deanza. so between hillsdale and deanza, there's no west. 92 folks are taking surface streets. a tree blocks at the eastbound lanes have been cleared of branches, though. that's the progress in the last few minutes. good to know. and a reminder to you that the today show is just ahead. but we will continue today in the bay on roku and our other streaming platforms in the wake of anti-semitism and overseas conflicts. we'll talk about the way jewish communities are preparing to stay safe during hanukkah. you can watch our 8 a.m. newscast online as well nbcbayarea.com or on our smartphone app. lots of ways to find us. yep, christmas eve, christmas is tomorrow. you guys, for anyone who didn't know an hanukkah good tuesday morning! it is christmas eve. >> millions are heading home for the holidays, and it could be a slow ride. it is december 24th.

this is "today christmas crawl. a blast of winter disrupting the winter rush. snow on the east coast whipping winds out west. arriving at the worst time for millions of travelers. we're live with what to expect and the busy day ahead, and the chances for a white christmas in dylan's holiday forecast. facing a judge. the man accused of killing the unitedhealthcare ceo pleads not guilty, as his attorney slams new york city's mayor and investigators. >> he was on display for everyone to see in the biggest staged perp walk i've ever seen in my career. it was absolutely unnecessary. >> and voices concerned that he may not receive a fair trial. we're live with the courtroom developments. substantial evidence. the house ethics committee releases its long-awaited investigation into former congressman matt gaetz. explosive allegations of paying for sex, drug use, and lavish gifts. the political fall-out and how gaetz is responding after a

failed late attempt to block its release. cool under pressure. a fisherman who survived 17 hours at sea during hurricane milton speaking out for the first time. >> i basically locked myself in the cooler like this, like my legs and my arm. >> crediting his cooler with helping him ride out the storm. this morning, inside his incredible survival story and rescue. those stories, plus jolly jackpot. nearly $1 billion on the line in tonight's mega millions drawing with a lot of people hoping for a christmas miracle. we're live with the holiday lotto fever. and big cheese. the green bay packers dominate on monday night football scoring again and again, and doing something no other nfl team has done all season as they punch their way to the playoffs. today, tuesday, december 24th,

2024. from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb. from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning, and welcome to "today." thanks for joining us on this tuesday morning. i'm laura jarett alongside my "saturday today" cohost, peter alexander. savannah, hoda and craig starting their holidays a little early. >> hopefully everybody can enjoy a breather. this place will be packed. everybody getting their last pictures with the christmas tree. a lot of people in the holiday spirit these days. >> yep. it is christmas eve. one more day until santa arrives and one more day until the first night of hanukkah. americans are filling up the roads and skies to see friends and family for the holidays or buy those last-minute gifts. >> of course, there is a bit of a wrinkle. winter weather alerts could complicate plans for millions of

people. snow falling in parts of the northeast with more expected. and out west, atmospheric rivers with heavy rain and powerful winds, even causing this wharf near the santa cruz beach boardwalk to collapse. we do begin with nbc's adrienne broaddus, braving the crowds at o'hare international airport. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. a travel snag on christmas eve. the entire american airlines system shut down, leading to a nationwide ground stop briefly, causing chaos for travelers trying to get to their destination. this morning, winter weather from coast to coast hitting during the last-minute holiday travel rush. >> it is a little wild. >> with americans racing to get home before christmas and the start of hanukkah. >> a day of delay could mean

that we don't end up home for christmas. >> reporter: delays and cancellations piling up and tensions rising in the sky. overnight, a southwest plane headed to columbus forced to return to the phoenix airport after a reported altercation onboard. today travelers need more patience as a storm in the midwest and the northeast is expected to cause more delays in traffic. but it could also bring a white christmas for some. snow already falling in pennsylvania. winter weather also wild on the west coast, where a major storm hit california's central coast. hurricane-force winds driving flooding and dangerously high surf. a man dying after getting trapped under debris on the beach on the monterey bay. >> we encourage people to stay out of the water until further notice. >> reporter: and a wharf collapsing and throwing three

people into the water, who thankfully survived. >> there are no serious injuries involved in that, and we believe that everyone who went into the water is now accounted for. >> reporter: back in the midwest and northeast, while americans are hoping the wintery weather clears out, some taking matters into their own hands, choosing to head for warmer weather. in chicago, this family is headed to puerto rico. >> what are you most looking forward to this holiday? >> being with my family. >> reporter: and others, despite delays, already embracing the spirit of the season. this morning, that ground stop has been lifted. it lasted about an hour. american airlines blaming technical issues linked to a vendor. meanwhile, we are seeing some residual effects here at chicago o'hare, some delays short, some lasting a little longer than others, as travelers try to make their way home, laura. >> fair enough, adrienne broaddus starting us off. thank you.

>> you can do the saran wrap rapping. it's going to be messy for folks. >> it is going to be slick this morning. for a lot of folks like here in new york city, it's more like, oh, look, it's snowing. it's not going to accumulate but it is going to look pretty. you go farther north, more intense across upstate new york and we could see a coating to an inch on the ground that could make things very slippery if you are traveling today. that's why we have winter weather advisories. we have rain in the forecast tonight and tomorrow, so if you're traveling toward eastern texas, in the houston area, we could see some of the heavier rain and that could make things a little slower on the roads and at the airports. through arkansas we'll see heavier later tonight. we could see showers and storms moving through mississippi and a little bit of wet weather into southern indiana and southern ohio, too. out west, we also have that storm system producing those 50-foot waves.

we will see those calm down a bit today, but still pretty rough surf, and heavy rain from seattle down to just north of los angeles where we could see a couple inches of rain in the san francisco area, kind of breezy and windy. that could create some delays at the airports. if you're traveling through any of the mountain passes, that does translate to more snow in the higher elevations. that could make things slow and dangerous on the roads. >> dylan, thank you very much. to new developments in the case of luigi mangione, the man accused of killing the ceo of unitedhealthcare. mangione made his first appearance in a new york city courtroom yesterday. nbc's stephanie gosk was there and joins us now with the very latest. steph, good morning. >> good morning. luigi mangione pleaded not guilty, as his attorney expressed concern over how city officials have handled the case, saying the plan is to fight all of the charges mangione faces to the fullest extent. >> reporter: in new york state court for the first time, luigi mangione entering a not guilty plea for the 11 criminal charges

he faces in the killing of unitedhealthcare ceo brian thompson. >> not guilty. >> reporter: mangione seen smiling at times during monday's arraignment, as his attorney, karen agnifilo, addressed the judge. >> he's a young man and he's being treated like a human ping-pong ball. >> reporter: criticizing how new york city officials have handled her client, saying his case has been politicized and he's being treated like some sort of spectacle. >> he was on splay for everyone to see in the biggest staged perp walk i've ever seen in my career. it was absolutely unnecessary. >> reporter: mangione's attorney also called out new york city mayor eric adams over these comments he made on local news. >> i want to look him in the eye and state that you carried out this terrorist act in my city. >> reporter: she argues the mayor possibly tainted the jury pool. >> those are the people that elected him that he is talking to and calling this man a

terrorist. >> reporter: a spokesperson for the mayor says adams' priority is public safety and his goal was to send a message that violence has no place in new york city. now prosecutors will work to prove mangione's guilt. young the charges, first-degree murder in the furtherance of terrorism. he has already pleaded not guilty to four federal criminal charges. outside of the courthouse on monday -- >> what do we want? >> health care! >> reporter: dozens of protesters voiced anger with the health insurance industry and support for the accused killer. if convicted, mangione could face life in prison without the possibility of parole for those state charges. his next court date is set for february 21st, but he also has the federal charges as well. >> just the first step in what is likely to be a long road. >> absolutely. >> thank you. there is now fallout in washington this morning after the house ethics committee released its report on former florida congressman matt gaetz. their investigation found there

is, quote, substantial evidence that gaetz engaged in conduct that broke house rules and may have broken the law. nbc's aaron gilchrist has the latest from washington this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. matt gaetz was president-elect trump's controversial first choice to be the nation's top law enforcement officer but withdrew his name after eight days after allegations of sexual misconduct hurt his chances of confirmation by the senate. gaetz has denied any wrongdoing, but today the political damage from the committee's report is mounting. former florida congressman matt gaetz facing new scrutiny this morning with the house ethics committee releasing a report on its years-long investigation, finding substantial evidence that gaetz violated house rules related to prostitution, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges and obstruction of congress and that he may have violated state laws. gaetz has already faced an

investigation into the same allegations by the justice department, which ultimately declined to bring charges. gaetz repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and in a series of social media posts on monday, denied paying for sex. but the committee said it heard testimony from more than a half a dozen witnesses that attended parties and trips with gaetz from 2017 to 2020 and nearly every young woman the committee interviewed confirmed that she was paid by sex by or on behalf of gaetz. >> we had a chance to interview these women directly, and the staff and the members concluded that the allegations had merit. >> reporter: the committee also detailed $90,000 in payments to 12 different women that investigators concluded was likely used to pay for sex and illicit drugs. while the committee says the record overwhelmingly suggests gaetz had sex with a 17-year-old girl twice at a party in 2017, and that she was paid. the committee says it has no evidence that gaetz was aware she was a minor at the time.

gaetz was president-elect trump's controversial first choice to be attorney general. >> i'm looking forward to a hearing. folks have been very supportive. >> reporter: and withdrew his name within days amid the controversy, but still shows no signs of abandoning politics, even floating a possible florida senate run. >> maybe i'll run for marco rubio's seat. >> reporter: because gaetz is no longer a member of congress, the ethics committee's chairman argued it would set a bad precedent to release the report. still, a bipartisan majority believed the report's release was in the public's interest. >> there is another headline we're watching this morning, former president bill clinton hospitalized after developing a fever. any better understanding of how he's doing this morning? >> reporter: a source close to clinton tells us the situation is not urgent. he apparently developed a fever and wanted to get checked out. the top aide says he was taken to a hospital in washington yesterday for testing and observation. of course, this news initially

set off alarms largely because of clinton's past health scares, he was admitted to a hospital about three years ago because of an infection. in 2010 he underwent a heart procedure to have two stents inserted into his chest. six years before that, mr. clinton had quadruple bypass surgery. he's made health chaes, including adopting a vegan diet and last year he was very active on the campaign trail for vice president harris. >> aaron gilchrist with the latest. this morning five people are recovering after a frightening incident in south lake tahoe. they fell from a chair lift at a ski resort, and now there's an investigation to figure out what went wrong. nbc's dana griffin is live with more on this. what more do we know? >> reporter: laura, good morning to you. officials have heavenly ski resort confirming the incident happened on their comet express chair lift. they're investigating what exactly happened and it comes

during one of the busiest times for skiers with many heading to the mountains during this holiday stretch. this morning a scary scene on the slopes during an incident in south lake tahoe. >> 60-year-old male falls in the snow. negative loss of consciousness. was wearing a helmet. >> reporter: this photo appears to show two chairs on the comet express lift colliding. one person trapped in between them. five people were injured and taken to a nearby hospital. >> we could see about 15, quite a few emt or all the red medics that were there surrounding someone. >> reporter: one witness telling nbc news the fall happened shortly after skiers got on the lift. in a statement, the resort says the safety of our guests is our top priority, and the resort is investigating the incident. heavenly is a massive and popular ski resort, operating 28 lifts. earlier this year the mountain had another terrifying incident

where a woman was stranded on a gondola overnight in freezing temperatures at the same resort. the chair lift accident comes after another frightening scene in colorado over the weekend. a crack in the ski lift left nearly 175 skiers and snowboarders stranded high above the rocky mountains. this was the scene when the gondola stopped mid-trip, dangling passengers on a ski day. this instructor telling them how to rappel to safety. >> we're going to use this rope right here, this big orange one. you're good. >> reporter: winter park confirmed there were no injuries, and the lift is back up and running after a new part was installed. as for heavenly, they will be open today, but the comet express chair lift will be closed. laura. >> glad everyone is okay. thank you for your reporting. we turn to a massive holiday jackpot. if you are still looking for the perfect gift, how about a shot

at $1 billion? the drawing is tonight. one lucky winner could have the holiday of a lifetime. nbc news correspondent emilie ikeda has more. good morning. >> reporter: hey, guys. good morning to you. this is the potential for a christmas miracle of mega proportions as the mega millions jackpot is quickly closing in on that billion dollar mark. you can see it is sitting at $970 million right now. we have been watching customers try to test their luck, filing into stores like this to play the mega millions jackpot. no one as won the mega millions jackpot on christmas eve since 2002, when the game first started. and that ticket went unclaimed. so if you win, how could you spend your winnings? well, if you go for the cash option, we've laid out some festive choices for you. how about 255 million boxes of candy canes. probably should save some money for the dentist, too. you know those giantnflatable santas? you could get 255 million of those.

if they're you're feeling adventurous, maybe a trip to the north pole. one new jersey player just claimed their billion dollar prize nine months after the drawing. in the garden state you have up until a year to claim your prize before the ticket is expired. that player, we're told, chose to remain anonymous, as experts recommend. it was sold in neptune township, new jersey. as for tonight, i'm feeling lucky for this 11:00 p.m. drawing. and i'm also feeling in the festive spirit. take a look here. i got some tickets for you. i have even wrote your name. proof has been established. peter, laura, dylan and joe. >> that's real generosity. >> it's also a binding contract, so i hope you're now on notice. we're coming for you if we win. >> laura, the lawyer, helping us out right now. 13,000 chances to explore the north pole here, dylan. i bet there's a bunch of elves there that are, like, yeah, i don't think you need --

>> i've been to the north pole. calv asked me, did you see santa? not all the way to the extreme north pole, but close. >> well, if you win, there is 12,999 more to come. >> we do have some pretty messy weather this morning out west. we have some rain falling from the pacific northwest all the way down just north of l.a. then you go to the mountains where you could see that moisture falling as snow. we could see quite a bit of snow out of that one. we also have heavier pockets of rain and thunderstorms down south, especially through arkansas, eastern oklahoma. a little slippery this morning with morning snow. that will move on as we go through the day. we will see improving travel conditions later on this afternoon. that's the weather across the country. we will get to your forecast in the next 30 seconds. . iphone 16 pro with apple intelligence on us.

plus, families can save 20% when they switch. t-mobile is one of none. go get that. what he said! we are seeing a wave of heavy rain moving through the bay area, and it has really picked up for san francisco and parts of the peninsula. this will gradually taper off later this morning into the afternoon, but still some dangerous waves near the coastline today and tomorrow is dry for hanukkah and christmas. on thursday, a new storm system arrives and we will see some off and on rain in the forecast through forecast. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. coming up, new details in that legal battle between the costars of "it ends with us." some of the film's cast now voicing support for blake lively. chloe melas is following the

story for us. >> good morning, laura. this morning a publicist for baldoni speaking out, saying there was no smear campaign against blake lively. meanwhile, we'll have more on the fallout for baldoni. and a fisherman who spent 17 hurrice speaks out about his miraculous rescue and the cooler he credits for saving his life. but, first, this is "today" on nbc.

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over. the last holdouts ended their strike yesterday after a deal was hammered out with hilton. those workers will vote to ratify their new deal later this morning. it follows other agreements made last week involving hyatt and marriott hotels and their workers. in all, a half dozen popular hotels in and around union square were impacted. i'm bob redell in santa cruz, where you can see the wharf behind me is still shut down after this happened yesterday. this is video of the end of the pier that was swept into the ocean during the large waves that we saw yesterday, and that we are still seeing here this morning. you can see the bathroom, construction equipment, and three construction workers were on the edge of that pier floating away. fortunately, according to witness, coast guard did rescue those three people who are doing okay. and meteorologist kari hall has been tracking it all for us. hey, kari. good morning. and we are still seeing some very widespread rain. it has

picked up in san francisco and the peninsula. we'retill going to see the waves of rain and dangerous waves near the coast throughout today. all the way up until 6:00, when that high surf warning will expire. and we're also going to see our weather clearing out later today. and we will have some nice conditions, but chilly for christmas and hanukkah. kira perfect timing kari thanks. and don't forget you can watch our today in the bay live streaming newscast at 8 a.m. you can watch it on your roku, amazon fire tv, xumo, and any other streaming platforms including nbcbayarea.com, and our app. we'll have another local news update for you and

third down and goal. back to the air. touchdown! wide open. green bay takes the early lead. >> that was about all the drama

there was on monday night football. the green bay packers not taking their foot off the gas in their game against the new orleans saints. they won this 34-0 clinching a spot in the playoffs. by the way, the first shutout in the nfl all season, believe it or not. fantasy football fans are rejoicing, they're heading to the super bowl in a lot of leagues. speaking on behalf of them. >> okay. that's bragging rights. >> about 800 hours of wasted time. a chance to win a hundred dollars. all right. well, we're glad joe is here. >> i have no fantasy football team to talk about so -- >> but we can get to this. the legal battle between blake lively and justin baldoni, costars in the hit film "it ends with us." this morning one of baldoni's pr reps is responding to claims that she was part of a smear campaign against lively, as other members of the cast are weighing in on the controversy. chloe melas has been covering it

all for us. what's the latest? >> good morning, you guys. merry christmas eve. as the fall-out from the dispute continues to spread, this morning we're hearing more from individuals closely connected to the film at the center of this controversy. this morning new developments in the blake lively/justin baldoni dispute, a fellow cast member in it ends with us, siding with lively. jennie slate, who plays baldoni's sister in the film saying as blake lively's cast mate and friend, i voice my support as she takes action against those reported to have planned and carried out an attack on her reputation. slate did not mention baldoni or anyone else. but added, the attack on blake is terribly dark, disturbing and wholly threatening. in a legal complaint, lively says baldoni repeatedly sexual harassed her on set and crossed boundaries during intimate scenes.

the long-time publicist is defending herself against lively's claim that was a victim of a retaliation campaign on baldoni's behalf. her publicicist is dending her work, saying her team never actually launched any campaign to smear lively. nbc news reached out to able but has not heard back. according to lively's complaint, baldoni and his team also retained crisis pr, the same public relations team johnny depp hired during his defamation trial against former wife, amber heard. heard weighed in, i saw this close and uphand. a lawyer representing baldoni and his production companies called lively's allegations completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to hurt and rehash a narrative in the media.

baldoni's attorney defending the publicity team, writing it must be the most powerful team for it to completely change the perception of both amber heard and blake lively. an award baldoni received earlier this month on behalf of advocating on women and girls has been rescinded, writing in part, quote,e, the comnications among mr. baldoni and his publicist and the pr effort are contrary to the values of vital voices and the spirit of the award. the fallout continues and i think that people are hoping to hear directly from blake lively at some point, perhaps in a sit-down interview, and also from justin baldoni. he has a successful podcast, and perhaps -- obviously we heard

his cohost has now bowed out of co-hosting with him. >> i pulls back the curtain on an ugly, dark side, the pr, crisis situation, this is a bad scene. >> it's the lengths that people will go to. >> chloe, thank you so much. coming up, princess kate's hopeful message after a tough year and her own cancer battle. how she and the rest of the royal family are celebrating the holidays. up next, a fisherman who kept his cool when a hurricane left him stranded in the middle of the gulf of mexico. jesse kich has more on his incredible survival story. hey, jesse. >> reporter: hey, laura, good morning. if you were stuck in the open water with a hurricane heading your way, what would you hold onto? one man's answer is a real surprise, and it's also one of the reasons he's still alive. we'll have that story coming up. . feel the joy.

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gulf of mexico during hurricane milton. >> so he rode out the storm clinging to the only thing he had, a cooler. nbc's jesse kirsch joins us now with more on this from miami. hey, jesse. >> reporter: hey, guys. good morning. this is truly an unbelievable story. joe tessa, a fisherman, says when his life raft capsized, he survived by holding onto and floating inside of that cooler. and today, for the first time, he's telling his story to the world. finding anyone alive in the open water after a hurricane is remarkable. but this scene after hurricane milton's landfall was especially surreal. this was the moment the coast guard rescued joe tessa off florida's gulf coast in october. incredibly, they found him floating on a cooler. >> i felt like i was going to die, dude. >> reporter: today, for the first time, tessa is speaking out publicly about his

terrifying ideal. the company that makes the cooler that he held onto, the fisherman recounting what it has like to be exposed and alone in the open water. >> currently a category five storm. 160 mile an hour winds. >> reporter: with a monstrous major hurricane bearing down. >> this is not a time to be outside, tom. >> reporter: as milton barrelled toward florida on october 9th, tessa went out to repair the fishing boat he captained. he radioed that the boat became disabled on the way back to port. just hours before milton's landfall, tessa was stranded at sea. >> mother nature was too much. i deployed by life raft. i wasn't even settled in and it and as soon as it pulled tight, it flipped me over and dragged me under. >> reporter: then he said the cooler hit him in the back of the head. >> i basically locked myself in the cooler like this, like my legs and my arms. >> reporter: tessa believes he used the cooler as a lifeboat

for roughly 17 hours. >> i had my fingertips like this holding the cooler, lid down, so no water would come in. whatever water was coming in at the time was keeping me from shivering. rolled over quite a few times. got thrown out of it quite a few times. >> reporter: the coast guard estimates during that overnight stretch, he would have been hit by 75 to 90-mile-per-hour winds and 20 to 25-foot seas. the day after landfall, the coast guard search team was about to head back to land and their equipment got an alert. >> we saw the arms reach up in the air and realized at that moment that we had found a survivor clinging to a big fishing cooler. we were all very, very excited. we couldn't believe it. >> reporter: tessa flown back to land alive. >> it was a good feeling once i got in that helicopter. >> reporter: this could have turned out so differently. and the moral of this story is safety equipment works. the coast guard says tessa is

alive thanks to a life jacket, an emergency locater beacon and, yes, the unexpected, that cooler. you can see grizzly's full video on the story now on their website grizzlycoolers.com. back to you guys. >> just incredible. thank you. i could use a cooler that big just for christmas leftovers alone. that's a big cooler. >> i want to come to your house. >> the cooler at our house is a foot. i would be in trouble if there was a storm like that coming in. we want to check in with dylan for a look at the forecast. she has made her way out to the plaza because we've got snow flurries outside. >> yes. it's snowing out here. i can't guarantee snow for christmas, but i can for christmas eve. you're from houston, texas, and it's your birthday. how old are you turning? >> 10. >> and it's snowing on christmas and you are standing in front of the rockefeller christmas tree. how cool is this? >> very cool. >> and very cold, too. it is chilly out here. hence, the snow. it's going to stay on the cool side today.

we are going to see a warmup as we go through christmas day in parts of the western two-thirds of the country actually will see temperatures above average for today and tomorrow. temperatures running in the 50s. chicago up to 37. so no snow and ice out that way. we are going to see tomorrow those temperatures try to spread farther to the east. chicago still up to 39. louisville up to 53. birmingham, alabama 62. as we go into the rest of this week, we should even hit 50 degrees in d.c. by saturday. so warmer weather is moving in, but at least we have the snow right now on christmas eve. for a white christmas, those are areas that have an inch or more on the ground. it will be mostly isolated to the upper midwest, the northern plains, what's falling right now across new england. it will still be on the ground tomorrow morning, and out west, starting out with a very soggy christmas eve, we will see the rain picking up for the peninsula and as well as the

east bay as we go into the next couple of hours. eventually this rain will taper off and the rest of the day will be partly cloudy. there may still be some lingering showers, but drying out tonight and christmas day and hanukkah day is looking dry. but then we'll see our next storm system coming in late on and that's your latest forecast. back inside to you guys. >> all right. it is really coming down out there. it's hard to tell from your screens, but we may have to have a snowball fight or challenge. all right. coming up in this morning's boost, see the sweet moment when the elf on the shelf became the elf on the plane. >> and a special celebration inside the newly reopened notre dame cathedral welcoming people back just in time for christmas. it's right after this. .

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christmas miracle. ♪ this holiday, the doors of notre dame have opened to christmas congregations. the crown of thorns on display again as christians mark the moment of jesus' crucifixion. the chance for thousands of faithful to admire the ivory interior, the sparkling stained glass windows, and to worship in front of a brand-new, very modern altar and golden cross for this medieval cathedral. christmas hymns will be played on an organ brought back to life. each and every pipe, 8,000, individually restored. five years after the inferno tore through the interior of the church, obliterating over 800 years of history in hours. and thanks to the incredible

work of 2,000 crafts people, using medieval methods, the church officially reopens this month. when the fire ripped through in 2019, craig covered the aftermath. >> the fire is, thankfully, finally out as investigators continue to search for a cause. >> reporter: and now he was one of the first invited back inside to exclusively take in the transformation. >> oh, my. i mean, one of the things that's most noticeable, it is so much brighter, all of it. this is roughly where all of th that burnt debris that fell from the ceiling, and now it's all gleaming. >> reporter: this holiday, the caedral has been at the center of festivities again. a christmas market offers a breathtaking twilight view of notre dame. >> perfect. >> reporter: and traditional

mulled wine. >> notre dame is very special because it is the heart of paris. so we're really happy to have it open. >> reporter: a christmas to remember, a miracle of sorts, a cathedral rising from the flames. truly worth celebrating. millions of dollars were raised for the restoration of notre dame, including $60 million from over there in the u.s. now that, my friends, is a christmas gift to the world. guys? >> so many people will be making that trip to experience notre dame cathedral for themselves. keir, thank you for sharing. just ahead, she's done it again. the queen of christmas, mariah carey, taking her rightful place on the throne. just wait until you hear the festive record she just broke. and very, very last-minute holiday gift ideas. how you can still order something in time for christmas and hanukkah. but, first, your local news. ♪♪ if you have postmenopausal osteoporosis, and are at high risk for fracture, you can do more than just slow bone loss.

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(worker) hi, bella... maybe today's your day. (vo) it hurts to see them passed over. be there. ♪ (man) help! she's hurt! (vo) or in pain. (worker) heather! (vo) but every time you save one... or find a home for another... it makes it all worthwhile. (avo) every year the subaru share the love event donates millions of dollars to charities like the aspca. (worker) good for you, bella. (avo) get 2.9% for 72 months and subaru and our retailers will make a minimum three hundred dollar donation to charity. good morning. it is 756. i'm kira klapper and i'm marcus washington. happening now. still no update yet on the identities or the conditions of five people injured when two chairs collide. this is on the high speed lift at tahoe's heavenly ski resort. it sent skiers plunging 30ft to

the ground below. it happened yesterday morning on heavenly's comet express chairlift. now, photos show the chairs collapsed together and the emergency response on the ground there. witnesses say that one of those chairs came loose and slid backward into another. the lift is closed indefinitely. the resort did not issue an update on the victims, but did say in part, the safety of our guests is our top priority and the resort is investigating the incident. good morning, i'm thom jensen at san francisco international airport, where we did have a ground stoppage, along with that national stoppage with american airlines. right now, it looks like typical lines at the american counter, and we're not expecting any long delays or any major concerns for people flying out of sfo because this stoppage only lasted about an hour and a half, was lifted just before 5 a.m. this morning. all right. good news there. let's check in with meteorologist kari hall for our microclimate weather alert. yeah, we are seeing a round of

some heavy rain moving through as we speak. it is starting to taper off for parts of the north bay, but has picked up for the peninsula as well as parts of the east bay. we'll also see more of this very heavy rain for the next few hours, and then it will quickly move out. going into the afternoon, this is around one of the storms that we will see more following after christmas, and will be tracking it all back to you. all right kari, thanks and we hope you watched today in the bay. our live streaming newscast starts in just a moment at 8 a.m. you can watch on roku, pluto

♪ blake lively. coming up, holiday travel rush. one day until christmas and hon

hanukkah, and a record number of people are expected to hit the road or catch a flight. we're live with your full holiday forecast. then checking it twice. we have last-minute shopping help, from creative gift ideas the what stores will be open today. plus, royal christmas. the british royal family gearing up for the holidays with a packed schedule of annual traditions. how they're planning to celebrate, as princess kate steps out for holiday celebrations. reimagining a classic, the brooklyn ballet give "the nutcracker" a modern spin here in new york. >> did you grow up seeing "the nutcracker" as a kid? >> oh, sure, it's often the first ballet you're exposed to as a young ballet student, and you just dream of it. then i thought, what else could it be? >> how they're putting a new twist on the christmas tale and making an impact beyond the stage this holiday season.

all that, plus holiday throwbacks from nostalgic '90s-theme christmas decor. >> it is so special. >> to another record broken by mariah carey's christmas classic. we'll have those moments and more coming up, today, tuesday, december 24th, 2024. ♪♪ >> all we want for christmas is to be at the "today" show! merry christmas from virginia. >> merry christmas and happy hanukkah to all at home. >> celebrating his 70th birthday here in new york city. >> happy holidays from philly! >> traveling from kansas city. >> west virginia. >> merry christmas from newark, ohio! >> eastvale, california. >> hi, i'm celebrating my 10th

birthday on the "today" show! [ cheers and applause ] >> oh, it is christmas eve, and it is a white christmas eve. the flurries are coming down. welcome back to "today." thanks for starting your tuesday morning off with us. i'm laura jarrett. i've got my saturday buddies with me, joe fryer, peter alexander is here. >> it feels like mother nature wanteded a head art. you want snow on christmas? i'll give it to you a little bit early. >> maybe it will stick. >> coming up, by the way, tomorrow on "today," one of our favorites, the archbishop of new york, timothy cardinal dolan is going to join us with a special message to start your holiday on a high note. we want to get right to your news at 8:00, and some breaking news this morning impacting this busy holiday travel today. the fa adjust lifted a nationwide ground stop that impacted all american airlines flights across the country. american saying it was due to a,

quote, technical issue. nbc's adrienne broaddus has the very latest from chicago's o'hare international airport, a major hub for american airlines. good morning. what do we know? >> reporter: laura, good morning. a travel snag on christmas eve, the american airlines system shut down completely, leading to a brief nationwide ground stop. now, that ground stop was lifted after about an hour, and american airlines releasing a statemenent sayingin part, that this was caused by a vendor technology issue, and that issue has been resolved and flights have resumed. american going on to apologize to its customers for the inconvenience, saying, in part, all hands are on deck as our team is working diligently to get customers where they need to go as possible. now, this technological issue affected some of the systems that give pilots the paperwork they need so they can take off. here at chicago o'hare, we are

seeing some of the residual effects of what happened early this morning. delays were already piling up, and we're seeing more delays on the board. some delays up to two hours. a bit of good news for american airlines, this is not their peak travel day. they say yesterday was, with nearly 6,400 flights. today they're expected to have 3,900 flights, as travelers try to get home for the holidays. laura? >> such a tough day to have technical issues. thank you for bringing us up to date. a blast of winter weather from coast to coast creating havoc during the travel rush before christmas and hanukkah. dylan is in for al. it's making for pretty pictures, but also perilous travel. >> you look outside and it's nice to see it, but then you look at the roads and you see the coating on the roads. and it certainly is going to make things a little slippery. but while it looks like it's snowing really hard in the new york city area, it's not going to last all that long. as soon as the sun comes out, it will quickly melt that away.

we are looking for inconveniences early this morning from basically washington, d.c. right up into maine. we also have some winter storm warnings across northern vermont where some of the snow will be heavier and winter weather advisories for some of the higher elevations through the appalachians. on the west coast, we also have a pretty big storm system bringing a lot of heavy rain from seattle right down to just north of los angeles. also, some mountain snow, so if you're trying to go west to east, east to west across the mountain passes, it will be a slow go. heavier rain is likely through arkansas and parts of eastern texas, eastern oklahoma. if you're traveling, we could see minor delays this morning as the snow continues to clear the area in the northeast in boston and new york, out west in san francisco we could see some delays with that heavier rain, too. again, the roads will be slick, especially in the northeast this morning, peter. >> dylan, thank you very much. now to a scary and deadly boat explosion. it happened last night at a marina in fort lauderdale, florida. here is video of the aftermath, as firefighters battled the

intense flames. police say one person died, five others were injured. officials say it's not clear what caused the boat to explode, which quickly spread flames to a second vessel. now to a busy time for the royal family, as they carry on several annual holiday traditions. but this year's celebrations are even more significant. >> both princess kate and king charles are battling cancer, and the princess reflected on the meaning of the christmas season in a special message. nbc's kelly cobiella has more from buckingham palace. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. yeah, the royal family now gathered in the english countryside this morning for their traditional christmas celebration, as princess kate shares what christmas means to her this year. >> reporter: a holiday season with special meaning for the royal family, after a challenging year. king charles and princess kate both back in the spotlight after their own health battles.

the king is set to deliver his annual holiday message from a hospital chapel on wednesday. a joyous kate retuturning tone of her most celebrated appearances, hosting the together at christmas concert at westminster abbey, set to be broadcast tonight, along with prince william and their children. royal contributor emily nash was there. >> it was just a really magical and special event. kate had this milestone after completing her treatment, and it couldn't have been more perfect. and she looked like she had never been away. >> reporter: over the weekend, the princess releasing a moving message tied to the event. >> christmas is one of my favorite times of the year, a time to slow down and reflect on the deeper things that connect us all. >> reporter: the service full of deeply meaningful notes this year. >> she wrote a personal letter to everyone attending the service. >> reporter: the princess sharing a rare moment of reflection, focusing on empathy and connection. the christmas story encourages us to consider the experiences

and feelings of others. it encourages us to love, not fear. it is love which is the greatest gift we can receive. not just at christmas, but every day of our lives. >> reporter: ahead of the concert, william and kate's three children adding gratitude tags to a kindness tree outside westminster abbey. prince louie writing thank you to his grandparents for playing games with him. it was the last stage of a much-anticipated return to public duties following kate's cancer journey, taking part in official events over the last few weeks. announcing the end of her chemotherapy treatment in a video in september. >> my path to recovery is long and i must continue to take each day as it comes. >> reporter: last week, choosing a family photo from that video for their family's christmas card. and now joining the king and queen as they gear up for a busy

few days of royal traditions and family time. >> all of them will gather on christmas eve today to exchange gifts. usually something inexpensive and fun. the children will help put the last decorations on the tree. on christmas day it's a traditional roast turkey, lunch in time to watch the king's speech. >> reporter: like many around the world, the royals looking forward to a festive celebration and better times ahead. that christmas carole concert was actually recorded earlier this month. it's airing in its entirety tonight. meantime, as i mentioned, the family gathered at that country estate celebrating christmas eve privately. guys, prince william said he'll be there with 45 members of his family. 45! >> they roll deep. >> the royals roll deep, indeed. kelly, thank you so much. it feels like the love you see, whenever you get gloomy during

the holiday season, i think of the arrival terminal at heathrow airport. >> you know that movie quite well. >> i think we need a boost. >> peter gave us a boost there. this is a sweet one. sometimes families need to travel before christmas eve. that's the night when every child's elf on the shelf returns to the north pole for the year. that could be an issue. earlier this week, two young girls from tennessee were disappointed to leave their elves behind as they took a flight with their mom. so it was a big surprise when the pilot announced two ivps were boarding the plane late. >> we have peppermint and snowflake onboard tonight. >> peppermint and snowflake! >> the elves peppermint and snowflake made it. the sisters were delighted. of course, an elf on the shelf loses its magic if touched by a human.

you might see they were safe, in protective containers, so they don't lose their magic. >> i did wonder about that. because that's the rule in our house. you cannot touch the elf. >> you need tongs. >> it flies through the air, joe. >> you're not supposed to use >> i never read that. someone give me the rules. >> you let the elf do its thing. what do we have coming up in "pop start"? >> we're going to talk about the holiday trend making us feel nostalgic and show you how more people are embracing the '90s. vicky nguyen is here with help for the procrastinators. >> keep the tongs away from the elf, joe. good morning to you. we're in the final stretch and i'm going to have all of your last-minute gift ideas, things you can get without leaving your home. if you do want to get out and brave the crowds, we'll have the store hours for you and delivery cutoff times as well. that's next right here on "today." .

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your perfect clean starts with oral-b. this morning on "today's" holiday consumer, it is, of course, christmas eve, it is, and if you still have some people on your list, don't worry. nbc's senior consumer investigative correspondent vicky nguyen has got you covered. >> so good to have you here. we're getting down to the wire so minutes matter at this point. let's start with the time. how much time do you have, what are the store hours today? >> no pressure, the minutes do matter, though. we still have a few hours. let's start with walmart, 6:00 p.m. is the closing time tonight. they want to get their employees home to enjoy christmas eve. target, you've got a couple more hours, 8:00 p.m. if you're looking for electronics, you can go to best buy by 7:00. most stores are in this range tonight. and just a reminder, almost everybody will be closed tomorrow, christmas day. >> they've got to enjoy their families, too. >> yes.

one of the nice things now, same sa same-day pickup. >> this is where it gets tricky but also helpful if you're a procrastinator. you have to know your memberships and the levels you can get these services. if you are an amazon prime member, you can get same-day delivery today and it's free if your order is over $25. you just have to look for the item to have that arrives before christmas label, and it can be very different. so make sure you check. if you're not a prime member, it will cost you $10. if you are a walmart+ member, they're giving you one free express delivery between now and the 31st. today is probably a good day to cash in that perk. if you want to order for delivery, you have until 4:00 p.m. i wouldn't push it. i would go earlier, because even though they say that, we've got weather and all kinds of things happening. if you want to do bopis, which i encourage, buy online, pick up in store.

>> i've been getting things that way for the last few years. >> you just made it a thing. >> pick up by 12:00 p.m., you've got to get those orders in earlier. target, you can get delivery, but you have to get the orders in by 3:00 p.m. for the target 360 circle member. we can exclusively reveal to "today" show viewers, batteries are going to be 35% off,he en energizer max. >> if anyone sees it's snowing in parts of the northeast, if you're looking to avoid the stress and you don't want to pick up or rely on delivery, what do you do? >> everybody loves food delivery services, especially if you've got teens or 20 somethings in their life. why don't you fund their uber eats account. the next time they order dumplings, they'll think about you. a kindle e-reader, you can give

them great books to read for 2025. and we love talking about experiences because it's not junk, it's memorable. a cooking class, a massage. these are all gift cards, you can support your local businesses, by the way, a night out, a restaurant, concert tickets is always something wonderful to look forward to. next year, nate bargatze is going to be here and the tickets aren't too crazy expensive. >> sounds like you were talking to somebody at home. >> say you want to go more personal. what else? >> listen, i kind of love sitting down and writing a letter on some nice stationary, and that is something that's a keepsake for folks forever. so if you have some time today, just take an hour and write what you appreciate about someone, what you're grateful for, what you're looking forward to doing with them in the new year. i promise you, they will love that. >> diy, they've got all day today, they've got ants in their pants. sit them down and have them make a homemade coupon book. for the person who has everything, think of a good

cause and donate in their name. that's fantastic because they don't get more junk and something good is happening for a nonprofit in your area. >> so many good tips. always better to give. >> i'm thinking about my appreciating laura now. let's get a check of the weather from dylan. >> good morning. we do have rain and snow in the northeast. a friendly reminder, don't

forget to check us out at sirius channel 108. >> dylan, thank you very much. joe, a little bit of "pop start." >> we've got all of your holiday favorites. first up, '90s christmas decorations, especially trees. they are back in the spotlight. we havave a few estions. how do you define '90s christmas decor? the consensus seems to be the stuff that reminds you of your childhood, maybe you found it in the attic or bought it on ebay. the kids of the '90s are growing up and sharing their childhood traditions and style with their kids. >> from those multi-colored string lights to the garish ornaments that adorned the trees of our youth, this is the year of the '90s christmas, which does go by another name -- >> i just found out i'm a tacky christmas person, and i don't care. >> reporter: tacky is trending. content creator macy blackwell decked her halls with a cozy '90s tree with sentimental decor, including a christmas village.

>> it is so special, i feel that nostalgia. >> reporter: of course, it's not a '90s tree without stringy shimmer. >> i do have tinsel, which is actually a '50s and '60s thing technically. in my mind it goes with the vintage vibe. >> it's just a pain to clean up. >> it is, but that's going to be a problem for me in january. >> reporter: in the uk, don hayward got millions of views on tiktok when they put out her mom's old decorations. >> i just thought, we don't decorate like this anymore. so i'm wondering what our childrens' reactions would be. >> reporter: her daughter lilly reacted like this. >> is this what you used to do? >> yeah. >> reporter: captivated by every detail, especially the tinsel. >> i liked it, but after a while it gave me a headache. >> reporter: an old look may be trending but folks are spending. a survey found people plan to

invest more on decor this year as they cut back on gifts. the '90s don't only live on through tree trimmings. "home alone" remains a must-watch come december. and it's still time for the 1994 mariah carey classic -- ♪ >> the soundtrack of a season as many welcome an alternative to the perfectly curated trees now dominating social media. >> you're going to see santas, carolers. that feels magical and special to me. >> this embrace of nostalgia comes as people decorate earlier and earlier. gone are the days of waiting to put up the tree until after thanksgiving. i believe we've collected some photos of perhaps all of our '90s christmas experiences. >> oh. >> yikes! >> have we?

>> let's see if we havave anythi here. >> aw, look at that! >> a young peter alexander. >> hanukkah with the alexanders as a kid. that's fun. thanks to mom. >> look at that bowl haircut. >> she literally would put a bowl on our head and cut it. >> yikes! >> '90s vibes there. >> vintage '90s style. >> there's me. my mom decorated that tree. '90s all the time. >> look at the jeans. >> the bow, the candy canes in the tree, all of it. >> dylan, here we go. >> binoculars. >> they were the size of my face. >> were those your actual glasses. >> yes, my actual glasses. [ laughter ] >> i thought it was a prop. >> they're also about this thick, yeah. >> that was like me.

>> oh, dylan. >> next up, mariah carey, as we just saw in that piece, mariah and the '90s are still thriving and there's no slowing down for the queen of christmas. "all i want for christmas is you" just went 17 weeks at number one and it dethrones her 1995 collab with boys 2 men as her longest running song on the chart. the holiday hit becomes the third hot number one right behind "a bar song" and "old town road" and congrats, once again, to the queen on this christmas eve. next up, beyonce, queen b, is set to take the stage live tomorrow. for those opening presents, don't worry, the game will be available on netflix until about three hours after the livestream.

you'll be able to jam out. this marks the first time beyonce will perform songs from the grammy-nominated album live and nowhere better to do it than her hometown. >> don't miss that. >> that's going to be good. >> what a treat. >> i wonder how many will be tuning in for that. >> another epic show. one of the best parts of the holidays, the food. we are celebrating with two recipes for christmas and hanukkah. but first, your local news. .

tonight, 'tis the season to believe. >> i'm your guardian angel. >> the holiday classic. >> it's a wonderful life,

tonight on nbc. ♪ ♪ let it snow ♪ >> they are not kidding with the "let it snow" and it is the last day of our toy drive spectacular, and we are welcoming it in with a snow flurry on the flaplaza. we want to thank the guys at random house for donating books. a big thank you to all of you. let's hear it from you! we're snowed in together on the plaza. this is nice because of you and our corporate donors, we were able to collect more than 8,500 toys for kids of all ages around the country. our sincerest thanks. >> incredible. and if you want to join in the last push to make the season bright, you can help out from home. just scan our qr code or head to today.com. still to come, i'm going to show you a modern take on "the nutcracker" the brooklyn way,

and i tried to learn some moves. some of it went well, some of it a little challenging. >> you've got to try that in the snow. >> then with christmas and hanukkah falling on the same day, we are setting the table for a christmas feast. chef michael white is making gnocci and latkes that everyone is going to love. also, a different kind of festive treat from the temptations. the legendary group is performing a holiday classic for us. ahead on the "3rd hour of today," al catches up with hollywood icon dennis quaid and we have a great conversation about his life and career and why he calls age 70 the new bootcamp. and tomorrow on "today," we will take you inside windsor castle for a look at the christmas traditions that got their start from their royal roots. we need a check of the weather. everywhere else, is it like this? >> this is nice and all. but it can stop now.

we've got things to do. we are going to see the snow exit the northeast. the sun will come out and it will be like it never happened. stay cozy a little longer. we are going to see things clear out, even across new england, there will be snow staying on the ground through new england where you'll have a whies christmas. temperatures in the 20s and 30s in the northeast, some rain basically from just west of louisville, stretching into nonew orleans, and it is going to stay wet out west, pacific northwest pockets of heavy rain and snow into the mountains. merry christmas eve to you. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we are under a microclimate weather alert. due to the heavy rain that we've seen this morning. the impacts of that, as well as the dangerous waves near the coastline. we are starting to see the rain easing up for the north bay, and that will be the trend. but we've also seen the

heavy rain shifting into the south bay. eventually this will all clear up for the afternoon. later on tonight we're dropping down to 40 degrees and for the holiday we are >> está bien. joe. >> i see him gearing up. >> it's perfect snow for snowballs. still ahead, a christmas classic getting a modern spin right heren new york city. i got an inside look at the brooklyn ballet's reimagining of "the nutcracker" and found out how they are making an impact beyond the stage. but, first, this is "today" on nbc. .

>> ahora a las 8:36 con la amada beloved christmas eve story, "the nutcracker." laura, you had a chance to go behind tp scenes of a production

right here in new york city. >> i did, and it is quite a production. i got to see firsthand how much work goes into making this version of "the nutcracker" so special. imagine all the magic of the original, the music, the sugar plum fairy, except different. this is the remix, the brooklyn way. ♪ >> reporter: it's a christmas classic performed year after year, "the nutcracker's" familiar score and vibrant characters delighting fans around the world. but here at brooklyn ballet, the creation is done with a twist, and set right in the heart of new york city. >> everybody loves "the nutcracker." it's so known, the music is so fantastic. i love the big snow scenes and also the flowers. but i wanted to engage the community of brooklyn. >> this is one of those moments, you want to be there already. >> reporter: lynn parkerson is the company's creative director.

>> did you grow up seeing the nut cr nutcracker as a kid? >> sure, it's one of the first you're exposed to as a ballet student and you just dream of it. then i thought, what else could it be? >> instead of 19th century germany, they've transported audiences to flat bush avenue. >> i want them to be entertained and feel more alive, more love, more connectivity with their community. i say, if you have to laugh, cry or get goosebumps or you haven't done the job as a director or an artist. >> the secret to their success, the cultural melting pot that is brooklyn. ♪ from ukrainian folk dancing to hip-hop, treasured traditions all coming alive on stage for their version of "the nutcracker."

this balalerina and dancer say they find inspiration in the styles. >> you can see this person works on that craft, even though we're rehearsing over and over, i'm on the sidelines still watching other dancers do their thing. wow, this is not easy. >> what do you think would surprise people the most about this show? >> i think the diversity. nutcracker tries to represent everybody, but historically has been not as inclusive as it should have been. >> reporter: and despite their different backgrounds and training, the dancers' shared purpose, completely in sync. >> when the music comes on, something transforms for me, and you cannot be anywhere but in your body and with that character. >> i need you to have a relationship with your body if you're going to be a professional dancer. >> reporter: and the company's work doesn't end on stage. these dancers even offering free lelessons inchools. >> the school that i teach at is

a few blocks from my house. so i'm literally teaching the children in my neighborhood. i feel it like in real time, oh, the things that i do matter. and then maybe, since things that i do matter, if i gave you inspiration or gave you words of encouragement, it might mean something because maybe i mean something. >> it's so special to see kids who have never had any sense of ballet maybe fall in love with it. >> reporter: the cast wanted to show me firsthand what makes their nutcracker so unique, suggesting a demo might help. >> i'm the opposite of graceful, but i'm here to learn. teach me. >> we will teach you. [ laughter ] >> so we're going to try to do a soldier sit. i due it with the dew drop fairy. this is a hard one. >> you gave me the hard version? >> are you ready? >> yes. one, two, three! oh, welmost got it. >> reporter: clearly, i wasn't

quite ready for prime time, so i went back to the basics with my new friends, diana and grace. >> and stretch. >> reporter: but even after a long way of pirouettes, it's clear that this nutcracker can lift up just about anyone. we had so much fun, but i'm going to keep my day job. >> you went right for the hardest thing, though. >> i go all in, joe. >> the shoulder sit is aggressive, like a plie would have been just fine. >> the fact that you know the lingo is impressive. >> girl dad right here. i love that they perform that for the community to whom they are delivering that performance. >> yeah, and of course a big thanks to the entire team at the brooklyn ballet, and also a shout-out to the mark o'donnell theatre in downtown brooklyn for letting us get that behind-the-scenes look. they house the team and had a setup. they have a glass window so the

community can see them. it's a special place. coming up next, it is a feast with chef michael white,

we are ba tomorrow is christmas and the first night of hanukkah, which means plenty of people are going to need to be fed at these holiday gatherings that will happen around the countrtry. renowned chef michael white is here with celebratory recipes. happy holidays. >> thank you so much. >> any big plans this holiday? >> work. listen, always with the chef. >> congratulations to you and your new restaurant. >> it's a culmination of my 35-plus year career here in new york that is rooted in italian food. it's at 35rd and madison.

we couldn't be more happy. >> so we whipped up latkes or whatever else. >> we're starting with ricotta and making ricotta gnocchi and this is something we can get everybody in the family together with. a little bit everybo involved with. >> little bit of nutmeg, which is really one of those flavors that -- >> that's the real nutmeg. >> a little bit of sea salt. and then what we do is get a dough like this. you can smell the nutmeg. >> that smells delicious. >> then we roll them into cords like this and we have the water boiling. we cut them at an angle, these little footballs. then we go ahead and drop them right in the water. >> do you want the water boiling before you drop? >> boiling and we want to let them rise to the top. >> how long should it be? >> it takes about three or four minutes. >> so, quick, yeah.

>> you can really use anything you want, but right now we're doing tomato, a little bit of onion. we'll do a quick pomadoro. >> is our gallery happppy? >> it's almost done. >> your favorite sauce, a little bit of basil. let these come to the top. your friends are tasting them right now. i'm going to let you taste these right now. >> oh, my gosh. >> we're going to go to latkes. >> a big shout-out for that. that's impressive. now we're moving over to latkes. >> we're going to grate these potatoes. russet potatoes, you could use yukon golds as well. these are great starch content. >> whoa, can we just live in the gnocchi for a second. that is very good. >> we're going to take these potatoes, put them into water. we don't want them to oxidize. we're going to work in batches. you can pour this water off. you want to really get the water

off of the potatoes. >> i feel like this is the key to putting them in the water. >> they don't oxidize, exactly. what happens is the starch falls to the bottom and you can pull the water out and you can use the potato sdpatarches in the bottom of the bowl. we're going to crack these eggs. we have a little bit of onion. >> you crack, i'll eat, if that's okay. >> salt and pepper. and everybody loves the crispy edges, right? now, you can top these with a little bit of smoked salmon, you could do sour cream. >> that's a good idea. >> we're going to bring these together. >> mm. you're doing all the work here. i mean, you're the chef, i'm going to let you do the work on this occasion. the key, obviously, is, like, a perfect golden brown. how do you do that properly? >> you know what, there's a lot of oil, actually. you can kind of hear that sizzle. the real great part about latkes

are the crispy edges. whatever cuisine it is, you can put a little bit of -- this is actually vegetable oil. but you could do clarified butter as well. >> so time-wise, this is the key. how w long befe you shovel it and flip it? >> probably about two minutes. then we're going to press these down. >> so go for something like two minutes? and you're doing a high heat or medium heat? >> this is a medium-high heat. we don't want to go too high because we burn them. you really want this golden crispy edge. >> can i taste while you prepare? we'll trade sides. this is delicious. we appreciate it so much. guys, how are we feeling? >> we're going back and forth. >> are you able to swing by this afternoon? >> we could use some help. >> what is your holiday go-to? >> i'll tell you what, i'm from wisconsin originally so we love

all herring and norwegian and scandinavian things. >> i do, too. >> with sour cream or in vinegar? >> we appreciate it. we're going to keep eating as we head to a commercial break. by the way, you can save your favorite recipes from the show with a free today account, scan the code or head to today.com for more. next, what a treat to hear from the legendary temptations siing a christmas classingc

the citi concert series on "today" is proudly sponsored by citi. >> man, that was some delicious food. we are back with a special holiday treat from the night ♪ y the citi concert series on "today" is proudly sponsored by citi. >> that was some delicious food. we are back with a special award winning iconic group the temptations. >> they are performing a christmas classic for us,

"silent night" and here are the. ♪ temptations.twas ♪ >> 'twas the night before christmas. not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. ♪ ♪ in my mind ♪ ♪ i want you to be free ♪ ♪ all of my friends ♪ listen toe ♪ i want you to listen to me ♪ ♪ ♪ how hear what i say ♪

♪ we wish you a merry christmas ♪♪ to ♪ merry christmas ♪ ♪ to all of you ♪ ♪ silent night ♪ ♪ holy night ♪bright ♪ all is calm, all is bright ♪ ♪ 'round yon virgin mother and child ♪ ♪ holy infant so tender and mild ♪♪ sleep in heavenly ♪ sleep in heavenly peace ♪♪ sl

♪ sleep in heavenly peace ♪ ♪ si ♪♪ holy night ♪ silent night, holy night ♪she ♪ shepherds quake at the sight ♪ ♪ glories stream from heaven d heaven above afar ♪ ♪ heavenly hosts sing alleluia ♪

♪ christ the savior is born ♪ ♪ oh yes he is ♪♪ christ, the s ♪ ♪ christ the savior is born ♪ ♪ we just want to wish you a merry christmas ♪ ♪ to all of you ♪ >> merry christmas from the tem ♪ temptations. >> if that doesn't get you -- >> wow! >> what would? >> what a treat. >> that is a bare tone right there. >> oh, my gosh. >> we have another festive performance coming up in the 3rd hour today, from country star walker hayes. >> and later on hoda and jenna, hometown stars share their christmas eve traditions. but, first, your local news.

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marcus washington. still no update on the identities or conditions of five people injured when two chairs collided. this one a high speed lift at tahoe's heavenly ski resort, sending those skiers plunging 30ft to the ground. now this happened yesterday morning on heavenly's comet express chairlift. photos show the chairs there collide together and emergency response teams down there on the ground. now, witnesses say one of those chairs came loose and slid backward into the other. the lift is closed indefinitely, and the resort did not issue an update on the victims. but it did say in part, quote, the safety of our guests is our top priority, and the resort is investigating the incident. end quote. santa cruz wharf is closed indefinely. this is after some incredibly large, powerful surf yesterday,

demolishing about 150 yards of the farthest end of the pier. it sent three workers into the water who lifeguards later rescued. the collapse happened in an area of the wharf already being repaired due to damage from previous storms. the heavy surf also overturned leastat

this morning on the 3rd hour of "today," my sitdown with living legend dennis quaid, looking back on his career. >> if anything, i would tell myself to,