from nbc news, this is "today", with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb. from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. said the night wind to the little lamb do you see what i see what i see

do you see what i see see what i see a star, a star, dancing in the night with a tail as big as a kite with a tail as big as a kite hey, i see it do you see what i see do you hear what i hear [ applause ] >> yes! wow! >> thank you, kids. >> wow! >> it's christmas day, december 25th, and a very merry one to all of you. those were the sweet sounds --

-- of the detroit arts and sciences group. >> we will have more music to keep you in the holiday spirit when train sings one of their songs off their christmas album. >> many of you have set for christmas, but your table is not. we have suggestions for a table and room for the meal. sometimes it's so crowded there's no room for the potatoes. >> and what's christmas without a few party animals. we're going to have animals that will help us open presents. >> okay. >> what have that is. and it's going to be fun. >> if you were unable to make it to a nativity scene this holiday, we have brought it to you. last december, more than 1,000 people came together dressed as angels to create a nativity scene in provo, utah. >> it earned the guinness world

the mormon tabernacle choir and it captured a moving moment. >> beautiful. beautiful. >> well, sometimes we're talking about christmas and a lot of kids -- >> beautiful. >> -- are probably at home opening presents and all that kind of stuff. but is there more to christmas? >> we sent out donna dorable to ask kids what they thought about when they think of christmas? >> going to church in the morning, decorating the tree. >> we celebrate jesus's birth. >> i want peace on earth. >> spending time with my family. >> being together with my family. >> spending time with my family. >> we as you stay together and have a lot of fun. >> we play snowballs. >> i like to watch frosty the snowman. >> i want to give kids toys and what they need to have a happy christmas.

how happy are you? >> out of the mouth of babes. >> there you go. let's play a little game, shall we? it's called covered offer un r uncovered. we're going to play christmas songs and try to guess who's singing it. >> i get these wrong all the time. >> here's first one. these are a few of my favorite things when the dog bites when the bee stings when i'm feelin' sad >> i don't know. i simply remember my favorite things and then i don't feel >> who is that? >> it was kelly clarkson! >> what can we get wrong next? joyful all ye nations rise >> nat king cole.

>> who's the next one? i'm dreaming of a white christmas >> it's a country artist. it's a duet. >> is it dixie chicks? no, little big town? taylor swift? sounded like a duet. was it just one? >> it's just taylor. i'm having trouble. >> let's go on. i saw three ships come sailin' in >> sting! i saw three ships come sailin' in on christmas day in the morning >> okay what's the next one. o christmas tree o christmas tree >> oh, it's --

>> where was fettywhap? >> when you get a gift and what face to you make? >> you're supposed to make the same one no matter what. >> which is like. >> oh, i love this. >> but there's a commercial out in the u.k. for the department store harvey nichols, which shows what gift face is all about. that. mum, this is for you. this is for you. >> oh. >> they won't go stiff. and there's a hand towel in there. i knew she'd like them. >> you said you wanted to read more. do you like it? >> it's better than last year. >> oh.

>> i knew you'd love it. yeah. yeah. wouldn't you rather not have a gift than one you have to pretend that you -- you can be grateful but not like something, right? >> grateful somebody thought -- but don't you hate when you pick something and you think oh, this is exactly -- you? never mind. >> but you know when you hand someone something and you thought about it, you pined over it and you hand it to them and they give you gift face? >> yeah! >> so let's figure this out. do you know how people say christmas around the world? >> joyo noel. i only know french. feliz navidad, okay? >> let's see what else there is. some youtuber did it.

>> that's italian. >> this is french. >> why is the person repeating everything? >> you're making me get rid of the christmas spirit. joyeux -- >> vesele vanoce. >> okay. that has to be swedish or something. >> czech. i never heard hello in czech, have you? >> oh, feliz natal. >> oh, it's russian. >> is it portuguese? >> good one! >> brazil. >> how did you knee? >> because feliz.

now the real hoda is what you're seeing on christmas day. >> that might be russian. >> no, it's not. serbian. >> that's slavic, isn't it? hun hungary. yeah, that was fun. >> how's the detroit crowd doing over there? you guys okay? you guys are good? everybody's all good, the dancers, the singers. >> i hope they get to sing anne again. >> they're tired. they're standing at attention. >> regis our elf on the shelf has been a huge hit. some viewers have their own elves, too. >> we did ask you to send picturing of some of your elves. so this elf likes to fish on a

>> melissa ives' elf made a zip line. >> and katie fisher's elf disco went sledding on the chimney. >> this elf enjoyed a spa day. >> while bruce spruce got into some trouble with elsa. >> and kerry jo russell's elf protected the family from the dark side. >> and finally, this is a good deed elf. this one read read a bedtime story to your sister. >> we look forward to more of them next year. i guess we're going to do did anyway, it is a friday. are you ready for it? a friday funny? where do snow men go to dance? >> where? >> a snowball! >> the kids from detroit are not

they're not even smiling. >> come on, you guys. >> what do you get if santa get oes down the chimney with the fire lit? crisp kringle. >> what christmas carol is a favorite of parents? silent night. [ laughter ] >> that's kind of like gift face. >> what's difference between the christmas alphabet and the ordinary alphabet? >> what? >> the christmas alphabet has no l, noel, get it? knock, knock, hoda, who's there. >> i say who's there. you're knocking. >> i go, knock knock.

i have to say my part. >> murray. >> murray who? >> murray christmas one and all. [ laughter ] >> his name must be murray. that was fun. they get more lame every week. >> your family's coming over in a few hours. we're going to help you add the final touches to your dinner table. >> and a florida woman's dream comes true. hark how the bells sweet silver bells all seem to say bringing good cheer to young and old

what better day than christmas to invite squire rushnel back in. >> the master mind behind the beautiful god winks book series that proves there's more than coincidence that meets the eye. >> thank you, and merry christmas. this story comes from one of our

she had been struggling with so many health issues that had kept her from getting anything more than a part-time job. but she was still finding it tough to pay her bills. it was impossible for her to fly to her son's wedding. but kate kept her faith. and she prayed for a god wink. take a look at this one. >> i love my job at cracker barrel as a cashier, because i love talking to people. but on the eve my son was getting married, i was feeling so sad. then two cheerful flight attendants from southwest airlines came up to pay their bill. i asked what route they fly. they said back and forth to vegas. so i joked, hey, if you're heading there now, how about strapping me into a parachute and dropping me over phoenix.

that i had to miss my son's wedding the next day. they told me how sorry they were. paid the bill and went on their way. five minutes later, angie and reuben returned, wearing smiles. can you get tomorrow off? reuben wanted to know. we found a southwest buddy pass in our bag in the car. it's a complementary stand by ticket. i was dumbfounded and began to cry. all of a sudden, i heard, she sure can get tomorrow off. that was my co-worker, katrina. she volunteered to take my shift. angie got out her phone, right there at the register. booked my flight out of orlando at dawn the next morning. and that afternoon, i showed up as a surprise for my son and my new daughter-in-law. it was a wonderful wedding, and definitely the best god wink i

>> oh, that's a good story. >> they're all good. they're all good. >> and there's a follow-up. >> tell us. >> because when kate got home from the wedding, angie, the flight attendant called to hear about the wedding but also to offer kate a job as a nanny for her two children. now with two part-time jobs, kate can pay her bills and put presents under the christmas tree. >> oh, my gosh. >> merry christmas, squire. >> beautiful, beautiful. that gives such hope. you know, it seems hopeless in this world sometimes. not today. >> not today. >> how to have a christmas table that's beautiful and functional. >> that was beautiful. christmas [coughing] [coughing] [coughing] coughing disrupts everyone's life. that's why so many people are turning to delsym for longer lasting cough relief. delsym has an advanced time release formula that helps silence coughs

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it's christmas day, which means you're only hours away from serving your christmas guests. >> are you singing again? >> if you oip up the page pen up the pages of kathie lee's book, we have bianca borgess. >> you look beautiful and festive on chas. ristmas. >> it is the day. >> setting a table is important, i've been told. i've heard rumors. >> yeah. we work beautifully together along with andy when we did this book. and i tried to use everything that was authentic to my own home. these are my lenox christmas

way that i always do my napkins. i like to do that, it just adds a little height, but it's going to disappear, isn't it, bianka, when everybody sits down. one of the biggest mistakes is to have everything high, and you can't see the people. >> sometimes it looks so cluttered. i've sat down and oh, there's no room for anything. >> it adds decoration without taking table space. you need enough space for food. once you've picked your dinner plates, make extra plates and then divide your food into two and put it into both ends of the table. >> so you don't have to go all the way arm the table. >> exactly. >> passing hot gravy is not easy around a table this big. >> it will get cold. >> and because you're dividing the food in two, your plates don't need to be so big.

>> so that helps with table space. >> what about the appetizers? >> they are a great way to bring people to the table when you're ready to serve. sow put so you put it on top. of course people see food on the table and they start gathering. pouring wine does the same thing. >> the centerpiece. >> you know, one of the things about that, you see the small clusters of flowers? kathie lee did that throughout the entire book. >> it adds a burst. you're not going to eat the flowers. you want the ambiance but not overtake the room. people around you. >> and the centerpiece with the food is a good idea. because it gives people something to do who might not want dessert and makes people to linger longer. >> check out good gifts at good gifts book.org. the entire cost goes to help the salvation army.

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we're back on this christmas

home are enjoying some down time, making fun with family and friends. >> we are happy to welcome kids ages 9 to 13. they've performed everywhere from disney to the white house. and now though have a special performance for us. >> here's the detroit arts and sciences show choir with their rendition of feliz navidad. feliz navidad feliz navidad feliz navidad feliz navidad feliz navidad feliz navidad

i want to wish you a merry christmas i want to wish you a merry heart christmas christmas we want to wish you a merry christmas from the bottom of our hearts feliz navidad feliz navidad feliz navidad feliz navidad feliz navidad feliz navidad we want to wish you a merry christmas we want to wish you a merry christmas

christmas from the bottom of our hearts we want to wish you a merry christmas we want to wish you a merry christmas we want to wish you a merry christmas from the bottom of our hearts [ applause ] we want to wish you a merry christmas >> we have another holiday performance for you from. train. after this this holy night sleep in heavenly peace

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. one thing children cherish the most is tradition.

ours, which is why we bring you the one thing we do every year. >> animals to open presents. >> we've never done that before. >> here with us is the animal ambassador julie scardena. >> we' going to start things up, beauty and surprises. lyra, come on over here. isn't he gorgeous? this is a -- >> bird of prey. >> it is a bird of pray, the largest species of owl in the world. how much does it look like she weighs? >> 10 pounds. >> she's about 6 pounds. mostly feathers. so shy looks a e looks a lot heavier. >> she's a full-figured owl. >> is she going to open a present or no? >> she's actually going to sit there.

opening of packages. >> no, packages are coming. >> the otter is coming? >> where's the otter? >> and they've got their packages. >> here, guys. there we are. >> oh, my gosh! there must be food in there. >> lots of different treats. >> they're never coming out. >> which presents have treats, and which ones don't. now these two are actually orphaned in the wild. >> wow. >> and because they were raised -- [ laughter ] >> who thought they could care for them, they got to be about 6 months old, and they are like, otters are on steroids, so they turned them in. >> good-bye. >> go right in there, baby. there goes another one. >> there's more presents for you. >> here, here, here. come on, boys.

>> he's going to get all the treats. >> in a weird way, you could watch them do that for hours. ? who's next? >> christmas is also about porcupines. and these guys are also all about the food. >> oh, no, these are like -- >> this is a baby african crusted porcupine. >> on the loose! >> you guys want to hold this for him? >> i'm not sure. >> this is one of his favorite treats. and he's 3 months old right now. >> they have big chompers. >> you'll see the adults in a minute. it is the largest rodent, not the largest rodent, but the largest porcupine. this guy is 3 months old. their eyes are open when they're born and they're ready to go. >> he's digging into that baby. >> can we bring on the macaus? >> look at the big mama coming.

>> that's daddy, actually. >> big daddy. >> we have the last two macaus. and you can hand them a gift. of look at the colors on those macaus. >> they're very pretty. >> they don't even look real. >> here you go. you can open that. >> ooh. >> we're going to have to say good-bye. but merry chas to everybody. >> treats inside. >> they look in with their lily balls. >> julie, thank you. whoa! >> are you okay? >> if we ever see a new year -- >> the grammy award winning train is with us right after

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"today", is proudly presented to you by citi. >> we're going to keep this christmas day right on track with a little festive music from the grammy award winning band, train. >> here they are singing "shake up christmas" from "christmas in tahoe". ladies and gentlemen, train. there's a story that i was told and i want to tell the world before i get old and don't remember it and reassemble it once upon a time in a town like this a girl made a great big wish and filled the world with happiness shake it up, shake up the happiness wake it up, wake up the

come on, it's christmas time shake it up, shake up the happiness wake it up, wake up the happiness come on y'all, christmas time at the same time miles away a little boy made a wish that day that the world would be okay and santa claus would hear and say i got dreams and i got love i got my feet on the ground and family above won't you give them happiness with my best to the rest of the people of the east and the west maybe yeah, maybe once in a while you give my grandma a reason to smile a reason to smile it's cold, we'll be freezin' let me meet a girl one day who wants to spread the love

we can let our love run free and she can open up some happiness with me wake it up, wake up the happiness shake it up, shake up the happiness shake it up, shake up the happiness wake it up, wake up the happiness come on, y'all, christmas time i know you're out there i hear your reindeer i see the snow where your boots have been i'm going to show them so they will know then their love will grow when they believe again shake it up, shake up the happiness wake it up, wake up the happiness come on y'all, it's christmas time

shake up the happiness wake it up wake up the happiness come on, y'all it's christmas time nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah share. >> but first, this is "today", on nbc. wake up the happiness comen, y'all, it's christmas time happiness hey buddy, let's get these dayquil liquid gels and go. but these liquid gels are new. time happiness time happiness well so are these. this one is max strength and fights mucus. that one doesn't. uh...think fast! you dropped something. oh...i'll put it back on the shelf... new from mucinex fast max.

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next week two of our favorite ladies, bern debt adette peters, and jan kra cowski. >> and we want you to look back at all the great moments we've had this year. >> and the people who make it happen. >> have a merry christmas. >> have a good one. christmas if we livin' like livin' like this every day uh-huh day, to day, today is christmas day

jingle, jingle we don't need jingle, jangle it only takes a little spark to ignite and you'll go jingle, jangle grab the one you love and hold on tight and go jingle, jingle today, today, today, today is christmas oh, if we like livin' like livin' like, livin' like every day today, today, today, today, today is christmas if we livin' like livin' like, livin' like livin' like every day down in your pocket, you've not something to give

down in your heart go make some room so you can forgive and go jingle, jangle we heard it said that it goes swing when we go jingle, jangle what are we waitin' for let's shake everything that goes jingle, jingle today, today, today, today, today is christmas oh, if we livin' like livin' like livin' like every day >> woo! >> woo! >> show what you got now. today, today, today, today, today, today is christmas

livin' like every day so it's like livin' like livin' like livin' like every day >> woo! >> woo! >> yeah! from now on there's no lookin' back only one way track runnin' day forward we'll make a promise to be true to myself and always be honest for the rest of my life i will do what's right i will do what's right when i say i'm on the verge of the rest of my life tonight we'll touch in the sky tonight i'm on the verge of the rest of the rest of our lives