continuing today in the bay on roku and other streaming platforms. we have a newscast at 8 a.m. you can also see it online at nbcbayarea.com or on our smartphone app. and i have to say, our double duty intrepid worker kari hall doing double duty today. i'm now understanding why you have next week off. it's the best weather you said. yeah, i planned that. she knows. she knows what's going on. christmas gift of knowing what's ahead. look, merry christmas to all of you all out there. happy hanukkah for those tonight. and of course, give a little cheer out there. do something nice for somebody today. y good wednesday morning and merry christmas. merry christmas to you. >> merry christmas. celebrations are already getting underway across the country and around the world. it is december 25th.

this is "today." making spirits bright. christmas morning is here. a time for family and faith, friendship and fun. and we are happy that you are spending part of this blessed holiday with us, today, wednesday, december 25th, 2024. from nbc news, this is a special edition of "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> ah, this is the day. good morning. welcome to "today." so nice to have you with us on a really special morning. merry christmas, guys! >> marryris khus al is spending christmas with his other family. >> who are they? >> his actual family. but if you are watching, merry christmas to you, mr. roker. we love you. >> we know you guys are probably busy opening your presents this morning. we have an inspirational talk

with cardinal timothy dolan. he's here to share his christmas message that's important for >> yeah.f all faiths to hear. it's an annual tradition we have come to love around these parts. we have another tradition for you, a cookie swap highlighting some of our favorite and cherished family recipes. we hope you will love them and there are stories behind them as well. >> you just googled your recipe, right. >> i will fess up, especially on christmas. >> that's a good tradition for us. >> also, it's christmas. you got to have presents, right? i get to play jolly old saint nick dishing out our secret santa exchange. >> let's get started with a check of the top morning stories. ellison barber with us. >> merry christmas and good morning to you. we will begin with breaking news from overseas. a plane carrying 67 people crashed in kazakhstan this morning. >> good morning to you.

well, the search and rescue efforts are ongoing this morning after that flight crashed in kazakhstan on the coast of the sea. the video appears to show the plane trying to make an emergency landing and then bursting into planes and breaking apart. the airlines said 67 were onboard, including the five crew members. all are from central asia and russia. the plane was en route to russia when the russian aviation authorities say it collided with birds. at least four bodies have now been recovered, but emergency missions say at least 32 people have survived, including two children, and pulled from the wreckage and taken to the hospital. >> kelly cobiella, thank you. president biden is spending washington, but he's keeping a busy agenda before he leaves

office in less than a month. aaron gilchrist is at the white house. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the president and first lady in the residence behind me this morning. they have been engaged in a mix of work and holiday fun, too. president biden sharing this photo on x last night, showing him and dr. biden making calls to children all over the country that are helping norad track santa before he made deliveries overnight. he also shared video showing the beautiful decorations on the east wing of the white house. the white house sharing he signed 50 pieces of legislation impacting everything from college hazing to caring for the environmnment and king bald eagles the national birds. biden also commuted sentences, saying he believes in most cases the federal government should not be executing criminals. that move drew sharp criticism from president-elect trump on

christmas eve. he posted on social media that as soon as he 's inaugurated, he will pursue the death penalty to protect american families. trump is spending the holiday at his home in florida. biden has already planned his last diplomatic trip, accepting an invite to visit with the pope francis at the vatican next month. thank you. former president bill clinton was discharged from the hospital yesterday after being treated for the flu. that is according to his spokesperson. he was admitted monday for testing and observation after a fever. a starbucks strike is expanding to 5,000 workers. workers walking off the job again yesterday closing about 170 stores. their union is calling for better benefits and d immediat pay increases. the company says it offered pay and benefits worth $30 an hour. some stores will reopen today on christmas, but they aren't ruling out new demonstrations in

the new year. now for a look at the weather. it will be cold but sunny and cry across the northeast and new england. some rain showers crossing the gulf coast and areas of light rain across the northwest. the northwest contends with a new storm that will bring heavy rain and strong winds. we will have your local forecast in the next 30 seconds. and filing your taxes yourself 100% free if you didn't file with us last year. pay zero dollars when you file by 2/18. all tax forms all 100% free now this is taxes. file free he app by 2/18 when you switch to turbotax do-it-yourself.

become mostly cloudy tonight as we get ready for some rain. spotty showers and overall cloudy tomorrow with rain becoming widespread late tomorrow evening and continuing into friday morning. saturday at this point is looking mostly dry, but we will see another storm system coming in on sunday and we are back to the sunshine for that's it for the news and weather. now back to you all in studio 1a. merry christmas. >> all right. ellison, thank you. now to a beloved christmas tradition for us, taking a few moments to honor and discusshe real meaning of this day. we always do it over a glass of eggnog. that's our tradition, too, with cardinal timothy dolan, the archbishop of new york. good morning. >> we love you so much. >> i love you. >> we love you. >> it wouldn't be christmas

without you. thanks for the invitation, all right? thanks for the eggnog. i come for you and i come for this. >> what are you -- what's on your mind and your heart ts christmas morning? >> well, look, thank you for inviting me. you always say, you talk about the real meaning of christmas. and it is, it is the birthday of jesus, the savior of the world, and that gives us some hope. i think we need some hope, right? you have been listening to your buddy craig about what happened in paris with the rededication and reconsecration of notre dame. when i was there, and craig will back me up, there was a great sense of hope and resilience. and i thought to myself, this is what christmas is about. we kind of live in a world that seems to be at times on fire. we seem to live in a world that seems to look -- you see a lot of destruction, okay? and, yet, what the people of france did with a lot of help

and we here in new york are honored to be a part of that help, they said, this isn't going to have the last word. rebuilding, resilience, renewal, reconstruction. and those are all biblical words, by the way. those are all words we get from god's word in the bible. so that had e last word, see. i think that's what christmas is all about. yep, we can get afraid. we can get discouraged. we can get down in the dumps. things seem to be dark, and in fact, they are dark, this is the darkest time of the year. there is always light. there is always renewal. there is always hope. and that, of course, is what christmas is about. at the darkest time of the year at the darkest time of the day, midnight, the star came and the savior of the world is born. what god is almost saying -- what god, the father, is saying to us, every time i send a baby, i'm saying life goes on. every time i send a baby, i'm saying i'm not giving up on you, my creatures.

he sent us his only begotten son. if that doesn't give us renewal and hope, i don't know what does. >> is that the message of mass this morning, which you will be giving for christmas mass? >> well, after this, i might be singing my sermon over at saint patrick. no, that is. that's the meaning. what strikes me, though, you know, very often in the christmas story, what's the first thing the angels said to those shepherds, remember? the angels said don't be afraid. don't be afraid. because there is a lot of fear in the world. now, we're afraid to go in the subway. we're afraid of what's going on in ukraine and gaza and israel and syria. we're scared. and god keeps whispering, just like a mother or a father will whisper to a baby crying in the middle of the night, don't be afraid. don't be afraid. i got you here. i'm holding you. you are sitting in my lap. that's, i think, what god the father says to us as we contemplate his son who came to us a baby. as you and i are chatting now on

christmas morning, all around the country you have families sitting there with their kids. and they kind of say, ah, this is what life is all about. this is what all makes sense. we're together. we're rejoicing. we're smiling. we're giving. we're opening gifts. we're encouraging each other. we're grateful for what we got. that's christmas morning. that's christmas mass. and i think that's the message of christmas. >> what about those that are feeling -- they hear the words, but they don't feel it in their heart. they're feeling lonely. there's a lot of people where christmas is not a joyous time. >> think about the people that lost somebody this past year. think of people who are sick. when i visit people in the hospital and all, they can feel kind of alone. what do we say? well, we say what god has said to us, you are not alone. you are not by yourself. i am always with you. and i don't kind of come to you -- yeah, i come to you from beyond.

but i also live in your heart and soul, okay? so i say to them, you look at the crib and you say, why isn't that making any sense to me? because i'm sort of down in the dumpmps and i'worried and i'm afraid. i'm saying, you know what, your heart is the crib. jesus, the son of god wants to be reborn, reborn within your heart. we make that our crash. we make that our crib. and once they know -- i said it is kind of up to you. you might not be feeling it, but i just want you to make an act of faith that god is with you, you are not by yourself, it is all in his hands. and if you ask him, he will make his home in your heart and soul. and i'm hoping that means something to us, right? because if it doesn't, where are we going to go? what are we going to do? >> as i am looking at you, i am just imagining you for a second as a little kid waking up on

christmas morning. what was it like when you were little? >> thank you. well, i wasn't drinking this. my folks may have been. no, that was great. when you are a kid, when you get up on christmas morning, you sort of have a sense of trust and confidence that this is going to work out. i'm going to walk out in that living room, and i'm going to see that people love me. i'm going to see that people care for me so much that they have given me gifts. i'm going to see that there's things i need that have now come through. that's not bad. that's spiritual, that sense of trust and confidence that god provides. and that was -- that was true for me as a kid. it always worked, didn't it. even as i looked back. even as i know at that time maybe my dad had lost his job. at that time, maybe mom and dad were having a tough time making the house payment. at that time somebody up the street had just died. yet, on that christmas morning, you're thinking, ah, there's still purpose. there is still life. that's the message of every morning we get out of bed, right?

you guys make a living on that, right? most people tune in and say, hey, it's a new day. let's get started again. there's a freshness to it. >> we also know that kids come out and they feel the presents they tear out and where is the next one coming. and we love all that because that's part of what christmas has become. but when you have little kids, how do you keep this, what's important, front and center. >> you know what you did, don't forget, savannah has an advent calendar and in the pockets she put bible verses instead of tons of toys and candy. >> yeah. they were afraid you were going to give them socks or something. it's tough, though. i would have to say this, as much as i saver the season, i love christmas, i love st. patrick's cathedral.

i do miss being with my family and i do miss little kids. there's nothing -- there's nothing like being around little kids at christmas, is there? i noticed that at thanksgiving. i was able to be with my family. it dawned on me. we are all centered around the kids. we're watching them. we're smiling. we're enjoying them. we want to make sure we're fixing their plates for them. the world, it's centered on the kids. it's centered on the babies, isn't it? we're centered on that baby, that holy infant of bethlehem today. >> cardinal dolan, it is always a pleasure. >> christmas morning, you always like to give a chubby man with a red hat to come on. so good to see you. keep up the good work. a blessed christmas for you. >> a to go cup. >> is there is any more of this, i might stick around. cnn doesn't have this. all right? >> thank you so much and merry christmas. >> have a blessed one, everybody. >> craig, over to you.

always enjoy that conversation every year. thank you, guys. this year marks the biden family's last holiday season in the white house. and this year's decorations have an inspiring theme, peace and light. nbc's kelly o'donnell has a special tour of the nation's most famous residence. kelly o., good morning to you and merry christmas to you as well, my friend. >> reporter: good morning. during this festive season, the doors here have been open to about 100,000 visitors who have been able to see the decorations in person. a reminder that this place can be home to a special experience that has nothing to do with the day-to-day of politics and washington. turning the focus on to community and celebration. a glistening national jewel welcomes you to the white house. with magic in every corridor. vibrant colors that evoke wide-eyed wonder. the first lady, jill biden, chose a theme running through

the displays. >> what i think of this time of year, a season of peace and light. >> oh, let there be light and more light. more than 165,000 bulbs glow and twinkle, brightening wreaths and garlands. to represent the theme of peace, look up to take in a graceful and ethereal flock. more than 2,200 doves. a playful spirit. in the blue room, a whimsical carousel surrounds the main white house see. and 18.5 frazier fur from north carolina. imagination can take a ride on a horse drawn sleigh or a vintage

truck in christmas red with a teddy bear behind the wheel. >> now, this is a special time of year as we transform this house for the holidays. >> to highlight that transformation, the white house posted its own before and after to show how stately spaces popped with holiday glory. more than 300 volunteers behind the merry makeover. > it is a handmade with love from your fellow americans, and i think that's the coolest thing ever. >> it really is magic to watch all the team work and everything go from nothing to this in just a few short days. >> in the library, a forest of trees, trees of all sizes. a bounty of baked goods reminds us of the traditions of family while faces of military families, handmade self-portraits decorate trees in the east room. the service and sacrifice of those who gave their lives is honored here. six layers of stars to note each

military branch. the replica of the peoples' house is again made of gingerbread, with 50 pounds of icing and 45 pounds of chocolate. for the bidens, a wistful sense about this last holiday season here. >> it's been the honor of our lives to serve as your first family. may our nation be blessed with peace and light this holiday season. >> reporter: with the end of the term, the bidens will spend their final christmas here at the white house before the family is expected to take a trip to saint croix, part of their tradition. in all those decorations, you saw 83 trees decorated with more than 28,000 ornaments. for those 300 volunteers, that was a week of work, to make all of the magic come to life. merry christmas to you. >> all right. kelly o., thank you. by the way, guys, all of those decorations handmade by volunteers. a truly impressive display. >> just beautiful. coming up, the sweet story behind our incredible rockefeller center christmas

tree from a loving family in massachusetts and a special reason they decided to share their norway spruce with the world. plus, it is a christmas tradition at families all across america, and we just had to try it. get ready as we bring you our own cookie swap. but, first, this is "today" on

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until city engineers can do a full damage assessment. this after the wharf collapsed into the ocean on monday. the bathrooms that used to stand at the end of the wharf now washed up onto the shore. that part of the wharf actually was closed for the past year, being rebuilt because it was damaged in a prior storm. main beach and kohler beach are closed because of debris in the water. the city of santa cruz says it is unsure what the future of the end of the wharf will be. back here in the bay area, hilton hotels have finally come to an agreement with its workers union after 93 days on strike. the employees were demanding better wages and benefits. this week, the hotels and the union announced they had reached an agreement, and yesterday those union workers voted to ratify the new four year deal. this vote by hilton employees follows similar agreements over the past week between workers at the marriott and hyatt hotels. we see rain in that video, but a christmas miracle. meteorologist kari hall has a nice forecast. yeah, we

are starting out with all clear. dry conditions for much of the bay area. we have seen some fog settle into the tri-valley, but elsewhere we are going to see a mix of sun and clouds today and rain holding off until early tomorrow morning, which the next storm system arrives with more widespread rain late tomorrow evening. kira. all right, kerry, thanks for the heads up. and remember, you can watch our today in the bay live streaming newscast at 8 a.m. we will take you to glide in san francisco to show you how they're helping those in need. spread holiday cheer in san francisco. you can watch on roku, amazon fire, xumo, and our other streaming platforms, including

♪ we're back at 7:30 on this christmamas wednesy morning. we're grazing at that gorgeous norway spruce, the rockefeller christmas tree growing bright

with the help of 50,000 lights. >> it came to us from massachusetts. it was a gift from a remarkable family who has a powerful story to share. joe fryer joins us with that. >> i just love this story so much. this is the first rockefeller tree from massachusetts since 1959. back then, this year's tree hadn't even been planted yet. the crew loaded the tree on to a large flatbed truck. but to the family who donated it, you could say it's heaven sent. >> the berkshires in western massachusetts are like a sprawling outdoor art gallery, and this is the masterpiece, deeply rooted in the albert family's yard. how does it feel to have your tree picked as the rockefeller center christmas tree? >> well, i consider it probably one of the greatest honors of my life. >> reporter: earl and his wife

leslie were newlyweds when they moved here in 1966, adding the tree a year later. when the family planted the tree in 1967, it was about waist high. now here we are 57 years later, and you could see this norway spruce is 74 feet tall. >> we first used to decorate it when it was small. and then it got so big that i couldn't decorate it. >> but they always enjoyed it. from his son michael to shawn, to their kids who played in a sand box shaded by its branches. a beauty that caught the eye of rockefeller center's head gardener. >> it was beautiful. i came down and it was right in front of me. it looked perfect all the way around. it was great. >> he knocked on the albert family's door. >> and then michael said, do you think he's like an angel or something fplt slie had passed away. >> this is definitely her handy

work. >> what do you think she's thinking? >> i'm thinking she's thrilled. >> when the tree was chopped down last month, it was a community celebration, a joyful day that ended with heartbreaking news. earl suffered a stroke. >> he has some medical hurdles to get over. >> he's now recovering and was glued to the television for this moment. >> three, two, one! >> light it up! >> the albert family's gift to the world. >> it's so like, an overwhelming emotion, like joy and -- like it was a tribute to my mother's life. you know what i mean? just like the giviving back,ust the loving nature of herer. >> though earl couldn't see the lighting in person, what he told me in october still holds true. >> what do you think you will be thinking of in that moment? >> leslie, how much she enjoyed trees, how much she enjoyed christmas. >> and just how much it means to find the light in the dark.. >> in the spot where the tree

once stood, there is a stump. the albert family plans to put a memorial to leslie on it with the rock center logo. the tree is not going anywhere. it will be on view through mid-january, so plenty of time to enjoy it. >> what a great story. the music comes from upstate new york, right? >> it comes from all over. but it's amazing it had been from massachusetts. >> thanks, joe. coming up, an ode to christmases past. an exclusive look at how the royals celebrated this day more than a century ago and how popularized some of today's traditions. speaking of christmas traditions, we shared more than baked goods in our cookie swap. we will be right back with our favorite cookies and memories right after this.

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we welcome back. so the sweetest part of the holiday season is, of course, for a lot of folks the cookies. whether it is a treasured recipe or a beloved classic, just one bite can bring back a flood of memories. >> that's why we decided to have a cookie swap for an afternoon . of reminiscing and joy. ♪ >> you guys, it's the holiday season. there is only one thing to do. >> what? >> cheers!

>> cheers, you guys! celebrate. >> this is the martha stewart eggnog. very, very strong. >> merry christmas. >> do you know what that tastes like? it tastes like hoda's "last christmas." i'm sorry. i just wanted to say that this is why it's really special. >> i'm going to savor and take it slow today. >> these are some gorgeous cookies. >> this is one of my distinct christmas cookie memories, which is a sugar cookie, and we cut out a hole and then you put a lifesaver in the middle of it and bake it. it's called a stained glass. >> what did you learn about that? >> i think my mom read it in a magazine and i remember doing it. >> when i was growing up, christmas was huge in our house. and my mother was christmas. and this is called a snowball. it is basically butter and flour and sugar. she would take a brown paper dog, our lunch bag, put convection sugar in there and

shake it up. that's how we would do it to help her out. >> that's the sound of christmas. >> that is the sound and smell and sight of christmas for me. >> mine is a new christmas tradition for my girls. so this cute reindeer, it is like an oreo cookie truffle. you take an oreo and phmush it with cream cheese, make it into a ball and dunk it into chocolate. >> that's good. >> is this a no bake situation? >> this is a no bake situation. i will make these for my girls this christmas. kids can help make it. >> mr. roker? >> well, truth be told, now that the kids are all out of the house, we used to make sugar cookies and we would the put out the icing and the kids would decorate it, and now we are down to basically a slice. this is it. >> so cute. >> when we do them at my house with my kids, it looks like a crime scene. there is so much froststing everywhere. >> that's the way it is supposed to look. >> it's fun because when i was a kid, this is what we did, sugar

cookie. and then lindsey, when we got married, she started making these. it's rice krispies. >> these are great looking. >> every holiday is a major celebration in the melvin house. >> you know what i learned as being a new suburbanite? everybody decks their house out. i think this year i have been more like into community. so i think this year i will deck it out a little bit more. i want to be in it. >> the highlight in our house, lindsey has a wreath that her grandfather used to put up. the wreath is at least 80 years old. holy moly. >> that's the best part, to pull out things for christmas that you remember from your childhood. >> i can remember, you know, you would get out the ornament box, and it felt like it had been 50 years when you were a kid. >> yeah. >> and then you would see that one ornament that you love.

>> you have one that you made in school? >> oh, yeah. we had plenty of those. in fact, we had some stained glass cookie ornaments. >> that's what we're eating? we're eating your christmas ornaments from 1983. >> we had this one little girl, a stuffie with yellow yarn hair and my sister and i would have knock-down fights over who could get to hang her up. >> we had the -- what is the one that goes around, the silver one. >> the garland. >> yeah, that, garland all around. >> it was foil? >> it was just like everything was thrown at it. my parents thought, the more the better. >> we had ornaments we made in school. we have ornaments from our family vacations throughout the years. there might be one that says pebble beach 1985. i have one from the fourth grade. when you sit and walk around your tree, it is like this time machine. i think of my life and all the things that happened. when i was young, i lost my dad. we moved to different houses. throughout my life, this is the one consistent thing, these

snowballs. in a world that changes too darn much, the snowball has never changed. it's the only thing that can take me back five decades. let's not foet about the traditions of our family. >> yes! happy holidays and merry christmas! >> i have to say it was pretty tasty. >> great tradition. >> except maybe my stained glass cookie was -- >> it wasn't. i'll be honest. yours were incredible, though. >> thank you. i was going to say the same thing about yours. >> when you hear a song, it takes you immediately back to a time and place. christmas cookies do that for these memories. >> a special shout-out to the civilian hotel for hosting us there. if you like your family recipes but not mine, go to today.com/food. i can acknowledge that. >> we are just getting started

day to day, but we will start to see clouds coming in later tonight. ahead of another storm system that's going to drive up some dangerous waves near the coastline, and we'll also see some rain coming back into early tomorrow morning, but becoming more widespread tomorrow evening. it will linger into friday with a dry saturday and a new storm system coming in on >> and that's your latest weather. all right. just ahead, how can you possibly make hoda's morning boost even better? combine it with a special christmas theme, of course. we will have that for you and much more right after this. five immersive worlds [lightning strikes] one amazing theme park

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and hoda, you have a special morning boost. >> i got one for you. it is christmas, so we have two boosts for you this morning. sometimes it can be tricky to get small kids and pets to cooperate when you are taking a photo, but not the dog you are about to see. he was totally all in. >> oh, you poor baby. oh. >> that's bear, the richardson family dog. when you tell bear to smile, he just does it. yeah, even if he's not thrilled about it, being in a christmas sweater and hat. they say he's always a good sport when it comes to picture time.

boost mber two, across the country cities and towns ushered in the holiday season with their annual tree lighting series. and lexington, north carolina was no exception. only this one didn't quite go as planned. >> count down from five. five, four, three, two, one, light that tree! >> i think everyone is kind of in on it. all right. some of the strings didn't light up. you have to feel for the guy in charge checking all the bulbs. you know how it works. everyone had a lot of fun. there was great music and train rides and lots of hot cocoa. >> there has to be a little kid back there somewhere going like this. good stuff. coming up, guys, buddy the elf, bruce wilson in "die hard." who are the best movie characters of all time? we will dive into that hot

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good christmas morning to you. it is 756. i'm marcus washington. here's what's happening now. good morning i'm thom jensen in san francisco where volunteers are putting together this meal, this christmas meal, ham and turkey for 4000 people here at glide memorial church. and we're volunteers are so needed year

round. if you want to get involved, you can go to glide.org/volunteer. merry christmas. merry christmas to you too tom. and merry christmas to you kari. yes. and we're starting out with some great weather across the bay area. it's pretty quiet out there. as we take a look at the golden gate bridge. there will be some peeks of sunshine and we are staying dry, but it will be a bit cool with mid to upper 50s for our highs this afternoon, upper 50s for san jose as well as san francisco and tomorrow it's just a touch warmer, but we'll also see some rain coming in. some scattered showers starting out in the north bay early and then more widespread. widespread rain late tomorrow evening. that continues into friday. mostly cloudy on saturday and then another storm system right behind that. moving in early on sunday. early next week we are back to the sunshine and cool temperatures and a look at san francisco, where we are going to see some rain on our christmas for the day after christmas, i should say, but it will be dry for christmas day as

well as the start of hanukkah. marcus. all right, gary, thank you. and make sure you watch our today in the bay live streaming newscast. it's going to start in just minutes. cleanup is underway in santa cruz. this after part of the wharf fell into the ocean. what santa cruz city leaders are saying about the pier's future after assessing that damage, you can tch on roku, pluto and other streaming platforms, including nbcbayarea.com. here's a live look in san francisco on this beautiful christmas morning. have a great one. we'll see you at eight, as well as durinour middayg

♪ it's the most wonderful time of the year. it's 8:00 on "today." merry christmas. coming up, tis the season.

it's the most wonderful day during the most wonderful time of the year, filled with faith, fun, friends, family and joy. we are celebrating all of it this morning. then winter wonderland. meet the team behind some of the most iconic holiday displays. a rare firsthand look at how all of the christmas magic is made. plus, holiday best. >> santa! >> hey! >> what are you doing here, santa? >> we're counting down the greatest tv episodes of all time, centered around christmas. >> do you know your mother is here? >> i don't care. i'm trying to make a christmas special. >> so did your favorites make the list? >> and feeling fancy. ♪ ♪ fancy like christmas -- >> walker hayes joins us in studio 1a for a festive performance of his new holiday hit, guaranteed to get you in the spirit, today, wednesday, 2 december 25th, 2024.

♪ >> it's christmas morning! >> hello "today show". >> merry christmas to our mom! love you! >> spending christmas in new york. >> from illinois. >> st. louis, missouri. >> aurora, indiana. >> and san antonio, texas. >> look for you on "the today show". >> merry christmas! >> oh! >> nice christmas crowd out there. welcome back to "today." nice to have you with us on this special morning. and merry christmas again. >> all around. guys, we've got a fun and busy hour ahead, including a festive "popstart." guys, we will exchange our secret santa gifts. which is going to be fun. >> first, we want to get things started with the news of the day on this christmas morning. for that, we turn to ellison barber. good morning and merry chrisists to you. >> good morning and merry christmas to you as well. we will begin with breaking news

from overseas. a plane carrying 67 people crashed in kazakhstan this morning. the plane was traveling to russia. kelly cobiella is in the london with the latest. what more can you tell us? >> the investigators and rescuers are en route this morning on the coast of the sea early this morning. the video appears to show the plane trying to make an emergency landing and then bursting into flames and breaking apart. the airlines said that 67 were onboard, including the five crew members and that all are from central asia and russia. emergency officials say that at four bodies were recovered and at least 32 people survived, including two children.

all of them pulled from the wreckage and being treated at area hospitals. >> kelly cobiella, thank you. president biden has a busy agenda before he leaves office in less than a month. nbc's aaron gilchrist is at the white house this morning. >> reporter: good morning. the bidens have spent this holiday week in a mix of work and holiday fun. president biden sharing a photo on x last night showing him and dr. biden making calls to children all over the country. they helped norad track santa before he made deliveries overnight. he showed a video showing the beautiful work that volunteers did this year decorating the east wing of the white house. this was a busy week for president biden, too. the white house sharing he signed 50 pieces of legislation, impacting everything from college hazing to caring for the environment to making the bald eagle the national bird officially. biden commuted 37 death

sentences from the death penalty to life in prison without the possibility of parole. he said he believes the federal government should not be executing criminals. that move drew sharp criticism from president-elect trump on christmas eve. he posted on social media that as soon as he is inaugurated, he will vigorouslsly pursuehe death penalty to protect american families. trump is spending the holiday in florida. as for president biden, he has already planned what is likely his last diplomatic trip, accepting an invite to pope francis at the vatican. >> thank you. the fda is raising an alarm over eggs possibly with salmonella exposure. about 11,000 units of eggs were being recalled. the fda classified it to its highest risk level.

the eggs were sold in alabama, georgia, north carolina, south carolina and tennessee beginning on november 22nd. for more information on that recall, go to our website today.com. good news and bad news when it comes to the mega millions lottery this morning. the bad news, you did not win the jackpot in last night's drawing. the good news, no one else did either. the jackpot is on the rise once again. it stands at a whopping $1.1 billion for friday night's drawing, so no christmas miracle, but maybe one for the new year. now for a look at the weather. it will be cold but sunny and dry across the northeast and new england. there will be some rain showers crossing the gulf coast and areas of light rain entering the northwest. a new orm will bring heavy st

that's it for the news and weather. now back to studio 1a. merry christmas. >> thank you, ellison. >> are you guys excited for "popstart"? >> yes. >> christmas edition. it is coming up. but which are the best christmas carols of all time? we will break down a new list out. not the old list. brand-new and it's changing. it takes a switch on the christmas carol debate. all that coming up. good. but, first, an exclusive tour inside windsor castle where some of the traditions you can't imagine christmas without actually got their start. that and more after these messages.

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♪♪ jingle bell, jingle bell. >> welcome

♪ >> welcome back. when you think of christmas, you may think of trimming the tree, getting gifts and fancy feasts. >> what you may not know is the connection between those treasured holiday traditions and what they have to do with the royal family. >> megan joins us from windsor castle with more. >> reporter: good morning. believe it or not, the british family played a role in the festive traditions we know and love today. we got an exclusive look inside windsor castle to see how they celebrated christmas more than 150 years ago. for 1,000 years, windsor castle has been a royal palace. but it was during the reign of queen victoria, as my guide explains, that so many of those magical christmas traditions became popular, like the christmas tree. >> it was quite a well-known image published in the papers that shows the queen, her husband and several children standing around a christmas tree. this is what started it off in the popular imagination. >> it was actually victoria's grandmother, queen charlotte,

yes, that queen charlotte now featured in a netflix series who intruced a tree. but it was victoria's husband, prince albert, another german who brought many other customs to windsor. so what i have here are two watercolors and they show the christmas tree and the christmas presents that they gave each other and their children, unwrapped. we only have wrapping paper nowadays. we didn't have it back then. all of these gifts given to queen victoria by prince albert. this painting here is a big watercolor. so this is for all the children. you can see here there is a doll, a ball for them to play with. >> reporter: prince albert often designed the gifts himself. >> what is this here? >> we have a broach and bracelet. they are both gifts from prince albert to queen victoria. this was in 1844. this is a miniature picture surrounded by diamonds. the bracelet is a picture of himself.

this is a picture she was really fond of. he's dressed in armor. >> reporter: the prince even composed special music for christmas performed in the castle's beautiful chapel. at windsor, christmas dinner was done on a grand scale. >> she would have had a menu presented to her. it is written in french. there isn't turkey. there are a lot of meats, though. there is game pie, which is multiple birds in one pie. and there is a baron of beef. >> reporter: so they ate well. >> they ate so well. the kitchen here is so special. this is the oldest working kitchen in the u.k. and a lot of these animals came from the great park outside the castle. >> reporter: and after dinner, the entertainment. >> welcome to what queen victoria knew as the ruben's

room. this is where they had the christmas play. the way we are standing would have been the front row of the audience. but she gets a front row seat. >> reporter: she's the queen. >> exactly. >> reporter: even a young queen elizabeth took to the stage. >> during the war, her and her sister, princess margaret, performed to raise funds for soldiers. >> reporter: and when it snowed, there were outdoor activities, too, building snowen, sleigh and victorian albert pictured here skating on the frozen pond in the castle grounds. >> so the royals knew how to throw a good party. they knew how to have a good time. >> exactly. >> reporter: this place is fascinating. it has so much history, so many stories. here's the thing. some of these rooms are open to the public. so if you are ever in windsor, you know where to come. guys, back to you. >> thank you, megan. merry christmas. >> merry christmas.

mr. roker, you know what he would say, not just the best time of the morning, but on christmas morning, come on! >> we have a big one, too. all of our stories this morning are saint nick approved. we will start with a nice list. no, not that nice list. let's kick things off with the rankings of the best holiday movie characters of all-time. and oh, fudge, ralphie is in spot number five. he earned his red rider bb gun just for putting on the bunny suit alone and he came back for a sequel in 2022.number four, number four, "scrooge." from the muppet christmas carol. acting legend michael kane stepped into the shoes for this. there is michael holding his own alongside the scene stealer kermit the frog. number three, the grinch. although the story hit the big

screens a few times over the year, -- the original 1966 cartoon, what you are watching, is worthy of being one of the greatest of all time. now move over, you filthy animals. the john hughes classic is still so popular today. macaulay culkin went around to different screenings of "home alone." still doing great. finally, the number one christmas character of all-time. >> merry christmas, you wonderful people! hey! merry christmas, mr. potter! >> merry christmas! jimmy stewart takes the cake for his part in "it's a wonderful life". >> that's a classic. >> ralphie, i would have had in the top three. >> al would have made the case for "die hard". >> i might have something for him.

next up, entertainment weekly named the 30 best tv christmas episodes of all-time. here are some of our favorites from that list, starting with tina fey and "30 rock". >> i was just thinking in the shower this morning what if saint nick was nick cage because it might go a little something like this. >> buford, a tip for my man. how's tricks? >> god, i miss that show. love that. the best holiday episode of 30 rock there according to "entertainment weekly." while we're on sitcoms, who remembers this hilarious michael scott quote? >> presents are the best way to show someone how much you care. it is like this tangible thing that you can point to and say, hey, man. i love you this many dollars' worth. >> nothing quite like grabbing the meaning of christmas, but he's certainly got the spirit there. finally, this cameo crazy episode from season 2 of "the

bear." >> your seven fishes legend is not even close. >> there are sevens all over the bible. sacraments, virtues, days. guilt, probably, you know, making people feel like [ bleep ]. holding everything in, raging, pouting, screaming. making scenes, you know, all the italian classics. >> you remember that if you are a fan of "the bear." it is pretty much legendary. sara pollson.amie lee curtis, that episode got nine emmy nominations. >> wow! >> do you hear what i hear? it is time for christmas carols. oh, what fun it is. "parade" magazine's listf the best carols ever starts with number five. you know it. you love it. that little drummer boy. this version has been in rotation for nearly seven

decades, craig, if you can believe that. that's just number five. we move on to number four. couldn't do this list without bing crosby. how about this rendition of "do you hear what i hear." since it was released, it's been recorded by some other great christmas crooners. josh grogan, barry komo just to came a few. we move on to number three. the greatest christmas carols of all time, the "12 days of christmas." here's a fun fact, craig, if you do the math, this tallies up to 184 birds. >> thanks for doing the math. >> "o come all ye faithful" by martina mcbride released her christmas album with "away in a manger" and "hark the harold angels sing." here's the big reveal. the number one christmas carol of all time. ♪

♪ silent night ♪ ♪ holy night ♪ ♪ all is calm ♪ ♪ all is bright ♪ >> how about that? >> wow! michael bublé, love it. >> do you know what's surprising? no mariah carey in that top five. >> i think you don't consider that a carol. it is a pop song. >> way to make people riot on christmas day. >> no, it is a good question. >> all right. that is your "popstart." if it wasn't enough holiday cheer for you -- >>o you have more? >> do you have a santa hat? >> it is time for our annual tradition. we have your secret santa. we're going to do it right now. i've got some bags to hand out. >> okay. >> we don't know who each other picked. >> okay. >> i should mention that uncle al isn't here, but we will do it

anyway. and we'll sort it all out. savannah, do we have our gifts? do you want to bring them in? savannah, we'll start with you. >> okay. am i giving or am i receiving? >> you will open yours first. >> i will open mine first, okay, great. >> you can't tell yet until they open. oh, here comes your hat. >> this is al. >> that's al. >> good, great. >> oh, there is your hat. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> hodes. >> this is for me? all right. >> and savannah. >> okay, okay. this is for carson. >> okay. >> go ahead. savannah, you are first. >> all right. now you put your hat on. okay. what is this? oh! >> oh no! >> stop! it's a dog sweater from my new dog fetch. >> this is to savannah from? >> it's from me. well, because it's -- you got a new puppy. >> yes. >> and puppies, it's cold right now. puppies need to be warm as well.

>> and stylish, i might add. >> oh, yeah. oh, yeah. >> my puppy's stphaeupl fetch. that is so cute. you made fetch happen! thank you, craigers. i love that? >> merry christmas, fetch. >> stop! on christmas? >> oh, lord. >> make it work. >> this is yours, craig. i think you will know quickly who it's from. >> awe. >> oh, i will treasure this forever. it's a new york mets sherpa. >> oh, wow. >> hodes, do you want to give them the back story. >> the back story is when craig got this job before anyone knew, savannah, craig and i knew. i said since no one can know, craig, the code i will give to you is every time i think about it, i will say let's go mets.

every time i looked at craig and i said, 'let's go mets,' he knew i was cheering him on for this new job. so i thought -- >> oh, that's nice. >> you know what's really funny? you didn't tell me that. and i was like, hoda is really into the mets. wow, she loves these mets. and she loves you. >> oh, and this is for me? >> yes. >> okay. merry christmas to juan soto. >> full disclosure, i'm not a mets -- thank you. >> who had hoda? >> i did. it starts with this. >> oh, god. >> uh-oh. don't you start crying on christmas. >> okay. this phrase -- may you find -- >> may you find a light to guide you home. >> it's a beautiful song that savannah gave to me every time i was going through something new. >> it's the wishing candle set. >> oh, my god. it's too much. oh, my god. joe e had thisong. >> i'm glad you can put this on your desk.

>> you know what i love about it the most? that's your handwriting. >> yeah, i wrote it. >> i love you. >> i love you. >> well, buddy. th leaves you. >> carson, we have to get you something. >> so uncle al is not here to cry when i give him his gift because i think he would. should i do al's? this is called a legacy journal, where al could write down some stories for his grandchild. >> oh, that's a great idea. >> he has so many words of wisdom. when they're together, whatever the occasion might be, he could journal a little bit. and it would be a book that would be passed down. >> brilliant, brilliant idea. >> that's a great idea. >> again, al is hanging out with his real family this morning, but he wanted to make sure that you got his gift. and he's fairly certain you will appreciate this. just open the bag. it is something you will definitely be able to use for a big part of your life. >> wow, okay. this looks comfortable. >> well, do you know what that is?

>> this is a giant onesie. >> no, it is not a giant onesie, my friend. you are in your cold plunge era. >> oh, my cold plunge. >> that is -- when you come out of your daily cold plunge, can you put that on. >> this is like a michael phelps' throw over -- >> isn't that cool? >> that is awesome. i get into 30 degree water every day for people that don't know for 30 minutes, and this is something i can pull on. uncle al, i love you. thank you. merry christmas. >> these are all beautiful gifts. >> and meaningful. >> thank you. >> yeah us! >> if al were here, you know he'd made some joke about the cold plunge and the shrinkage. >> yes, he's making it now from home. straight ahead, chef brian ford with some really sweet treats if you are looking to make something easy, maybe to round out your holiday dessert table this christmas. but, first, these messages. >> thank you, guys. merry christmas.

>> merry christmas, everybody! >> what a gift.

♪ we're back now at 8:30. it is a beautiful wednesday morning, christmas morning. merry christmas to you guys and thank you for spending part of your morning with us. >> this is fun. we have a lot to get to in our

final hour, including festive treats that your family will love that are simple to throw together at the last minute. and i think christmas morning, if you are thinking you need a new recipe, we're in the last-minute. this is it. >> also, country star walker hayes has quite the festive performance in store to start your holiday on a high note. today we will see a mix of sun and clouds and highs in the upper 50s as we begin hanukkah tonight, it's going to be mostly cloudy and at least dry, but we will start to see spotty showers coming in early tomorrow morning. slight chance of rain throughout the day, but rain chances increasing in the evening, which will continue into friday. saturday is mostly cloudy with a high of about 61 and and that's

>> and that's your weather. >> all right, carsy. well, there is nothing like christmas in new york city. some of the most iconic holiday decorations are right outside our studio. many of them including the iconic angels were made possible by the team at american christmas. >> and just a few miles from where we're sitting right now, they work year-round to bring the holiday spirit to life. nbc's kaylee hartung got to see that magic firsthand. >> reporter: in new york city, it is beginning to look a lot like christmas. from dazzling displays up and down fifth avenue, to timeless displays at rockefeller center. the city is all decked out for the holidays, thanks to the work year-round at american christmas. i'm not sure many people know an operation like this exists. >> yeah. we have been doing this for 50 years, and each year we get a little bigger, get a little better. >> reporter: with 400 clients nationwide, including in los angeles, washington, d.c. and tampa, american christmas is

behind some of the most iconic holiday decorations past and present, handling everything from design and installation to storage and maintenance. >> there is about 150 people on the production floor. we have crews running 24 hours a day. >> reporter: can i get a sneak peek? >> let's go see it. >> reporter: so this is where the magic happens? >> yes. this is our main warehouse in mount vernon, new york. >> reporter: transforming into a real life santa's workshop. it wasn't long before i was put to work. how do we feel? right here? i got to try my hand in decorating. this thing better not fall off. i don't want that on me. i want to stay on santa's good list. >> that looks perfect. >> reporter: see where all the shiny objects are stored. this is more than a couple tupperware boxes in the attic. >> yeah, we have over 300

options of different styles here. >> learned some of the tricks of the trade. what is the secret to properly lighting a tree and weaving those cords in and out. >> we go in and back out to the tip. >> reporter: and a look at the crown jewels. i believe we have come to 5th avenue. like this year's display filled with over 100,000 sparkling lights. anyone that has decorated their own christmas tree knows, one bulb goes out and you have a problem. >> we test them. we program them. there is a lot we do to make this go up. >> reporter: when you say go up, you mean go way up? >> way up, yes. >> reporter: how long can the installation process take for saks fifth avenue? >> upwards of eight weeks. >> reporter: oh, i have seen ladies before. >> yeah. these are the christmas angels at rockefeller center.

>> reporter: these angels have lined the channel gardens at rockefeller center, each adorned with a trumpet. they symbolize the arrival of the holiday season. and this is where your role in maintaining and caring for these legendary decorations comes into play? >> yes. what we do for our client every year is take care of them and make them try to look brand-new year after year. >> reporter: before the decorations come to rockefeller plaza, here they are. >> here they are. they're ready for 2024. >> reporter: the angels as well as, oh, we have seen these guys before. >> yes. these are the cadets they place around the plaza. >> reporter: and soon, the early morning calm, not a creature was stirring, the dance team delivered the christmas magic. why is this something that brings you joy? >> i have been doing it for over 20 years. for me, it's fun. we enjoy going around and seeing people enjoy our work. >> hard to believe some of those angels are 70 years old. >> wow. >> thank you. all right.

coming up next, guys, baker brian ford is here with festive chocolate fudge balls. there are sweet treats you can prepare without needing to spend too much time in the kitchen. but, first, this is "today" on

all right. we are back with a special christmas morning edition of "today food," all right. we are back with a special christmas morning edition of "today food," whipping up some holiday magic with chef and baker brian ford. he is the author of a cookbook, and he's here to help us create some quick and easy treats for a busy day, just like today, something we think the entire family will love. brian, it is great to have you here. merry christmas. you look festive. >> you know what it is. >> we have our little elves over there who will be standing by. but, yeah, let's just start with -- i don't know how familiar people are with

brazilian desserts. that's what this is. >> yeah. this is one of the most popular desserts you can make. it's a brigadeiros. >> brigadeiros. >> oh, look at you! >> i threw some italian in there. >> it comes from a time when brazil was going through things and they came up with the fudge balls. >> what i love about this is from what i can see, it looks simple. >> simple and straightforward. you can get off the couch and you have these at home. you have condensed milk, low heat. you have cocoa powder. are you getting your hands dirt >> i'm with you. just condensed milk and you just warm it up. >> and then you got some butter. >> what was that? >> cocoa powder and some butter. stir this for seven minutes and continue stirring for seven minutes. >> the segment is only three more minutes. >> yeah. >> luckily we have already stirred some and chilled it down. once you get to this part, you

are basically done. >> hold on, when you are making this, you want to put on a seven-minute consistent stir on this? >> yes. don't walk away. don't burn it. once those seven minutes pass, pop it into the freezer to let it chill. then we will shape it with some sprinkles. so it won't actually ever really freeze all the way because of the fat that's in it, the butter. so when you have that consistency like that -- >> you know what also doesn't freeze all the way in the freezer? >> alcohol. >> vodka. >> i knew that's where you were going with it. let's shape it here. i'm going to put the gloves on, just to keep this clean. >> wow, really? we don't even use those for raw chicken -- that's amazing. use it for chocolate. >> remind me not to eat a chicken here. >> just read the comments. this is fun to do with kids and stuff. >> of course. do you have kids?

>> i have four. would you like one of them. >> i have my own on the way, actually. >> do you really? >> yes. so we ball it up like that and put it in the sprinkles. you can use colored sprinkles or christmas sprinkles, whatever you got. and that's it. you're done. you don't need to bake them. >> that's easy? >> he's broken them up. >> the coconut balls are over here, they are common to make in bolivia, cocadas. you might know them as macaroons. yohave almonds, some egg. a very simple thing, pop everything in the bowl. some condensed milk again. >> is this a bake situation? >> it is a bake situation, but it is very quick. mix this up real quick. >> yeah. >> how about that? there you go. just put that right there. nice and easy. had to adjust that for you real

quick. >> you will be good to go. that's sort of attention to detail. >> i did that well. >> you heard that? i'm going to be great. >> papacita okay. >> it's papacito, okay. [ speaking in a global language ] >> well, easy. >> that's all i know. that's all i got. i'm good for two hours in a bar. then i have to go because i've run out of things to say. >> it's simple. all in one bowl. pop it on the sheet tray here. scoop one. scoop one or two. >> how uniform do you need these? >> doesn't need to be uniform at all. you can get the sheet tray lined up, bake it for 20 minutes. these are simple desserts. get off the couch and make it. >> i love the simplicity of it all. congratulations, man. what a great christmas for you and your family.

>> thank you all so much. >> let's go do it. brian, thank you so much. you can find these recipes over on today.com/food. savannah? >> love that. thank you so much. coming up, who is in need of a christmas vacation? we have walker hayes right here. but, first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪ you know i'm a dreamer ♪ ♪ but my heart's of gold ♪ ♪ just one more night ♪ ♪ and i'm coming off this long and winding road ♪ ♪ i'm on my way ♪ ♪ i'm on my way ♪ ♪ home sweet home ♪ there's no place like the road home. receive a $5,500 bonus on a new 2024 audi q5 plug-in hybrid during the season of audi sales event.

♪♪ ♪ >> the citi concert series on "today" is proudly sponsored by citi. >> what a treat we've got today. we are back with a special edition of our citi music series. >> this morning we're going to rock around the christmas tree with countryinger walker hayes. >> yeah. his later project is a new ep. it's called "christmas vacation," and he's treating us to a performance of the title track, so let's give it up for

our friend, walker hayes! ♪ fa la la la ♪ fa la la la la la. >> sing it with me, girl. ♪♪ ♪ fa la la la la ♪ ♪ fa la la la la la la ♪ ♪ hark the herald ♪ ♪ who the hell is harold ♪ ♪ that's a guy granny met at cracker barrel ♪ ♪ i don't really like him, but, hey, he's here ♪ ♪ and grandpa's dead, so get him ♪ and grandpa's dead, so get him a beer ♪ ♪ looking kind of weathered ♪

♪ dog on the couch ♪ ♪ chewing on a shoeoe ♪ ♪ squeaking on the street ♪ ♪ he shows up when it's time to eat ♪on ♪ ♪ yeah, we got a whole downtown ♪ and a whole lot of alcohol ♪ ♪ singing deck the halls ♪ ♪ 'tis the season ♪ ♪ i'm going to jingle all the way ♪ ♪ all the kids acting up ♪ ♪ you can get a drink ♪lot of

family dysfunction ♪ ♪ they were chasing jesus' help ♪ they were chasing jesus' help on a christmas vacation ♪actingp ♪ fa la la la ♪ ♪ fa la la la la la la la ♪ ♪ another one, too.a ♪♪ fa la la la ♪♪ fa la la la la la. >> hey, what's momma doing? here we go ♪♪ hey, momma's got the vacuum ♪ fa la la la la la la la ♪ >> hey, what's momma doing? here we go ♪ hey, momma's got

the vacuum out already ♪ somebody stuck it down south. >> yeah, baby. that was probably one of our boys, no doubt. ♪ ♪ yeah, we got a whole family dysfunction ♪ ♪ and a whole lot of alcohol consumption ♪ ♪ singing deck the halls ♪ ♪ i'm going to jingle all the way to the aa meeting ♪ ♪♪ i'd love to get into the drink ♪ all the kids acting up ♪ ♪ 'til they was chasing a christmas vacation ♪ >> don't we love walker hayes, man? we love him so much. again, "christmas vacation" out right now. >> okay. we are back with more on this christmas morning. but, first, this is "today" on but, first, this is "today" on nbc.

we're looking for adults 45 and under to be in our hpv vaccination ad. sound like you? nah...not me. in a relationship. if you're sexually active and unvaccinated, it could still be you. i'm too old if you're under 45, you're not. for most people, hpv clears on its own. but for those who don't clear the virus, it can cause certain cancers. wow... gardasil 9 is a vaccine given to adults through age 45 that can help protect against certain hpv-related cervical, vaginal, vulvar, anal, and certain head and neck cancers, such as throat and back of mouth cancers, and genital warts. gardasil 9 doesn't protect everyone and doesn't treat cancer or hpv infection. these diseases may have many causes. your doctor may recommend screening for certain hpv-related cancers. routine cervical cancer screenings are still needed. you shouldn't get gardasil 9 if you're allergic to the vaccine,

its ingredients, or yeast. tell your doctor if you have a weakened immune system, are pregnant, or plan to be. the most common side effects include injection site reactions, headache, fever, nausea, dizziness, tiredness, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and sore throat. fainting can also happen. help protect yourself against certain hpv-related cancers. talk to a doctor or pharmacist today.

welcome back. welcome back. just another big thank you to everyone for starting their christmas morning with us. >> yeah, it is a day all about traditions. and every year we like to wrap things up with some traditions of our own, like a toast to "the today family". >> yeah. we have the best staff on earth and the show would not be possible without everyone in our studio, our writers, producers, the crew, everyone behind the scenes. so we just want to take a moment from all of us to all of you. thank you. thank you for everything. we t truly lovyou. merry christmas. >> merry christmas. >> merry christmas! ♪ ♪ a town that is famous as a place ♪ ♪ noise is always loud, there are sirens all around ♪

♪ the streets are mean ♪ ♪ if i can make it here, i can make it anywhere ♪ ♪ that's what they say ♪ ♪ seen my face in lights ♪ ♪ walking down the way ♪ ♪ even if it ain't all it seems ♪ ♪ i got a pocket full of dreams ♪ ♪ baby, i'm from new york ♪ ♪ concrete jungle where dreams are made of ♪ ♪ there's nothing you can't do ♪ ♪ now you're in new york ♪ ♪ these streets will make you feel brand-new ♪ ♪ big lights will inspire you ♪ ♪ hear it for new york ♪ ♪ new york ♪

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ new york ♪ ♪ ♪ such a melting pot on the corner ♪ such a melting pot on the corner ♪ ♪ take it down from harlem bridge ♪ ♪ someone sleeps tonight ♪ ♪ i'm ghana make it by any means ♪ ♪ i have a pocket full of dreams ♪ ♪ baby, i'm from new york ♪

♪ concrete jungle where dreams are made of ♪ ♪ there's nothing you can't do ♪ ♪ you're in new york ♪ ♪ these streets will make you feel brand-new ♪ ♪♪ now you're in new york ♪ ♪ big lights will inspire you ♪ ♪ let's hare it for new york ♪ ♪ new york ♪ ♪ new york ♪ ♪ one hand in the air for the big city ♪ ♪ streetlights ♪ ♪ big dreams all looking pretty ♪ ♪ no place in the world that will come here ♪ ♪ light it through the air ♪ ♪ everybody say, yeah ♪ ♪ yeah ♪ ♪ in new york ♪

♪ concrete jungle where dreams ♪♪ hear it for new are made of ♪ ♪ big lights will inspire you ♪ ♪ hear it for new york ♪ ♪ new york ♪ ♪ new york tphoe♪♪♪ in new york york ♪ hey, hey, hey ♪ new york, new york, new york ♪ sunday on a special edition

of "meet the press," kristin good morning. it is 8:56 a.m. marcus washington. the sfmta not moving forward with a plan to add paid parking to the marina and cow hollow neighborhoods. now, that plan would have installed more than 200 parking meters on several streets. those streets currently have free two hour parking spots. the city says eliminating free parking would reduce congestion in the neighborhood shopping districts, and would also free up parking spots for neighbors by pressuring visitors to pay or leave. the meters would have been paid for by a $1.5 million grant from the bay area's metropolitan transportation commission. happening now glide memorial church in san francisco will feed about 5000 people for christmas brunch. organizers say this is all part of their 60 year tradition. they will always are looking for volunteers. you

can actually sign up on glide.org. the doors open at 10:00 this morning. those meals will be served at 11.