captions paid for by nbc-universal television happy thirsty thursday, everybody. it's december 15th. it's beautiful here in new york. >> it's like a balmy 47 degrees. it's bizarre here. i'm excited for a number of reasons. >> i know the number one reason. >> what? >> hanna's in the house, her little niece she is crazy about. >> she is actually modeling something. we'll explain a little later. by the way, our moms. >> hi, sandy, hi joni.

>> these two need their only reality show. my mom already lost her jacket. >> and they need their own cookbook. >> they are amazing cooks. your mom brought her baklavah. mommy, what did you make? >> nothing. >> that's my mom. she is retired from bringing joy to anybody. she says it's my turn now. >> yesterday i showed you a picture of my christmas bush because it's short and squat. not everyone picks the right one. mine is fine. it's fluffy and needs heels. >> it needs to be put on a table. >> we were asking everybody at home to show us your christmas trees. look what people sent in. gorgeous ones. it's got a top hat on it. it's a man tree. she doesn't need a man. >> ashley landry, hers is 16 feet tall. gorgeous. >> this is from michelle.

oh, no, that is carrie la marka. is that joanne's family member? probably. we have the upside down tree coming up. lee turner, by the way, she says here's her deal. she doesn't care. she is the one going through some tough times, divorce and whatnot. she is like look at my tree. >> she made an attempt. >> there is the upside down one. >> okay. >> you can do whatever you like. we love that you're sending pictures of your trees. keep them coming. >> the first artificial tree came from a u.s.-based toilet bowl brush manufacturer, the addis brush company that made it in the 1930s. >> that's excellent information. >> the golden globes came in. so did the s.a.g. awards. there are a few surprises. >> golden globes came out. these are supposed to be indicators for the oscars. six nominations including best comedy or musical, best actor.

this is that silent movie. >> "the artist." you should always watch the one that harvey weinstein picks up at the film festival. he has such a knack to understand what could be the pick of the season. >> second in line for the most awards is "the help" and "the descendents." >> we've both seen "the help." you saw "the descendents." you loved it. >> i loved george clooney. i'm so glad he's nominated. >> brad pitt's "moneyball" but not "the tree of life." >> it's hard to remember what movies are this year. i thought the owen wilson movie "midnight in paris" was from last year. >> i enjoyed that. i was very excited that my friend armey hammer got nominated for best supporting actor for "j. edgar" but wasn't nominated for the golden globes. leaves the oscars wide open.

>> here is news. demi moore is tired of everyone bothering her. >> i don't blame her. >> her twitter handle is mrs. kutcher. people say you're divorcing him, why do you keep that twitter handle? she tweeted this response. >> changing my twitter name is not a top priority right now sorry it bothers so many of you. should i not tweet until i do? does it really matter? >> you and i have a different feeling about this. first of all, she still is mrs. kutcher. they are still married. second of all, i know she has all these millions of followers and you love the attention until you're not getting the kind of attention you want. at the same time, you know i have a problem with all of this. too many people know too much business about everybody else. if you're the one giving them the business, then i guess you're putting your business out there. >> i think if she really wanted

to change her twitter name from mrs. kutcher, she could do it in 30 seconds. >> i didn't realize it only took that long. >> she doesn't want to, right? >> if she doesn't want to do it, leave it alone. >> it's personal choice. >> people do get all -- >> in your face about it. i heard a rumor, speaking of twittering and tweeting and all that stuff. i heard you actually -- i guess this vitamin b-12 is changing your life. i hear that you actually were either attempting to clean your purse or something spilled in your purse or something, what happened? >> i put my hand in my purse to get keys and i felt a big pile of what felt like sand or whatever. i carry coffee around because i need it. the whole thing dumped upside down. it's everywhere. >> jerry the elf brought you a brand-new coffee-mate for your purse. hopefully you vacuumed the whole thing. >> no. it's starting to smell a little

weird. okay. it's very weird a convergence happens like what is happening on our program, but it did. >> it's a miracle. >> it's a miracle. every thursday i get to pick a song i like. i picked my favorite christmas song. i told the producers this is the song i would like to do. they said, hold on a second. we are having hot hunky firefighters on the show and they picked a christmas song they wanted to sing and it was the same song. >> what are the chances of that? >> hi, guys. >> cozy up. >> they are from all over the country. >> you're leading the team, aren't you? >> i am leading the team. >> are you the singer in the group? >> absolutely not. we have true talent here. that is not what i do. >> you decided to take it, not all off, but leave a little for the imagination. >> let's show a little bit. >> was this difficult for any of you to do? or have you been waiting your whole life to show it off? >> where is mr. louisiana? >> new orleans. >> of course indeed you are,

sir. i'm holding up your picture for the folks at home. our favorite song collectively is one called "this christmas." it is a great song. shall we give it a go? >> you guys sing it for us. we are excited. >> ready? >> first we need to snap together. >> we will. ♪ hang on mistletoe i'm going to get to know you better ♪ ♪ this christmas and as we trim the tree ♪ how fun it's going to be together ♪ >> come on, hit it. ♪ this christmas ♪ fireside is blazing bright >> oh, yeah. ♪ we carolling all through the night ♪ ♪ this christmas will be a very special christmas for me ♪ >> that's it?

we could have you all day long. thanks, guys. the money that's raised from this all goes to your favorite charities? >> 12 firefighters, 12 different cities across the country, charitable deal. tonight we are teaming up with rusk. we've been tagged. we'll be at the chelsea room west 23rd street and we'll receive a huge donation from rusk. come on out. >> that's awesome. god bless you all year round. nice dulcet tones, baby. have fun in new york. don't start any fires, if you know what i mean. >> exactly. >> we are about to -- not that that wasn't a peak in the show because it was. we have a cool thing for little kids. you know how sometimes it's hard for them to pull the suitcase because they're so little and in the airport. uh-oh. anyway. >> like niece like aunt.

>> give it a go, hanna. show us how you ride it. yay! you can ride your suitcase for ages 3 to 6. >> is it cool, sweetheart? >> do you like it? come here. it holds up to 100 pounds. yes, come here. >> she's getting up there, this child. >> who cares about the product really. it's really about hanna. anyway, it's a nice suitcase. >> how much do you love your auntie hodi? how much? >> a lot. >> a lot. >> why? >> because. >> because you're staying at my apartment and we're having fun? we are going to decorate our tree on sunday, right? >> your bush. >> hey, careful. let's do that okay/not okay. >> it says, is it okay to put your picture on your holiday card? to which i said? >> whose picture are you going to use if it's not yours. hoda says, sure it's okay, but why not just send picture of

your kids. that's the money shot. >> don't put yourself on is what i'm saying. >> why? >> i don't know. it's enough. >> all right. we have a big show, don't we. what's coming up, do you know? we don't either. we have a lot coming up. how you can find those nasty spots and germs and clean them up.

germs on the bus, you carry them home and bring them to us. >> nursery germs. you may think your baby has the cleanest nursery around because you spend so much time sanitizing it. >> but what you may not know is what's lurking in your child's room. could it make you sick to your stomach? we looked at karen's daughter's nursery in new jersey. >> hyding in almost all nurseries, billions of bacteria. to find the hidden germs, we enlisted the help of dr. benjamin tanner a microbiologist and germ expert. >> i'm careful about the

products i'm using. i'm definitely wiping down all the surfaces, trying to swab all the germs off in hopes we catch them before she gets sick from them. >> isabel is 16 months, a typical toddler busy running around playing in her nursery. >> she opens these drawers continuously. >> dr. tanner swabs the frequently-touched surface in her room. >> i'll be interested trying to find the germs that hang out with bad germs, those would be germs you find in the diaper. >> changing table, diaper pail, inside and outside the crib, plush toys and plastic ones, dresser knob, door knob. the swabs are put into individual petri dishes. >> we'll pick up the germs with the swab and put them in the transport and take them to the lab later. >> after a few days, the results are in. >> changing table had the higher counts of germs that we saw.

that's kind of what you would expect. the stroller handle isabelle was playing with so much, that had the highest level. we didn't find evidence of bad germs. the inside of the crib didn't find any germs, but the outside did. the drerser handle was the germiest spot. door knob is at the top of everyone's concern list which came up clean. i think because that door isn't opens and closed frequently. none of the spots had bad germs. she is disinfecting well. it's a generally clean environment. i don't think there are any concerns. >> here is the editor and chief of "parents" magazine. dana point. hello, dana. >> good to see you. >> starting with the basics, keep your hands clean. >> you saw in the tape we watched the things you touch with your hands are the riskiest. in the bathroom closest to wherever you change your baby, try a no-hands, a no-touch soap dispenser so you don't have to push the button. you slide your hand under like this and it will dispense a

little bit of soap and wash your hands. when you can't get to a sink, if you're changing on the go, you want a hand sanitizer. what's important is that it's 60% alcohol or more. that's your goal. that's what you want to look for. >> just to wipe things down, these are great. >> try wipes. you can use those on that door handle or on the dresser knob. the important thing when using a wipe is to change it frequently. >> you wouldn't reuse a wipe. >> you would be surprised. >> oh, no, no. dispose of the wipe. >> you want to not use the wipe on the entire room. change it out a little bit here and there for something your child puts in her mouth, you can use a pacifier wipe. these are made with food grade ingredients so they are safe. >> i don't know how my kids got through childhood. >> and the changing table. >> this is the crib. there have been tremendous ed a vapss in all sorts of

textiles. there are anti-microbial stuff available now. this has anti-microbe technology. it's now in crib sheets and onesies. they borrowed from the athletic manufacturers and they have moisture-wicking properties. so they pull moisture away. >> for toys that kids, they never let go of them, they hang on forever and they are filled with germs. >> if you're a family prone to allergies, a cause of a lot of sneezing and stuff, look for stuffed animals that are certified aafa. that's a sign they are made with safe substances that can withstand a lot of washing. so you want to wash those stuffed animals. when the kids get older and they don't want their lovie put in the washer, you can get a teddy needs a bath bag. >> that's cute. >> it's all part of the process. if you're allergy prone and in

an area that is damp, this is a valspar paint that has anti-moisture properties. it can retard the growth of mold and mildew. if you live in a basement area or an area that is humid. you're standing on floor tiles which are, they come modular so you can put in an area rug. whatever rug you need, you want to vacuum frequently. this is great because an area rug is less carpet for dust mites and such to build up in. >> this is a trouble spot for a lot of people. >> the diaper area. exactly. first of all, look for a vinyl cover that can be wiped clean. then try a cover that you can wash a couple of times a week at least or whenever it gets dirty. this diaper genie has anti-microbial properties. if there are germs, it will try to ward them off. you don't need all the stuff at once. but specially if you have a

newborn. >> i somehow had two children who survived. none of this was available then. a sweet surprise that will make you smile. right after this. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [ male announcer ] everyone deserves the gift of a pain free holiday. ♪ this season, discover aleve. all day pain relief with just two pills. all day pain relief you go next if you had a hoveround power chair? the statue of liberty? the grand canyon? it's all possible with a hoveround. tom: hi i'm tom kruse, inventor and founder of hoveround. when we say you're free to see the world, we mean it.

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we are back with sara's special series called webtastic, the video that will have everybody hitting "send." >> this features 82-year-old velma trying pop rocks the first time. >> velma, better known as grammy, had quite the reaction. >> dump some in there. did you get some? there you go. have them sit there for a second.

>> are they popping? >> oh, my gosh! >> they have been talking about pop rocks and grandma velma was like, i don't know what you're talking about. so they got them for her. >> do you like them? >> try some more. put some more in there. >> i can hear them cracking. >> i can't believe this. >> 82 years old, ever heard of such a thing? and the popping in my mouth. >> she was so intrigued by them they ran out and get them and she is having the time of her life trying them out. >> i can keep watching her eat them. >> it was shot by her

grandson-in-law. she loves her youtube fame. she says she feels like a movie star. >> she is downing the whole thing now. velma, don't! >> too late. she did it. sara, thanks. >> thank you. >> okay. it's that time of the show again. what do men want? >> who knows but donny deutsch? plus from your kids' teachers to co-workers, holiday gifts for groups. >> celebrating golden globe nominations for "downtown abbey." congratulations to elizabeth mcgovern. she stops by to talk with us.

♪ merry christmas ♪ happy holidays >> we are back with more of

"today" and our favorite resident man of many opinions, deutchman, deutchman, donny, donny deutschman. >> i had the weirdest dream last night. if there are any shrinks out there, please send in. you were my teacher. i forgot my homework. >> i was? >> you were my teacher, i forgot my homework and i woke up. i don't know what was going to happen after that. >> did i give you a spanking? >> true story. i had that dream last night. >> we would love to know what you think at home. >> sara. >> first question from kathie. i'm a 56-year-old widow who wouldn't mind having a nice fellow to hang out. all the men my age want women half their age. how come a man in his 50s can't appreciate a woman in her 50s. at this rate, i would have to find a man in his 80s to accept mow as an older woman. >> worked for me, honey. >> it's tough. there are a lot of men that like women close to their age. i would try maybe rly 60s. the other thing, try younger. flip it. there are a lot of guys -- >> that's pushing it now.

>> women in their 40s and 50s say the young guys come up to them. so screw the guys in their 50s. >> the chance of those lasting. >> she just said she is looking for a friend. try early to mid 60s. that's a good combination. there are guys close to your age. go for it. >> she just wants a fellow to hang out with. from jessica, why do men like video games so much? it's like an addiction. my husband says it's release time where he shuts his brain off from the world. i know everybody needs a break sometimes, but every day? >> if that's the way he's escaping and not getting in trouble? god bless. may believe you escape by talking to your friends or shopping or getting manicures. if that's what he does, that's what he does. it's childlike, but if that is the worst thing, god bless. >> i have a good man or used to. due to the economy, he's been unemployed almost three years. how long can he use the "i'm depressed" reasoning for getting off his butt and helping around the house. >> if you're not working, he

should be helping around the house. that's not an excuse. he should be helping. number two, if he is depressed, get on him. get in his face. you've got to be his coach, his best friend. i know it's very difficult. say, look, i love you, whether you work or not working, you've got to get out there. you've got to make it happen. >> she probably is working. >> if it's three years of depression, he might need help. >> or get him to a doctor for help. >> my husband and i are newlyweds, seven months married. i was wondering if it's childish for me to be upset with him wanting to hang out with his ex-girlfriend. they were in a long relationship. does he still have feelings for her? >> yes, he does. you are not childish. that is wrong. he's probably up to something. you should look at your marriage early on if in seven months into it he's talking to his ex-girlfriend a lot. that's an issue. it's a red flag. seven months into it, you've got to have a sitdown with him. i'm sorry. >> what about exes in general?

>> if you're friends as a couple and it's an ex from a long time ago. you're recently married? sorry, not good. >> why are men so lenient with their children? my fiance lets their older sons run wild. our child is a baby and cannot imagine letting her act crazy. will he be different with our child because she is a girl? >> what i've found, i'm a strict parent. usually in a relationship in a marriage there is one more lenient. you might have to be the heavy. as long as one parent is giving the disciplines. both parents have to give love. he's not going to change. i hear that about a lot of dads. they are great dads. feeling is i'm not around my kids all the time if i'm working. somebody, one person has to do it. it's probably got to be you. >> somebody has to love their children enough to discipline them. it's a huge component of love. >> as a dad, you don't go wrong with it. kids want structure. they need it. they feel safer. i do it because i love my kids. >> on our facebook page during

thanksgiving a girl wrote, i want to thank my parents for telling me no. >> when my kids are crying because i'm not letting them do something i don't feel bad because i know it's the right thing. they need that. they get it. i don't know -- i was going to make a -- no. >> is it possible for men and women to be just friends or is there always something more on one side or the other? >> people always ask this question. >> we are great friends. >> because i'm the teacher. >> i always had great girlfriends. you and i are dear friends. it doesn't go there it's not part of it. it's brother and sister. i've always had girlfriends. if i want advice about a woman, i'm not going to go to an idiot guy friend, i'm going to go to my friend cindy, laurie or the teacher at school. i'll have my homework on time next time. >> okay. time for the shrink session. thank you, everybody. she was nominated for a

golden globe for her role in "downton abbey." congratulations. isn't she beautiful? >> i love her. on my journey ac, i've learned that when you ask someone in texas if they want "big" savings on car insurance, it's a bit like asking if they want a big hat... ...'scuse me... ...or a big steak... ...or big hair... i think we have our answer. geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. the western, egg & cheese, december's featured $5 footlong™. with eggs, black forest ham, and cheese, it's available for breakfast and all day

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nominated earlier today for four golden globes, the mini series "downton abbey" set in england during world war i. it returns for season two on pbs. >> elizabeth mcgovern received her nomination today for the role of the woman trying to keep her family together during very difficult times. >> it seems she made a cake for your ladyship as a surprise. i'm not easy with surprises at the best of times and i wonder if the whole exercise is entirely appropriate. >> ta-da. >> i'm not comfortable with this, my lady, not comfortable at all.

>> i was worried about lady semple, but i'm not worried any more. >> so you don't mind, my lady? >> no. >> great acting. just a few words but that face said it all. >> congratulations. >> thank you very much. >> tell us how you heard the news and how you felt when you heard your name called? >> i'm here with a lot of the cast members. we are having a great time in new york. we happened to be in the studio this morning because we are promoting series two for pbs masterpiece. obviously, the golden globe nominations started to come rolling in and we were thrilled we got a nomination as an entire cast and we're being led up to be interviewed. then i was pulled away by heidi our publicist. >> god bless heidi. >> we love heidi. >> she pulled me into another corner and the news broke. >> it must have felt so good. >> you have another exciting

thing that happened in your family, as well, right? >> yes. we are having quite a year because my husband, i'm very proud, directed a movie called "my week with marilyn." >> that got nominated as best picture. it was a weird category. hoda loves it. >> love, love. >> what are you going to do to celebrate? >> we are putting on the glad rags and paint the town. >> i love that. this series again airs on masterpiece on pbs. tell us about the framework and your character cora. >> well, the premise of the series is that we are all in a big house run by a massive group of servants who live downstairs. and there's upstairs the posh family. >> to the manor born. >> the second series opens right in the middle of world war i. you can see how that impacts all the characters and the running of the household.

every character reacts in a different way. some thrive on the war, some go under. it's a very, we try to be as accurate historically as we can and true emotionally as we can. it's interesting to see these characters lives as they intertwine in a close, confined setting. yet they are separated by these boundaries of class and title. >> it looks so lushly shot. it must be a dream as an actress to be involved in something of such excellence. you live in england. you moved there 19 years ago to be with your husband. >> yeah. >> how fabulous. and happy anniversary, too. >> really. it's ridiculous. >> i would buy a lottery ticket today. >> today's my day. it can only go down from here. >> there is a beautiful pictorial book out about "downton abbey." >> that's a really nice christmas present. >> we hope it continues for you. all the best. >> thank you. coming up next, don't know what to get your co-workers or

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today we are counting down to the holidays with gifts for groups. stumped on ideas for your child daycare workers, teachers, co-workers or salon stylists? it's endless. >> danielle is here to share affordable gift ideas. that are sure to impress. >> we haven't seen her since aspen and she has a bun in the oven. >> a holiday surprise. thank you, ladies. gill city is about fantastic experiences. at this time of year isn't it a great experience to give someone just the right gift? get them something but it can't be anything.

this gift is a triple threat like you, kathie lee. it smells good, looks good and tastes good. >> not me, thanks. that does smell good. >> it's a rosemary windowsill planter. just under $25. that is something that can brighten up any office, go in the kitchen and they'll think of your sweet, hard-working face. i'm here to help. what about employees? a big raise is always good, but barring that, making someone feel fancy is thoughtful. some letter press stationary. you heard it here first in 2012. handwriting notes is coming back. this is from the garden and gun store for $30. everybody likes food. we were just talking about that. these holiday sweet boxes are hand crafted in brooklyn. this lady anna gordon has this company called the sweet batch or the good batch, sorry. these are $24 each. those are pecan bourbon bars.

>> look how great those look. we've got to keep moving. >> secret santas, holiday gift exchange. i turn to lush. you can smell those. it's a lot of them. they are hand made, fresh, delicious. >> what are they? >> lushusa.com. there are soaps, very few preservatives and beautifully packaged. they range from $13 to $23. i swear, even guys like these. they turn a dinghy shower -- >> they like their little rubber ducky in the bathtub. >> what is this up here? >> teachers are the hardest working people in the world. i hope they get a lot of holiday cards. give them a fun and festive way to display it. these are from fire home decor about $40. you might not think to buy for yourself. >> but a teacher could put them on from all the kids. >> it's a beautiful display. you bring it out year after year. >> great idea. especially if you have a scout troop or lots of kids.

>> just smell those scented shoe laces, $5 a pair. from scentedshoelaces.com. >> delicious. >> these have trend written all over them. they take me back to my childhood where scented things or stickers were in. this is a retro fun thing. wear them as bracelets, necklaces. what about the babysitter? cash is good. if you want to make a subtle hint like i know you like all teenagers are obsessed with texting. let them do it in style. it's a phone case that snaps on. that's a fun one. they are $35. if you want to dress up cash, these are adorable. it's a little change purse. it looks like a cookie. $6 from the museum of contemporary art in chicago. you could put a little cash in there. what about your pet care giver? >> what about that person? >> they are always on the go. they need comfort. i thought don't think socks, we

were talking downstairs, socks are the gift that doesn't go back. everybody needs them. everyone wears them. these are the classic l.l. bean rag socks. they come in this nice gift box. >> what about your stylist or manicurist? >> something stylish, of course. bracelets fit everyone. you can't go wrong. these are really glam. they look more expensive than they are. all are less than $28 from bobble bar. >> a little gift. this is a sea urchin votive. $14. again, looks elegant but a low cost or some slate coasters. >> those are very cool. >> they are hand made from brooklyn. >> they are very cool. >> let's toast the holidays. >> you can't. >> i'm just toasting. >> we love you thinking of us. all the best. have the most blessed holiday. >> thank you so much. happy holidays. >> we'll be back with more of "today" on nbc.

encouraging literacy in kids is really important. so many needy families cannot afford the luxury of a new book. that's why one of our toy drive goals is to give many children as possible the gift of a new book. >> publishers stepped up to the plate this year. one of our most generous long-time partners is meghan tinley, publisher of little brown books for young readers. you come bearing gifts. >> this is only one of many. we are giving over 190,000 books to you guys this year, the biggest donation. >> that's amazing. that is a gift that can last forever and change lives. >> is this your favorite? >> i don't have favorites. it's like picking my favorite child. peter brown is children's choice favorites. kids voted him their favorite illustrator last year. he was voted children's favorite illustrator last year. his book "you will be my friend" is very funny. lucy bear is trying to find a

friend and she mets a skunk and giraffe. >> i will wait. >> that is adorable. it's very, very funny. >> that is adorable. >> what age is that for? >> 4 to 8. picture books are great because you can read it to babies and older kids. we are giving away a ton of these books. >> that's awesome. thank you so much. >> we appreciate it. >> happy holidays to you and your two little children. >> you can help underprivileged children brighten their holidays. come down to the plaza and donate. >> tomorrow, ambush makeovers. it's friday. >> have a great day, bye. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com from nbc's "whitney,"