could buy them myself, i started adding a lot more. my parents would get me one every year, and family members were, but once i started working it really exploded and turned into this. >> and he doesn't waste any time taking them down. he says they'll be boxed off on december 26th. when i put out decorations, i like it to last a little bit, at least new new year's. >> wonder what the hoa tonight, a christmas crush. it's one of the busiest travel days of the year on roads and in the air with millions taking off to see family and friends and a big storm moving across the country. tis the season for last-minute gifts. >> i'm ashton martinez in new york. as 142 million consumers wrap up their holiday shopping on this

super saturday. >> also tonight, president biden leaves washington for the holidays. what the economy strong, but some voters saying bahumbug. the campaign season now just days away. in the czech republic, a day of mourning, one of europe's deadliest mass shootings. plus, christmas canceled. cbs' chris shows us why bethlehem's big night is silent this year. >> normally, celebrations would have bound, but because of the war, there's hardly anybody here. later, it's an american town spreading the holiday spirit all year. >> this is going to the united kingdom, australia, japan. >> with festive flair and a special stand. >> you don't think of like christmas things in florida.

>> announcer: this is the cbs weekend news from washington with adriana diaz. good evening. adriana is off. i'm robert costa in washington. the holidays are here. around 115 million are packing up suitcases and are headed on their christmas and new year's travels. today was forecast to be the busiest travel day. this is flight aware showing hundreds of aircraft heading to every corner of the country and beyond. wegt caused travel disruptions have been few, but consider it the calm before the storm because across country wegt system could soon cause travel headaches. we'll have the forecast in a moment. first, let's check in we lease preston at los angeles national airport. good evening. >> reporter: good evening to you. the weather isn't grounding many flights today, but with so many people traveling, families

arrived to airports hours before takeoff to avoid travel-related stress. tonight, millions of americans are on the move, making the dash to family and friends for the holidays just in the nick of time. how would you describe the traffic? >> crazy. >> reporter: the number of passengers flying is 16% higher than a year ago. but this year, flight delays and kang cancellations are way down. credit better weather, more staffing, and remote workers who left early. >> there's been a lot of cars, but everything's going good. >> reporter: most of those on the go are traveling on highways and roads, and they're packed. low gas prices are fueling the holiday spirit. today's pump prices averaging $3.12. in 21 states, aaa says gas prices are under $3. but as people gather, there's an

increase in respiratory viruss. a fast-moving new covid variant takes up 44% of cases nationwide. 22% are experiencing high levels of influenza. >> we have spray and wipes, and i'm going to be taking extra vitamin c. >> reporter: while most people are expected to arrive to their destinations today, the busiest day for return travel is expected to be the thursday after christmas. robert. >> elise preston, thanks. dreaming of a white christmas? alaska may be your best bet. this is salt lake city where these big flakes fell this morning. but there's trouble brewing. let's bring in paul. >> we're still tracking this coast to coast storm system which brought rain and flooding across california. today, still heavy rain in texas. tomorrow, the rain pushing out of texas but bringing rain

towards the canadian border and the great lakes. there is cold air and snow on the back side. look for plenty of snow to fall for christmas eve, and christmas day, snow breaking out across parts of the northern plains, maybe a foot or more. rain pushes in christmas day and lingers in the southeast as well. your chances of a white christmas east of the mississippi, not high at all. ski country and the west, yes, most likely there. also, as we had on christmas day and day after, heavy snow breaking out across the central plains. robert. tonight is the last full shopping day before christmas. the so-called super saturday. this is new york's famed fifth avenue where shoppers are out in full force. cba's astrid martinez joins us now with what's driving shoppers

to splurge. >> reporter: inflation is finally cooling off. couple this with strong retail sales in november and this season spending could be a gift for retailers. twas days before christmas and ll through the stores -- what do you want for christmas? >> a barbie doll. >> reporter: last minute shoppers hoping to score. >> we needed to get one more gift. >> reporter: this last saturday before christmas is known to retailers as super saturday. stores were expecting shoppers to turn out in droves to secure those last-minute gifts in person. >> i'm not an online person. i like to go into stores. >> reporter: they predict 16 million more people will shop today than in 2017, the last time christmas fell on a monday. store owners like alison todd in louisiana are feeling the love. >> usually we start strong after

thanksgiving, and i think with people worrying a little more about money this year, it's picked up closer to christmas. >> reporter: super saturday is the black friday for procrastinators. >> definitely. it's the big day for sales as well. >> reporter: shopping bargains and a drop in inflation has consumers feeling merry enough to shop. joe is an analyst at retail next. >> regardless of what we've been see frg inflation trends, people are still shopping and buying gifts for their loved ones. >> reporter: credit card spending is also at a record high. good for retailers, but shoppers may end up wracking up more debt than they had planned for. robert. >> thank you. tonight, the biden administration heads into the holidays with a lot on its plate, and the president and lawmakers out of town. >> reporter: robert, good evening to you. today, president biden joined congress in leaving town for the

holidays, leaving behind a list of priorities that need immediate attention in the new year. president biden left the white house for camp david on saturday, as his administration and congress leave the capitol this year with unfinished priorities and americans feeling uncertain about the economy. what's your outlook on the economy next year? >> all good. take a look. >> reporter: the latest economic data shows inflation falling and record job growth. but the president faces political head winds ahead of the 2024 election, with many feeling unconvinced of his economic leadership. a poll showed a majority of americans disapprove of president biden's handling of the economy. on the list of unfinished business for the president and lawmakers, government funding which expires early in the new year, a new aid for israel and ukraine and changes to the nation's immigration system amid a record high number of border

crossings. some suggest they will not hold a vote on funding for ukraine. robert, on top of this unfinished business, there's also an ongoing impeachment inquiry, which house republicans launched earlier this month. >> all this comes as the republican presidential race is heating up in iowa and in p in. iowa will hold its caucuses, and then on january 23rd, new hampshire will hold its primary. willy, what's the latest? >> reporter: cbs news polling shows former president donald trump in the lead. former u.s. ambassador nikki haley has been gaining ground against trump, especially in new hampshire. others like governor ron desantis are pushing ahead hoping to get a spark in iowa early next year. it will be an uphill climb.

now to the war in ukraine. tonight, the country is celebrating a successful military operation against superior russian air power. ukraine says it shot down three russian air flight bombers on friday. russia has not responded to the claim. russian bloggers say the aircraft were likely shot down by ukraine missiles. today, as insufficient because it did not demand a new cease-fire. the resolution was particularly negotiated to avoid a veto from the united states. it has now been 11 weeks since hamas militants stormed into israel killing and taking hostages. at christmas, the west bank city of bethlehem is usually a global focus of celebrations,

but not this year. chris reports, christians who live in the ancient city are sending a message of solidarity to pal stinians in gaza. >> reporter: a little town of bethlehem, the birth place of jesus, knows how to celebrate christmas. this year, christmas is canceled. many of the shops are shuttered with hardly a visitor in sight. even the church of the nativity, the usually packed pews sit empty. according to believers, this is the precise birth place of jesus christ. over here, we have the manger. normally this time of year, celebrations would have bound. because of the war, there's hardly anybody here. since the october 7 massacre by hamas and israel's ensuing ground offensive, tourism has come to a grinding halt.

the people of bethlehem have more to mourn than celebrate. at the church, they fashioned a nativity scene out of rubble says the pastor. >> we've seen so many images of children being pulled out of the rubble. to us, this is a message that jesus identifies with our suffering. >> reporter: in the cradle of christianity, palestinian christians make up the world's oldest community of believers, but they're shrinking in numbers. here in the west bank, only 2% of palestinians are christian today. in gaza, it's less than 1%. the vast majority believe to be left homeless by the war. a christian from bethlehem fears her community is facing extinction while the world looks away. >> even some christians, not all of them, they forget about the

palestinian case. it's really forgotten by the christians all over the world. >> reporter: this father serves at the church of nativity. >> christians always want peace. they don't want conflict or war. they just want everything just to sit down, talk about peace, let's pray together, let's see what we can do for having this peace together. >> reporter: after all, peace, he says, is the true message of christmas. cbs's chris livesay reporting. today the czech republic observed a day of mourning. hundreds paid their respects to the 14 victims killed. police say the gunman, a student at the school, took his own life. his mote i have is still being investigated. a founding member of the country music superstar group, the chicks, has died.

laura lynch was killed friday night in a car accident in texas. she left the then-rising country act in the '90s when they were called the dixie chicks. straight ahead, we head to savannah georgia. then a daring day-time theft of an original. and why the spirit of christmas runs through one florida community every day of the year. again... pops! ay son! ya got a little somethin' on yuh face. needed a quick shave. quick shave? respect the process! it ain't my dad's razor, dad, it's from gillettelabs. gillette...labs? gillette's ultimate shaving experience. this green bar releases trapped hairs from my face. gamechanga! while the flexdisc contours to it. lookin' smooth. feelin' even smoother. how 'bout hookin' me up with some gillettelabs? check your texts. you're the best. nah, you're the best.

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are on the hunt searching for stolen street art. it happened friday less than an hour after the artist confirmed the location of his latest insulation showing three military drones attached to a stop sign. video shows the suspects unbolting the sign and running off with it. today, christmas came early for a group of struggling children. the restaurant owner dished out food and toys. it's a tradition he's carried out for 30 years. each child gets two toys as well as a delicious burrito to go. nasa are elised a new image this week of a formation known as a christmas tree cluster. complete with glowing stellar lights. next on the cbs weekend news, an american town where it's always christmas. 2 pounds . on other diets, i could barely lose 10-15 pounds.

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>> reporter: a visit to the postoffice this time of year may seem like a chore, but in florida, it's a tradition. the postmaster keeps a christmas tree up 365 days a year. much like the town, the post office keeps christmas decorations up year round, but it's during the holidays when it sees the most visitors. >> it is absolutely the busiest time of year for us. >> reporter: the post office handles letters to and from santa. >> we got reindeer. >> reporter: and also has decorative stamps. >> this is going to the united kingdom, australia, japan. >> reporter: it's where skylar hand comes to mail more than 100 holiday letters every year. >> it's ironic to send a christmas card from florida from christmas. you don't think of like christmas things in florida. >> reporter: ladonna johnson is all about the christmas spirit. this has been her go-to post office for two decades.

>> to get a card from someone they know loves and cares about them, that's a special thing. >> it's a lot of fun. >> reporter: it's emily's first year. >> we're starting our tradition. >> reporter: while for walter, the annual trip holds a special memory. >> this is our favorite part of the year every year. >> reporter: he and his wife of 30 years would make the 50-mile drive to christmas to mail the cards. >> she went all out for christmas every year. >> reporter: cynthia died ten years ago. >> she knows i'm still doing this to this day. i know she's watching down on me doing it. >> reporter: a holiday tradition that embraces the spirit of the season and shares it with that special postmark. cbs news, christmas, florida. that's the news for this saturday. first thing tomorrow, cbs sunday morning. then on face the nation, it's the annual correspondents round

table. for now, i'm robert costa in washington. from all of us here at cbs news, merry christmas, happy holidays, and good night. f0 from cbs news bay area, this is the evening edition. last minute holiday shopping disrupted by ceasefire protesters. the response from police and why the demonstrators say the timing had a purpose. plus the search for a run away driver that killed two boys in the east bay.

and the homeless crisis. >> moving them from location to location doesn't really solve anything. >> i need somewhere to put a roof over my head. good evening, i'm andrea nakano. brian is off tonight. we begin in san francisco. emergency officials were asking the public to stay away from union inquiry tonight after a ceasefire protest took over the plaza. hundreds of demonstrators marched right into the middle of the holiday shopping rush. a witness told us everything was pretty calm until some of them went into the ice rink. san francisco police officers then started trying to make arrests, and that's when it got out of hand. some people were pushing back against the officers. we saw a lot of graffiti and other signs of vandalism. this video shows the moment a person with a sign was climbing the christmas tree. you can see there was a palestinian flag also hanging there. and hours before that, the rally started on market street.