about his love of tin fish for about a year now. it feels like tin fish is having a moment. >> it is having a moment, and this is the sheekest around. we have got the amazing anchovies, smoke rainbow trout, mackerel. if you have someone who loaves tin fish, loves to eat and snack, this is the perfect gift for them. >> this is that fancy salt that i think our kitchen team uses this. >> this is maldon salt, this is a 3 pound bucket of salt. it is amazing, it's under $25, and you know, i get frustrated sometimes because whenever i cook for my family, my dad there salt the food without eating it, and this is my gift for him.

if you can't beat them, join them. i'm going to give him this beautiful maldon salt, amazing for sprinkling on dishes to finish the food. it gives the restaurant quality and gives the nice texture, and this can last, who knows, a while. >> it should last until next christmas. >> exactly. let's talk olive oil here. what's the story on this olive oil. >> this is all the rage, the concept of a squeeze bottle, chefs use in every kitchen, they have two different varieties, they have the sizzle and the drizzle. the sizzle is amazing for cooking. you want to get that sizzle with it, squeeze it on super easy and the drizzle is great for finishing, salads, toasts, it's such a great gift sd, and the o problem is you may run out of this fast. you're going to use it so much. >> exactly. >> from olive oil, i love a good granola. >> i'm granola obsessed and this

amazing female founded brand, stellar granola is the best i have had. >> the best you've had? >> i'm not kidding, craig. granola, sometimes they can have hidden sugars, a lot of gluten, allergies, this is gluten free, nut free, and it is built with functional super foods. it's absolutely delicious. they have amazing flavors. and the whole cast of the bear loves this. so does jamie lee curtis. she's that big fan. >> if jamie lee loves it. >> honestly, totally agree. >> last but not least. >> last but certainly not least, erin french of the lost kitchen, she is the coolest and so sophisticated and you are getting a fabulous sophisticated bundle here. we have the multigrain malted pan take mix. it comes with a blueueberry mae syrup, blueberry preserves, this adorable butter dish. >> it comes with it? a glass butter dish. i'm obsessed with how this looks, you can display it on

your counter. butter is the best ingredient. it comes with this beautiful nap tin and a fabulous wooden spoon. if you're a pancake lover. >> and my favorite thing to do with this batch, actually, is i'll cook bacon, take the leftover bacon fat and cook the pancakes in the bacon fat in the pan so you get that really crispy crunch, and you have bacon on the side which makes the christmas morning breakfast. >> elena besser, thank you. >> thank you. always a pleasure. to shop these picks and more, you know what to do, today.com/gifts. up next, choir week rolls on, we've got more holiday music from the remarkable national children's chorus, but first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪

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"today" is proudly sponsored by citi. >> welcome back, everybody, the national children's chorus is treating us to holiday heats all morning long. >> in fact, this grammy winning group brings members together from all across the country.bra led by luke mckindifer is celebrating 20 years from the chorus. >> from "home alone," here is the national children's chorus. ♪♪ ♪ candles in the window ♪ ♪ shadows painting the ceiling ♪

♪ gazing at the ♪ in the window shadows ♪ ♪ gazing at the feeling that ♪ ginger bread feeling precious ♪ ♪ moments spspend specl people happy faces i can see ♪ ♪ somewhere in my memory christmas joys all around me ♪my ♪ living in my memory all of the music ♪ ♪ all of the magic ♪ ♪ all of the family home here with me ♪ ♪

♪ la la la la ♪ ♪ la la la la la ♪ ♪ precious moments special people ♪ ♪ happy faces i can see ♪ ♪ somewhere in my memory ♪ ♪ christmas joys all around me ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ living in my memory all of the music ♪ ♪ all of the magic ♪ family hom

♪ all of the family home ♪ ♪ here with me ♪ ♪ here with me ♪ ♪ here with me ♪ ♪ [ applause ]. >> just beautiful. >> wow. >> wow. that's incredible. you're a big reason that they are so spectacular. before we get to you, can we do something, and shout out the parents who have come here, the parents of these beautiful singers. they're all gathered there. this is as much of a parents' commitment as it is for the kids, isn't it? >> absolutely. yes.that in

singing, their goal is to >> tell us about these kids, my gosh, they're grammy winning, you can tell why, being here. but they sing with real joy, you feel it. >> absolutely. i think that they know that t i singing their goal is to bring light into the lives of everyone who gets to experience their artistry, and i think you really feel that more than their great singing and it makes it so special. >> you have been with the organization for over 20 years, luke, what is it that makes this chorus so special? >> i would say that the sentiment is intention. i think it's the why, why they do what they do. and the excellence is a pathway to making the world a better plplace. >> we are so grateful that you guys came. kids, you did so well. i hope you know that. you did great on national television. anyway, that was amazing. >> it really was. and your families are over there. you didn't make your family disappear, which is pretty good. >> exactly. thank you again, luke. thank you so much. thank you to the national children's chorus. that was incredible.

>> we have more third and fourth hours of "today," but first, your local news and weather. ♪

good morning. it is 856. i'm marcus washington. a group of oakland leaders, including the new interim mayor, nikki fortunato bas, calling for congresswoman barbara lee to run for mayor. they posted a letter this morning arguing that she could help solve some of the critical problems right now surrounding the budget, housing and public safety. lee is stepping down after three decades in both u.s. congress and the state level. voters will elect a new mayor in a special election on april 15th. well, san francisco amazon workers, they are joining a nationwide strike workers walked out early this morning and picketed

outside of the amazon warehouse south of potrero hill. now, that strike threat covers what is now believed to be nine warehouses across the country. and teamsters leaders say that thousands of workers are actually taking part nationwide. they accuse the company of not recognizing the union or meeting deadline to come up with a bargaining table. amazon issued a new comment this morning saying that any strike measures will not impact customers. but we did hear from one nbc insider who believes that is not the case. and we'll have more for