Skip to main content

tv   NBC News Daily  NBC  December 25, 2024 12:00pm-1:00pm PST

12:00 pm
air inside and outside your home. protect the health of your family and neighbors by not burning wood. sign up for alerts and do your part to spare the air at airport home appliance. we understand there's more than one type of family or home. that's why we carry the largest in-stock selection in northern california, with a highly trained staff working around the clock to deliver your new appliances this holiday season, whether it's a small replacement or a full kitchen remodel, we're committed to making your dream kitchen a little more within reach. that's holiday savings worth celebrating for shop holiday savings, with up to 35% off store hi, everyone, i'm ellison barber. nbc news daily starts right now.
12:01 pm
today, wednesday, december 25, 2024. spreading cheer. thousands of volunteers are fanned out across the nation today. why they say giving to others gives so much back to them. white christmas, for millions the weather outside is frightful. winter storm warnings are in effect. what you need to know before headinout the door. we are open. one popular christmas day tradition, ordering chinese food. chinatowns across the country have struggled to stay open since the pandemic. we will tell you how they are working to keep their community vibrant. the netflix debut is set to kick off with eyonce as the halftime performer. welcome to nbc news daily. it's the first time since 2005
12:02 pm
that both holidays occur on the very same day. last night, churches around the world held their christmas eve masses. among them st. patrick's in new york city. jewish people all around the world will be lighting the menorah to mark the first night of hanukkah today. it will be repeated for the next eight days and nights. marissa parra joins us from atlanta. the season is about giving back for many people. you are with some folks who have been using december 25th to volunteer in their community not just this year but for the past 40 years. tell us everything. >> reporter: merry christmas, happy hanukkah to all who celebrate. i want to set the scene where we are. this is an assisted living facility in atlanta. everyone behind me -- i have my photographer pan to show you some of what is happening around
12:03 pm
me. mike, if we could show what's happening in the room. you see people with green shirts. you will see those are jewish lunteers. they are with the pinch hitters program. as we mentioned, this is not just christmas day. this is the first day of hanukkah come sundown. i asked them about what is it about this program that makes them want to keep coming back? you mentioned, this has been going on over 40 years, since the 1980s. there are people in this room who have been part of the program since then. what they told me is that for them, it just warms their heart and makes them feel good knowing that they are giving someone else an opportunity to spend time with their families. today, of course, this is kind of a double hitter. we have both holidays. they wanted to keep the tradition going. here is what we heard. >> it's a way of our giving back to the community without expecting anything in return except for the loud t-shirts we have this year.
12:04 pm
we enjoy doing it. jewish people have christmas off just like everybody else. we don't have church services to attend on christmas day. the guys that started this program back in 1980 decided they would see what they could do to help other people out. that's how we started. >> reporter: ellison, they can have between 400 to 1,000 volunteers around the atlanta area. many of them right here in this room. they are serving lunch to very eager, excite and hungry assisted living people who are living here. definitely a time of giving and we're seeing a lot of love and giving in this room right here. >> marissa, thank you. we appreciate that. merry christmas and happy hanukkah to you and everybody around you. wishes for a white christmas did come true today for some people. across the northeast and some of the pacific northwest, a major
12:05 pm
winter storm warning is in effect. other areas along the west coast and midwest, they might be in for rain. denise isaac as the details. what are we seeing out west today? what does it mean for christmas day travellers? >> reporter: a very active weather pattern has developed across the pacific northwest with another storm system bringing rain from seattle into portland and then eventually will spread north into northern california where once said and done, it will bring one to two inches of rainfall accumulation and then we are talking snow across the cascade, one to three feet there is possible. this first storm system will bring very strong winds, minor flooding concerns. then we have another system coming in thursday afternoon into the evening. this one, because the ground is saturated, it will bring the potential for some minor flooding. this one won't be as windy.
12:06 pm
with that said, if you are traveling to grandma's house or maybe leaving grandma's house to head back home, you will deal with wet roads along the coast of california. also, washington and oregon. make sure to drive carefully and you will be dealing with heavy, wet snow across the portions of the cascades. very tricky travel conditions along the pacific northwest. >> what about the rest of the country? what other pockets are you watching? >> we are watching some rain across the middle of the country. luckily, we are not expecting it to turn severe. severe weather tomorrow from texas all the way to illinois. the northeast, it's dry. it's cold. but at least they did have a white christmas because we had snow on the ground. towards florida, clouds. at least it's warm and very comfortable. >> denise, thank you. president biden is spending
12:07 pm
his final christmas as commander in chief in washington. he wished americans merry christmas and highlighted his visit to the children's national hospital in d.c. the president has been busy this week signing several bills into law. joining usow is aaron gilchrist. >> reporter: he said my hope is we continue to seek the light of liberty and love and kindness and compassion, dignity and decency. may god bless you all. that came after he posted other
12:08 pm
things, namely, a photo of the president and first lady as they were helping norad track santa. making calls to kids and talking about the wait for santa. we know that he posted what i think is a cool video of the decorations in the white house in the east wing here. the first lady's theme was peace and light. you see the work of 300 volunteers with all of the beautiful trees and ornaments hung amongst the things that are normally in these parts of the white house. a very festive celebratory christmas season here at the white house. >> we mentioned the president has been signing some bills into law. i understand there has s beena pretty significant development in terms of the united states and our official bird, which i'm told we didn't have for 250 years. what is going on there? >> reporter: who knew the bald eagle was not our official
12:09 pm
national bird? it wasn't. of course, it's a symbol we see on so many things that says -- a symbol that says united states of america. it's on buildings, on money. apparently, there was a debate about making the bald eagle a national bird many years ago. ben franklin wasn't a fan. now, officially the bald eagle is the national bird. congress made that happen just last week. the last piece of legislation was signed by congress, sent to the president. he signed the bill monday along with 49 other pieces of legislation to wrap up the year of 2024. >> i gotta be honest, i didn't know our national animal is a bison. thank you so much. we will turn now tots the middle east. bethlehem is usually filled with worshipers and tourists. not today. it's quiet as communities are grappling with how to celebrate the holidays under the shadow of
12:10 pm
the war in gaza. here is raf sanchez. >> reporter: in the little town of bethlehem, christmas is barely a whisper. palestinian scouts ing the streets but without their traditional instruments at the end of a difficult year for this holy city. christmas usually looks like this. the main square dominated by a towering tree. this is where that tree should be. with the war in gaza still raging and few tourists, most of the official festivities are canceled this year. church leaders calling for public signs of christian hope, but muted celebrations. >> bethlehem is the capital of christmas. it's supposed to be the best time of the year. none of that is happening because we are mourning. >> reporter: this is the pastor of bethlehem's christmas church. this unusual nativity scene reminds worshipers of the thousands of children killed in gaza since last christmas.
12:11 pm
>> we see jesus in every child pulled from under the rubble in gaza. >> reporter: we walked past struggling souvenir shops to the home of this woman. she has two e ing e ing sibling in gaza. >> i will not put christmas tree. i will not feel well if we do this while they are suffering there. >> reporter: reaching them by phone, impossible some days. no connection. the next morning, our team in gaza found her brother and sister at the church where much of the strip's dwindling chris christian community is sheltering. back in bethlehem, there are moments of christmas joy. how do you feel when you are here? >> so blessed. >> reporter: foreign workers thousands of miles from their families gathering at the church of the nativity.
12:12 pm
normally, you would have huge lines of pilgrims from all around the world waiting to get into this holy place. instead, you can see we have it pretty much to ourselves. the church built on the spot where jesus is said to have been born. worshipers drawing strength from centuries of tradition. and comfort from the light of their faith. raf sanchez, nbc news, bethlehem. still ahead, when you think of christmas, you may think of trimming the tree, giving giftf and sitting down for a festive feast. the surprising connection between those traditions and the royal family. we are going behind the scenes of some new york city's most iconic holiday decorations. most iconic holiday decorations. what for more than a decade farxiga has been trusted again and again, and again. ♪far-xi-ga♪ ♪far-xi-ga♪ ask your doctor about farxiga.
12:13 pm
are you tired of your hair breaking after waiting years for it to grow? new pantene with more pro-vitamins, plus biotin & collagen. repairs as well as the leading luxury bonding brand. stronger, healthier hair, without the $60 price tag. if you know, you know it's pantene. ♪♪ you can't predict sick days, [kid sneezing] ♪♪ but with kleenex, you can be prepared for them. ♪♪ for whatever happens next, grab kleenex. when a tough cough finds you on the go, a syrup would be... silly! woo! hey! try new robitussin soft chews. packed with the power of robitussin... in every bite. easy to take cough relief, anywhere. chew on relief, chew on a ♪ robitussin ♪
12:14 pm
i am obsessed with olay's retinol body wash. with olay retinol body wash, 95% of women had visibly renewed skin. makes my skin feel so smooth and moisturized. olay body wash & lotion. discover yours. my moderate to severe crohn's symptoms kept me out of the picture. with skyrizi, feel symptom relief at 4 weeks. many people were in remission at 12 weeks, at 1 year, and even at 2 years. don't use if allergic. serious allergic reactions, increased infections, or lower ability to fight them may occur. before treatment, get checked for infections and tb. tell your doctor about any flu-like symptoms or vaccines. liver problems leading to hospitalization may occur when treated for crohn's. ♪ control is everything to me. ♪ ask your gastroenterologist about skyrizi.
12:15 pm
we are following breaking news overseas. dozens are feared dead after a passenger plane crashed in central asia. a warning, this video is disturbing. early this morning, a flight traveling from azerbaijan to russia crashed in kazakhstan. 67 people were on board when it went down. the exact death toll is unknown. officials have said at least 32 people survived. kelly cobiella is in the international bureau with the latest. do we know what caused this plane to go down? >> reporter: it's early, ellisoe
12:16 pm
blaming the bird strike. they were trying to make an emergency landing in kazakhstan not far from the airport on the edge of the sea. the airline has now issued a statement extending their deepest condolences to families of the victims, saying their pain is our pain and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured. the flight had been diverted to a city 100 miles to the east of the original destination because of fog. data from flight radar shows it making a figure eight, then gaining and losing altitude in the final minutes of flight before crashing to the ground. witnesses on the ground saw it happening. there was video of this. it burst into flames and broke apart. the debris field is quite large according to those on the ground. a large part of the fuselage did
12:17 pm
remain intact. you can see in some unverified video, people actually able, ellison, to walk away after impact. >> wow. this is still early, search and rescue efforts still underway. in terms of the people who were on board, do we know anything about them or those who may have been able to walk away? >> reporter: officials say all of the passengers and crew are from central asia and russia. there has been confusion over the nationalities of three of the survivors. the number of survivors alone pretty incredible. 32 people have survived the crash, including three children we understand. all of those who survived have been taken to local hospitals and are being treated. >> kelly, thank you. for first time ever, the nfl is kicking off its christmas day games on netflix. you will see back-to-back matchups, first the chiefs and steelers, then the ravens versus the texans.
12:18 pm
some viewers are skeptical of the streaming giant's nfl debut, particularly after last month's live stream of the highly anticipated mike tyson and jake paul fight struggled with tech issues. we have this report. >> reporter: in another seismic shift for media -- >> the nfl is live on netflix. >> reporter: the christmas day games are moving from broadcast to streaming. with a performance from mariah carey and a halftime show by beyonce. thrown in for good measure. netflix's first nfl games are part of a three-year deal with the league. they are a key test for the streaming giant as it struggled with live events in the past. >> we are to longer live but we are finally here. >> reporter: "love is blind" reunion delayed for more than an hour. the company blamed a technical bug. then there was st month's
12:19 pm
boxing match between mike tyson and jake paul. >> there's the jab. >> reporter: netflix called it the most streamed sporting event ever. peaking at 65 million simultaneous streams. according to a company, they surged to 39%. it was a little glitchy. are you worried about technical streaming difficulties when it comes to nfl on christmas day on a streaming platform for the first time? >> glitchy is a generous way of describing it. >> reporter: this media consultant. >> this is a technical problem that's solvable. >> reporter: netflix says ahead of the games, it made adjustments to delivery, encoding and streaming protocols. sources confirm to nbc news that major internet service providers are giving netflix extra capacity for the games. more netflix events are on the
12:20 pm
way. >> are you ready? >> reporter: weekly wwe raw shows starting in less than two weeks. in 2027 and 2031, the fifa women's world cup. >> i think everyone for all top sports media will have to get used to finding content across different platforms. >> reporter: netflix hoping to score a touchdown rather than leave fans fuming over technical fumbles. still ahead, meet the grinch who stole christmas from alleged drug dealers. how the police raid went down. stay with us. you are watching "nbc news you are watching "nbc news daily. [coughing] hi susan, honey? yea. i respect that, but that cough looks pretty bad. try this robitussin honey. the real honey you love, plus the powerful cough relief you need. mind if i root through your trash? robitussin, with real honey & elderberry. [♪♪] looking for a moisturizer that does more than just moisturize?
12:21 pm
try olay regenerist for 10 benefits in every jar. olay visibly firms, lifts, and smooths wrinkles, by penetrating the skin, to boost regeneration at the surface cellular level. try olay. (laughing) oh. i peed. that's so embarrassing. well, it's kinda your fault. after kids, the pelvic floor can weaken, and then perimenopause reduces estrogen. here. i have poise. how did you know all that stuff? well, i used to be a doctor. no you didn't. have you always had trouble with your weight? well, i used to be a doctor. same. discover the power of wegovy®. with wegovy®, i lost 35 pounds. and some lost over 46 pounds. and i'm keeping the weight off. i'm reducing my risk. wegovy® is the only weight-management medicine
12:22 pm
proven to reduce risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disesease and esity. don't use wegovy® with semaglutide or glp-1 medicines, or in children under 12. don't take if you or your family had mtc, men 2, or if allergic to it. tell your provider if you plan to have surgery or a procedure, are breastfeeding, pregnant, or plan to be. stop taking and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or any of these allergic reactions. serious side effects may include pancreas inflammation and gallbladder problems. call your prescriber if you have any of these symptoms. wegovy® may cause low blood sugar in people with diabetes, especially if you take medicines to treat diabetes. call your prescriber about vision changes, if you feel your heart racing while at rest, or if you have mental changes. depression or thoughts of suicide may occur. common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain, flu, or upset, headache, feeling tired, dizzy, or bloated, gas, and heartburn. some side effects lead to dehydration, which may cause kidney problems.
12:23 pm
with wegovy®, i'm losing weight, i'm keeping it off, and i'm lowering my cv risk. ask your prescriber about wegovy®. nbc news daily, i'm janelle wang. we're going to begin with new video from glide memorial church in san francisco's tenderloin neighborhood. that's where, at 11 a.m, volunteers began serving this year's holiday lunch meal to those in need. as nbc bay area's thom jensen reports. glide was anticipating thousands of guests for the annual christmas tradition. the ham, turkey, all the trimmings, 500 pounds of cranberries, potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pies for dessert. enough to feed about 4000 people. they've already fed 4000 people at that christmas eve prime rib dinner from house of prime. about 3,000 pounds of prime rib.
12:24 pm
yesterday they fed hundreds more to people in encampments across the city, and organizers say this is all part of the 61 year old tradition here at glide. giving hope all year and for the holidays. no one is going to get turned away from glide. you know, we are built on the principle of unconditional love. so whoever you are, wherever you are, whether you have a big family or you have no one at all, you can always turn to glide. this is one of the busiest times of the year for glide, but they are giving out those hot meals and hope back to the community year round, 364 days a year. and they're always looking for volunteers. anyone who's interested in helping out can go to glide.org/volunteer to help out and take part in not only helping out for holidays like this, but all year round, because glide does provide that hope year round. merry christmas everyone back to you. you too. tom. thank you. and we are in the final push to help nourish our neighbors. you can still donate today at your
12:25 pm
neighborhood safeway. today is the last day of our campaign. all you have to do is let your checker know that you'd like to donate $10, and that money will provide 20 meals to local families in need. well, it is a dry christmas day, but these conditions won't last. here's meteorologist kari hall as we take a look at our holiday forecast. it's going to be partly cloudy and cool with highs in the tri-valley. only in the mid 50s and some upper 50s for the peninsula into san francisco and 57 for santa rosa. going into tomorrow it is a touch warmer, but that also comes along with more clouds and a chance of rain. the north bay will see those showers before sunrise, kind of off and on, with a slight chance throughout the day, and then rain chances increasing tomorrow evening with rain getting heavier on friday morning. most of that rain will be tapering off by friday afternoon, but we will have another storm system moving into the bay area throughout the weekend. we will be watching those skies and the very active storm pattern. a look at the
12:26 pm
7-day forecast is coming up next. thanks, kari. the sfmta is not moving forward with a plan to add paid parking in the marina and cow hollow neighborhoods. the plan would have installed more than 200 parking meters on several streets. the streets currently have free two hour parking spots. the city says eliminating free parking would reduce congestion in those neighborhoods and shopping districts, and would also free up parking spots for neighbors by pressuring visitors to pay or leave. but people who live in those neighborhoods push back, saying the plan would not work because many use street parking in front of their homes and apartment complexes. i'm excited to sit down with the mta, to sit down with the residents and really make sure that we have a plan that that that works for residents first and works for the merchants on the corridors and helps increase our transit options in the neighborhood. the meters would have been paid for by a $1.5 million grant from the bay area's metropolitan transportation commission. it is christmas day, and for many hispanic families, that means it's time for the annual tradition of tamales. this was the line yesterday morning in east san jose outside the tamale
12:27 pm
factory. the factory said it sold 10,000 tamales yesterday alone. pork, beef, chicken, cheese, sweet, you name it. tamales actually date back to pre-columbian times. families would make them and pack them for their aztec warriors so they could eat on the way to war. today is also the first night of hanukkah, and the bill graham menorah project will be celebrating its 49th year this year with the annual lighting ceremony in union square. this is video from last year. the festivities and live music start at 330 this afternoon, followed by the menorah lighting at five ers have christmas off this year, but the nfl is making history, airing a first games on netflix. nfl christmas game day began with a two hour pregame show at 8 a.m. before the kansas city pittsburg game, which is underway right now. then baltimore will face off against houston in the second game. and beyonce could break the internet during the game. the 32 time
12:28 pm
grammy winner will perform during halftime at the texan ravens game. that does it for this edition of the fast forward. i'll be back in 30 forward. i'll be back in 30 minutes with more local news now is the time to go back in time. and shine a light on the family journey that led to you. learn when they said, “i do.” ♪♪ when they became heroes. ♪♪ how they ruled the school. ♪♪ and what you got from your parents— the places on mom's side, and dad's side. ♪♪ detailed dna results. inspiring family history memberships. now's the time to save at ancestry. i am obsessed with olay's retinol body wash. with olay retinol body wash,
12:29 pm
95% of women had visibly renewed skin. makes my skin feel so smooth and moisturized. olay body wash & lotion. discover yours. let's review. okay. olay bodywe're not gonna wtalk about traffic or weather. if anyone brings up lawn care, i will handle it. hosting can be extremely difficult for young homeowners turning into their parents. oh, are you done with this? i'll just take that. okay, he's still drinking. right. oh, look what the cat dr-- no, no. let's try again, if you wouldn't mind. it gets ugly. you can either take it off or i'll take it off you. yeah. progressive can't protect you from becoming your parents, but we can protect your home and auto when you bundle with us. but you love to take it. she doesn't want it. ♪today my friend you did it, you did it♪ pursue a better you with centrum.
12:30 pm
♪♪ it's a small win toward taking charge of your health. ♪♪ so, this year, you can say... ♪you did it!♪ bottom of the hour. here are some of the stories making headlines. pope francis officially began the 2025 holy year last night by
12:31 pm
inaugurating a celebration of the catholic church. this ceremony inaugurates the once every 25-year tradition of a jubilee when catholics make pilgrim ages to rome. pope francis has dedicated it to the theme of hope. more starbucks employees are joining a strike impacting 5,000 workers in 45 states. employees started walking off last week after union reps said the company failed to offer adequate wage increases much they are accusing starbucks of unfair labor practices. starbucks says the union walked away from the bargaining table and the coffee chain is ready to resume negotiations. russ has confirmed they launched a massive missile attack on ukraine's energy infrastructure. the attack caused power outages in several regions, including kyiv. zelenskyy called the decision to launch an attack on christmas day deliberate and inhumane.
12:32 pm
the use of personal and commercial drones has exploded in recent years. there could be a new crackdown coming on chinese-made drones amid national security concerns. 80% of drones in the united states are made by one chinese company, a company called dji. congress is on the verge of banning them because the united states government says that company has linked to china's communist party. ken dilanian reports. >> good morning. i would like to notify you of a uas drone operation today. >> reporter: on the rocky slopes of this california vineyard, this farmer's team uses drones to spray pesticides. >> the computer controls the rate per acre, which is important when we put on nutrients or pesticides. >> reporter: making it faster and safer than applying the old way. >> there's not trip and fall. there's not the knee injuries. all the things that we worry about with hand application.
12:33 pm
>> reporter: from farms to electric utilities to police departments, drones have become essential for government and business. including nbc news. the vast majority are made in china by one company, dji, inde this futuristic factory. the pentagon calls it a chinese military company. >> that software is being originated in china and controlled ultimately by the communist party of china. at any point, that drone could become a liability. >> reporter: congress has passed a bipartisan bill that paves the way to ban the sale of chinese-made drones in the u.s. including consumer models used by millions of americans. after a year, sales of new chinese drones would likely be halted. existing ones could be used. >> we're all going to be safer if these drones are made somewhere other than at the end of the day controlled ultimately by the chinese communist party. >> reporter: in january, the fbi
12:34 pm
warned the threat from chinese-made drones poses a significant risk to critical infrastructure and u.s. national security. the fear, that images and data collected by the drones could secretly be sent to china. dji strongly disputes any connection to the military or the chinese communist party and says it is willing to work with u.s. leaders to prove its drones are harmless. >> we have asked for evidence that there's some sort of backdoor or data security issue with our products. all we have gotten in response is hypotheticals about what our products could do. no evidence of actual wrongdoing. >> reporter: al says for him, the ban would be a setback. nothing on the market is as good as dji's drones. >> there are some american made. the wait list is extreme. costs a lot more money. what is the risk to society if china knows what i'm doing in my vineyard? >> reporter: ken dilanian, nbc news. police in peru got in the
12:35 pm
spirit of christmas for a drug bust. an officer in lima, there he is, dressed up as the grinch to break down a door with a sledgehammer and arrest members of an alleged drug gang. it shows the officer run into the home where he discovers what appears to be drugs and money. three people were arrested. this is a tradition for police in the area. they have dressed in costume on previous christmas holidays as well as halloween and val valentine's day. the officer says the costumes are to disguise the officers and go unnoticed by criminals. you may think of trimming the tree, giving gifts or sitting down for a feast. what you may not know is the connection between those treasured traditions and the british royal family. meagan fitzgerald tells us more from windsor castle. >> reporter: for 1,000 years, windsor castle has been a royal
12:36 pm
palace. it was during the reign of queen victoria that so many of the gical traditions became popular. like the christmas tree. >> there was a well-known image published in the paper that shows the queen, her husband and several children standing around a christmas tree. this was really what started it off in the popular imagination. >> reporter: it was her german grandmother, queen charlotte, now featured in the series, who introduced the tree. it was victoria's husband, another german, who brought many other customs to windsor. >> we are looking at two watercolors. they show christmas trees and presents the couple were giving to each other and to their children in 1850, unwrapped. we have paper now. we didn't back then. little statues, all of these gifts given to queen victoria by prince albert. it's a big watercolor.
12:37 pm
this is for all of the children. you can see here a doll, little balls to play with. >> reporter: prince albert designed the gifts himself. what is this? >> we have a brooch and bracelets. they are to queen victoria. the fourth married christmas in 1844. this is a little picture queen victoria, a miniature, surrounded by diamonds. the bracelet is a picture of himself. this was a picture she was fond of. he is dressed in armor. >> reporter: the prince composed music for christmas which is performed in the st. george's chapel. ♪♪ at windsor, christmas dinner was done on a grand scale. >> she would have had a menu presented to her. it's written in french. there isn't any turkey. there are a lot of meats. there's a very well-known game pie, multiple birds in one pie. then there was something called
12:38 pm
a baron of beef, two sirloin. >> they ate well. >> they ate well. it's the oldest working kitch "nightly news" kitchdl kitchdlen in the uk. it was in here that they held an annual christmas play. the stage would have been here. the way that we are standing would have been front row of the audience. she gets a front row seat. >> reporter: it's the queen. in recent history, the young queen elizabeth took to the stage. >> during the war, her and her sister performed to raise funds for soldiers. >> reporter: when it snowed, there were outdoor activities. building snowmen, sleigh riding and victorian albert skating on the frozen pond on the castle
12:39 pm
grounds. the royals knew how to throw a party. you have big trees, these feasts, they knew how to have a good time. meagan fitzgerald, nbc news. new york city is home to some of the most iconic holiday decorations in the country. a lot of them are right here at rockefeller center. cal we caught up with a team that makes all of that magic happen. >> reporter: in new york city, it's beginning to look a lot like christmas. from dazzling displays up and down fifth avenue to the timeless angels 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. >> we have been doing this for 50 years. each year, we get bigger, a little better. >> reporter: with 400 clients nationwide, including in cities like los angeles, washington,
12:40 pm
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's 150 people on the production floor. we have crews running 24 hours a day. >> reporter: can i get a sneak peek? this is where the magic happens? >> this is our main white house in new york. >> reporter: the 110,000 square foot headquarters. transforming into a real santa's workshop. this is an active workshop. >> yeah. this is for a casino. what they are working on is a tree that will get sculpted into a 30-foot christmas tree. doesn't take any water. it is sustainable. >> reporter: it wasn't long before i was put to work. how do we feel? i got to try my hand in decorating. this better not fall off. i don't want that on me. i want to stay on the good list.
12:41 pm
. >> that is the top of the tree. >> reporter: see where shiny objects are stored. this is more than a couple of boxes in the attic. >> over 300 styles and options of ornaments. >> reporter: learn tricks of the trade. what is the secret to properly lighting a tree? weaving those cords in and out. >> we wrap each tip to the center and back out. >> reporter: get a look at the crown jewels. i believe we have come to fifth avenue. like this year's cartier store display filled th over 100,000 sparkling lights. anyone who decorated their own tree before knows one light bulb goes out and you have a problem. >> luckily, we don't have that problem. we test them. we program them. there's a lot that we do to make this go up. >> reporter: when you say go up, you mean go way up. >> yes. >> reporter: how long can the
12:42 pm
installation process take? >> upwards of eight weeks. >> reporter: from famous facades to familiar faces. >> these are the christmas angels at rockefeller center. >> reporter: for nearly ly 70 years, they have lined the channel gardens. each adorned with a trumpet. they symbolize the arrival of the holiday season. this is where your role in maintaining and caring for these legendary decorations comes into play. >> yes. our client owns them. what we do is paint them, take care of them and make them look new every year. >> reporter: before the decorations come to rockefeller plaza, here they are. >> they are ready for 2024. >> reporter: the angels as well as -- we have seen these before. >> these are the cadets they place around the plaza. >> reporter: soon, in the early
12:43 pm
morning calm, when not a creature was stirring, dan's team delivered the christmas magic. why is this something that brings you joy? >> i've been doing it for over 20 years. for me, it's fun. we enjoy going around and seeing people enjoy our work. up next, chinatowns across america have struggled to bounce back since the pandemic. how they are working to get customers back in the door. first, our daily snapshot. merry christmas from outer space. nasa released this pictures of a star cluster 2,500 light years away. it was captured by michael clo last month. that green tree shape is what you would see
12:44 pm
12:45 pm
12:46 pm
an nbc news daily original. this christmas day, you will find a lot of darkened storefronts and sorry we are closed signs. chinese restaurants are famous for opening their doors on the holiday. keeping them open, that can be quite a challenge.
12:47 pm
>> reporter: 'tis the season for chestnuts roasting and bells that jingle all the way. once christmas day arrives, it can feel more like a silent night. quiet streets, dark storefronts, mostly, but not completely. step into your local chinese restaurant and you will probably find it packed denser than a takeout bag for a dozen. >> where are you at on christmas day? >> you know, like all jews, i was probably at a chinese restaurant. >> great answer. >> reporter: what hasn't been great, the challenges for businessowners, still feeling the aftershock of covid-19. perhaps none hit harder than those in america's chinatown. >> during the pandemic, we lost so many legacy businesses. that scared me. >> reporter: grace young made a career out of writing chinese cookbooks. she's an advocate for the 80 plus chinatowns across america, including new york city's after
12:48 pm
the pandemic hit hard here. >> we lost a restaurant that was over 65 years old. a bakery that was almost 50 years old. mom and pop businesses, which are struggling with rising rent, rising insurance and the cost of their goods and food is increasing. >> reporter: according to a study by her non-profit, between 2019 and 2021, visits to new york city's chinatown fell by 50%. >> across the united states, the chinatowns are seeing less foot traffic and less tourism. >> reporter: alice lu growns grand tea and imports in lower manhattan, a business started by her mom and dad. why do you carry on the traditions? >> i grew up like every immigrant kid, helping in whatever business venture my parents did. i was always a part of it. >> reporter: then came covid. >> we went into a crisis mode in the middle of a crisis, in the middle of a pandemic. i had to figure out how to help
12:49 pm
my parents navigate through this. >> reporter: curtis chin's memoir is based on his experiences at his parent's famous eatery. >> with a lot the businesses, the margin between success and failure is really just sometimes as few as a couple dozen customers per week. >> reporter: after the pandemic, visitation is still down. >> new york city's chinatown was open until 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 in the morning. now, many restaurants are closed by 7:30 or 8:00. >> reporter: across the country, the asian populations living in some of the most prominent chinatowns declined between 1990 and 2020. families are not giving up. businessowners are focussed on the future, making changes to modernize. accepting credit cards. launching a website. getting the word out on social media. looking forward without losing what makes their communities special. >> chinatown offers so much more than just restaurants.
12:50 pm
if you want to enjoy chinatown to the fullest, you have to dig deeper than that. >> reporter: how important are these chinatowns to the cultural fabric of the community? >> chinatowns are really quite diverse. not just chinese but southeast asians. i think that america as a whole being a multicultural society, the chinatowns do represent the best of that. >> where else can you go that tells the story of how immigrants have gotten a foothold in the country and been able to experience the american dream? >> reporter: a dream that matters beyond chinatown on matters beyond chinatown on christmas day and every day. my moderate to severe crohn's symptoms kept me out of the picture. with skyrizi, feel symptom relief at 4 weeks. many people were in remission at 12 weeks, at 1 year, and even at 2 years. don't use if allergic. serious allergic reactions, increased infections, or lower ability to fight them may occur. before treatment, get checked for infections and tb. tell your doctor about any flu-like symptoms or vaccines.
12:51 pm
liver problems leading to hospitalization may occur when treated for crohn's. ♪ control is everything to me. ♪ ask your gastroenterologist about skyrizi. [♪♪] ask youdid you know,ologist serums are concentrated with powerful ingredients to visibly improve your skin? try olay super serum. for five powerful ingredients in one, it hydrates, improves texture and evenness, while also firming and smoothing. try olay super serum. when a tough cough finds you on the go, a syrup would be... silly! woo! hey! try new robitussin soft chews. packed with the power of robitussin... in every bite. easy to take cough relief, anywhere. chew on relief, chew on a ♪ robitussin ♪ is your liner the right liner for bladder leaks? ♪ (dramatic music) ♪
12:52 pm
♪♪ poise locks in wetness... ...and stays drier. switch to poise... ...and see for yourself. nice to meet ya. my name is david. i've been a pharmacist for 44 years and i'm from flowery branch, georgia. when i have customers come in i recommend prevagen. number one, because it's effective. does not require a prescription. and i've been taking it quite a while myself and i know it works. and i love it when the customers come back in and tell me, "david, that really works so good for me." makes my day. prevagen. at stores everywhere without a prescription. are you tired of your hair breaking after waiting years for it to grow? new pantene with more pro-vitamins, plus biotin & collagen. repairs as well as the leading luxury bonding brand. stronger, healthier hair, without the $60 price tag. if you know, you know it's pantene. for more than a decade farxiga has been trusted again and again, and again.
12:53 pm
♪far-xi-ga♪ ♪far-xi-ga♪ ask your doctor about farxiga. news. daily cleanup will soon be underway after a section of the santa cruz wharf collapsed into the ocean on monday. the wharf now closed until further notice. the bathrooms that used to be at the end of the wharf have washed onto shore, and that part of the wharf that collapsed, including those bathrooms, had already because of damage from prior storms and was being rebuilt. main beach and cal beach are also closed because there's still so much debris in the ocean. the city is telling people to stay out of the water. city leaders say there needs to be several inspections and damage assessments before the restaurants and shops on the wharf can reopen. now let's turn to meteorologist kari hall, who
12:54 pm
has a look at our holiday forecast. look for some peeks of sunshine today for the holiday. it's going to be in the upper 50s and tonight dropping down to the mid 40s. we will set that on repeat tomorrow. but increasing those rain chances with the north bay seeing the highest chance of rain, and then more widespread showers across the bay area tomorrow night. on friday we're still dealing with some lingering rain, but it looks to taper off for the afternoon. and then on saturday it's going to be mostly cloudy, with more rain arriving late saturday night into sunday. for the last couple of days of the year, it's going to be sunny and highs near normal with some upper 50s, and san francisco will see some sunshine at times today, but then rain developing tomorrow and more rain throughout the weekend. thank you kari and we'll be
12:55 pm
it is bittersweet. a south bay restaurant is closing its doors
12:56 pm
after nearly a half a century, hosting its last christmas eve party. nbc bay area's scott budman shows us it was full of celebration, full of memories and great food. reporter yeah, i can't, i can't one more toast and one more meal to celebrate. steamers. a los gatos institution for 45 years. serving dinner one last time this christmas eve. i started working for steamers in 1981. longtime employees and longtime diners. i have been here every friday for a ladies lunch for as long as i can remember. really? for as much as i can remember. sharing memories now that steamers family owned since it opened in 1979, gets ready to shut its doors for the last time you walk in. what are you thinking? i'm thinking it's sad. it's time. they deserve a break. the three siblings who started it say the lease is running out,
12:57 pm
and it's gotten too pricey to keep up. everybody uses the word bittersweet because it's come to an end, but you know it. and it's been a great run. a great run for a family run, family oriented restaurant. and all the families that, you know, the kids i grew up in here, i've been coming here since i was two, you know, and so we get a lot of that. as for what's next, the owner tells us there are no concrete plans. he says they expect to keep the bar open here at steamers until december 29th. in case you want to come in for a final drink. and shortly after that, they expect someone else to move in. in los gatos, scott budman, nbc, bay area news. and before we let you go, we want to do a reminde our final push to help nourish our neighbors. today is the last day you can donate to your neighborhood safeway store. all you have to do is just let your checker know. donate $10 that will provide 20 meals to local
12:58 pm
families. all the money raised from our food drive stays here in the bay area. that's going to do it for this edition of the do it for this edition of the fast forward. i'll haveerfect dy with the family! shingles doesn't care. but shingrix protects! only shingrix is proven over 90% effective. shingrix is a vaccine used to prevent shingles in adults 50 years and older. shingrix doesn't protect everyone and isn't for those with severe allergic reactions to its ingredients or to a previous dose. tell your healthcare provider if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. increased risk of guillain-barré syndrome was observed after getting shingrix. fainting can happen so take precautions. most common side effects are pain, redness, and swelling where injected, muscle pain, tiredness, headache, shivering, fever, and upset stomach. ask your doctor about shingrix today. ♪ rinse it out ♪ ♪ every now and then ♪ ♪ i get a little bit tired of the stinks ♪ ♪ that just will never come out ♪ ♪ pour downy in the rinse, jade ♪ ♪ every now and then i rinse it out! ♪ fights odor in just one wash. ♪♪ you can't predict sick days, [kid sneezing]
12:59 pm
♪♪ but with kleenex, you can be prepared for them. ♪♪ for whatever happens next, grab kleenex. [coughing] hi susan, honey? yea. i respect that, but that cough looks pretty bad. try this robitussin honey. the real honey you love, plus the powerful cough relief you need. mind if i root through your trash? robitussin, with real honey & elderberry.
1:00 pm
i'm craig melvin, and this is dateline daytime on nbc. oir banquet. she was dressed up to the nines. man: this young girl catches his eye. she caught everyone's eye. doug larison: she didn't come home that night. there was blood everywhere. there was blood spatter all over the inside of the car.

0 Views

info Stream Only

Uploaded by TV Archive on