>> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with kathie lee gifford and hoda kotb live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. our show? >> oh, my goih, it is boozeday tuesday on desem cember 22 pd. and look at what is happening overthere. it is is criminal.

boozeday tuesday are drinking water. >> how do you know it is wat know do you want us to come over to check it out? >> susan is in a new movie, and giad singing champs the melodores, and they are an a capella group. superand today is the first day of winter or the last day of spring? >> first day of winter. and so tonight is the shortest night and then the longer days, right some ye we have something more to celebrate. and you guys a a huge thank you to all of you who helped to raise almost $1 million more the salvation ar only needed to sell about 400 more books to make it. goodgiftsbook.org.

you love the b pages in it with new res recipes and a memorial to frank. it is a sweet book, let's get to $1 1 1 million mark. we can do it. >> by the end o we have good news if you are a procrastinator, the store s are s are open 24 hour, because some people work dif a stu like that, and so now, kohls is now open 24 hours until 6:00 p.m. on the 24th, and the same for walmart open 24 hours, and jcpenny's and macy's until christmas eve. and a loft t of people, you work crazy shifts, and you need time to get red ady. >> yes, but, hoda, how many days do you to get re christmas? >> 364, about. why do you wait for the end? >> it is the rush. >> part of the reason i got into

deadline and i have to have the to file the story by 10:00, and so i am not totally panicked yet. >> frank said that i'm on lombardi time, because you to have to be ten minutes early or you are late. i think it is so rude when you think that your time is more valuable than somebody else's. >> and who is taller or do you both have on shoes? >> allegedly. >> big girl shoes. >> all right. ladies, cook something. >> and should we taub about the big bo >> oh, my. >> more breaking news on the show. >> this is nbc news and men's health is out, and we agree that

ysinski is hot, but looking around page 10, check it out. our hunkie joseph, our floor director, is there. >> we are so proud of you, honey. >> you lost 50 pounds. >> i did. >> how did you do it? >> the boring way ak actually. i ate the way i should and started exercising. >> people don't like you at this moment. >> give it a few more moments. >> and here is the thing about you. we didn't noti day was a picture of him in hawaii. >> yes. >> and we looked at the before picture, and look at the, uh-huh, and we need the body before. and like the face. >> was there and a a ha! moment when you said i have to lose some weight. >> yes, some friends of mine

was out of breath tying my shoes. >> and you w thought that you were heavy, we thought that you were stocky. >> okay. >> husky. >> a husky b t. >> i figured it was time if i was going the start, it should be now. >> we think that joseph should. >> and our friend matt and mike and -- we need a dating thing. >> and what is your twitterer handle? >> it is at yosi -- >> oh, here you go. >> there you go. i am running my first half marathon in honor of my mom who is battling m.s. >> you are a good guy.

hot before, and now you are scalding. >> burn, baby. thank you. >> so cute how he talks about the mom. i love that. >> and so meredith here had some fun expen in particular, but she showed photo photos to a bunch of kids and asked th is this person naughty or nice based only on the photos, and here is what happened. >> i am going to be holding up the photos and you tell me naughty or nice. >> naughty. >> naughty. nice. do you know who that is? >> no. >> no. >> why are you saying naughty? >> she just looking like et. >> and how about this person? naughty or nice. >> nice. >> nice. >> that is hillary clinton. do you know who that is? >> yes. >> who is that? >> president. >> well, running for president.

>> he is weird. >> i used to work with this guy? >> oh, my gosh. >> i know that is how i felt. oh, thank you. i got over it, honey, and it took a lot of other pi. >> it is not fair, because it is not his best look in november when he was not shaving. >> they love you, but how funny is that. >> creepy. >> i am glad it is not me that they are picking on or you. >> looks like gwen and stefani and blake shelton are going strong. they tweeted out a christmas video t t we can't get enough of. it is like a gif. >> all >> i'm wanting to see the ladies' reaction to it. ladies? >> i thought it was sweet. >> i love blake shelton.

good heart, and handsome. >> and tall. >> and what about her? >> oh, gorgeous. and also very supportive of the young talent on that show. i think th she is great. >> it is cute. >> how sweet is she? she is not what you have heard. susan lucci. >> she ain't erica cain. >> by the way, we want to point out as the show is progressing, what is going on? yosef's phone is blowing up. >> this is exciting. >> i can't wait. >> oh, my gosh! >> how big is your phone number. >> oh, it is on twitter. >> just punch it in. [ laughter ] >> been there with you, hoda. >> and where where is that coming? >> well shgs , oh, wow, naughty pictures? >> they are -- let's not. >> oh, wow! ooh. a wow.

>> i can't wait to see what hap happens. >> a happy holiday for yosef. >> awesome. >> we want some updates. >> all right. >> and sarah palin has taken a joke many times on snl, but it looks like she can dish it out, too too. there is battle between sarah and tina fey, and she just released a video spoofing her kashg character. >> liz lemon. i a look. >> when 30 rock begins this sn jair, america will meet jane melon, a tv writer who left a small wn for the big city. >> no snowflakes? >> but she is struggling to have it all. >> where where is my page? >> no. here is what you do. >> "star wars" didn't actually change cinema. >> there's only one way to find out.

>> good for her. >> that is done by a group called the independent journal review. >> okay. >> how about john mccain playing. that is funny, right? >> and then lindsey graham on the day that he an a page on 31 rock. that is timely. i like him by the way, he is fiesty. >> uh-huh. >> and he is fiesty. >> and "the new york times" listed trends that didn't actual li actually catch on, and some of them ere sorry, and man buns. they asked the readers what trends they chose to skip this year, and so here is a look, and we are going to ring the bell every time we pass o a trend. >> all right. >> and so the return of croptops. >> pass. >> face conn touring. >> pass. >> not me. >> and harper lee's new book. >> i didn't get it.

ooh, no, i love it. periscope. love it. "empire" -- i love it. "the unbreakable kimmie schmidt." no, i love that, too. "star wars" -- oh, i loved that. taylor swift. yes. and finally -- watch me whip watch me nae nae watch me whip watch me nae nae >> i would say that i am using my time more timely than and now, "fuller house" is the reboot of "full house" and we played pit other day, d ed it the other day, but that is what the cast looked like. that is candace cameron bure, and andrea sweeten and lauren bar

you a who it is now watch me whip watch me nae nae now watch me whip whip watch me nae nae watch me watch me ooh watch me watch me boom boom boom watch me >> they is have the moves. >> what does nae nae mean? >> whip, whip, watch me nae nae. nothing. it is nothing. and now, we have some sparklerser here. >> and apple cider and tomato juice and so good. >> go to the facebook page, and you will get a step by step video on how to make these that giada did not make.

>> and giada is here with ths to feed your friends and we're only human. we rely on our courage. the kind of courage that shows up when we need it... and when cancer is least expecting it. courage. just one reason more of us are surviving cancer than dying from it. give now to the american cancer society. feel a cold coming on? new zicam cold remedy nasal swabs shorten colds with a snap, and reduce symptom severity by 45%. shorten your cold with a snap,

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for 41 years to a award wink actress and legend susan lucy played the entertaining erica ca giin on "all my children." >> and so while it has been ten

out of the woman, but not the woman out of the drama. she is now back on the big screen. >> mother, again! you sit there. are you comfortable? how many times do i have to tell you not to clean it out in the sink? >> well, she thinks it is unlady like to talk about it -- >> direct her power anywhere danica chooses, a hand is the power of danica. >> hello, sweetie. >> i am so thrilled to have been part of the movie to have worked with david orussell who is an amazing director, and i have a small pa they are telling the story of joy mangano, her life story, and her mother, jennifer, she is amazing in every frame and she is amazing.

her mother, and she was a apparently, joy, a timid woman who took refuge in her bedroom and addicted to aps. and so danica was strong and she would quote danica. >> and live vicariously through her. >> and hopefully not so timid. >> and so david said that soap op er opera actors were like athletes, and he chose you because he knew exactly what you could do. >> so generous with the comments. >> and you learned pages and pages and pages ev there was a lot of volume everyday, and erica cain was so busy and i am so busy that i got the play her. >> and it kept you off of the st me inside of daylight hours, and all of that,

and david orussell said that what i ra read in one of the interviews, he said that he wo and tell us what to do and we would just do it. we are ready. >> not what is my motivation? >> and we come in with the motivation, and we know what we ar ie supposed to be doing, because of the nature of the -- i say, like old man river, and si going to be rolling along, and it is going to happen no matter how late you were at the studios the night before. >> and were you able to work with some of the other actors? >> yes. i got the work with jennifer who is brilliant of course, and also with robert de niro. >> are you pinching yourself? >> yes, virginia madysen is there and bella rosalini.

>> i wish i had got a scene with him, but i was admiring his work. >> i bet you were. >> and on instagram, you are a busy poster, aren't you? >> my daughter has whipped me into a frenzy. mom, you have to pose everyday. >> what is happening here? >> ooh, your everyday bubble bath. >> this is how i spend the weekends at the hotel right here on 54th street, and i am so sorry, hotel, i don't remember where you are, but it was a great time and it is like being in europe b so are you, and we love you shgs , and merry christmas and merry everything. give our love to everyone at your home. "christmas joy" opens christmas day. >> are you wrapping and you

it's that night of the year you come here. looking for gifts so there won't be tears. eleventh hour shopper...that's you. it's ok because they know you. they're loaded up with gear. an xbox for the children. and a mixer for your dear. no need to shop around for present you've missed it's all here. you're off the naughty list! eleventh hour shopper... that's you! see you next year, buddy! get low prices on all your last-minute gifts. walmart. dear stranger, when i booked your place, my friends thought i was crazy. but this morning, a city i'd never been to felt like home. thank you for sharing the world with me.

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it's time for brain teaser tuesday when we put your minds to work with a fun riddle courtesy of buzz feed. >> here it is, johnny's mother had three children. the first child was named april and the second child was named may and what was the third child's name? >> that seems too obvious.

>> and grab your toilet paper rolls and magazines. >> don't talk like that, hoda. >> and we are about to wrap. >> and giada is here with a

with glad with febreze. the only bag with the

>> by the way

it is 10:27. a rainy day. 57 at the grand central parkway near the l.i.e. emergency crews at the scene of a construction accident in sh feepshead. officials tell us a pile driver may have fallen over at the construction site. fortunately, no reports of anyone being hurt. at this point it was unclear how this happened. much more coming up at noon. check of the weather now. of course it's raining outside. you know that. 60, the high. tonight, fog where, 52. tomorrow, warms up to 62 and rain. it looks like a bit more. 72 christmas eve. 62 christmas day. bizarre winter so far. up next on the "today" show with kathie lee and hoda, a hardy

it is is boozeday tuesday and before the break we gave you th johnny's mother had three children. the first child was named april. the second child was named may and what was the third child's name? >> johnny. >> we actually got that one. was it a trick question? duh. >> and have you ever realized on christmas eve that you are out of gift wrap, bags, bows? >> yes. >> and we have some help from

in atlanta for t no and she has ideas for creative homemade wrapping. >> good to see you and it is robin to the rescue. you don't need anything fancy to make it fabulous, because we will rerecycle and repurpose with pizazz. so i thought of a person who is a word smith or the crossword puzzles, so my sister cheryl is a crossboard addict, and so we wrapped it up with crossword puzzle wrapment and that little center is right off of the milk carton. >> and i love that tv host. >> and so i take this and make a figure eight. if it is exhard i'm not doing it. so it is seconds.

the middle and then layer up the figt ur figure eight, and before you know it, it is a bow to go. >> and smart here with the coloring kids can color after it. >> yes, the front page, sports section for the sports lover, anything. and now, egg cartons. >> everybody has gotten them. >> and i have been eating a lot of eggs now, but they are grade a egg friends so i covered them with heresy kisses and filled it with candy, and is so it is is a lot of fun, but the kids are getting involved now. they are telling you how they are going to be wrapping so you take out the scraps, and this year, get all of the scraps before somebody throws them out. >> yes. >> and you can see how pretty it s is is. and i'm wild about the cardboard pap paper, a soy put a beautiful piece of jewelry in here, and now i am going to be taking the tisch tissue, and wrap it up in style

o, three, four, five, and then tie the edges like here, and you will have a finished wrap, and tie them with the bows, and that is really simple. scy raps, and you have it. and you could use a dish towel. >> yes, that is a nice hostess gift. gift. >> and tucked in the end, and pu c roll up a tee shirt or sweets. cash -- cash goes great there. >> and who doesn't like cash. >> and now, sock i me. and i love this one. literally straight out of the sock drawer. you want the try it and help me. i wa sock, and put it around the wine bottle. and look, one, two, three, and you have got it. and then wha wet i love is to just add a few bows around the top, and one, tw three. >> and what is somebody going to to do with the one sock? >> well, are reuse it. wine that you love so much, because i know that you have the favorite wine. >> yes, we do. >> and the fact is that the

you only had one sock left. >> all right, all right, robin. okay. maybe we will run ou time. what is this? >> well, marshmallows and dip them in the colors, and they will make perfect polka dots. >> you have to hold it down, hoda. >> and now you can see the finished product, and the kids love it. they will have so much fun. >> and make sure they don't eat it. >> you eat one, and stamp one. >> and don't mix them up. >> like a stamp. tt is so much fun. >> and i alternated colors and took a little bit. >> she took more time. >> and a second more than you did. and this is my favorite wap of all time, and try this. now, watch me. take the corners of the ban dan dana and pull them up to the top. >> aright. a now, you can see that we have four corners, and take a rubberband. kathie lee, you are a pro at this.

it on the top, and watch robin here with a simple way to do at that, four instant pockets, and guess what we are going to do? >> we are going to be putting it. >> yes. pretzel sticks, and candies and treats and sweets. this is called the the ban dan dana wrap, one, two, three, and then they can repurpose it. one, two, three, cute. >> thank you, robin. >> and if you are a pitch perfect fan, we have a group here with perfect pitch. >> they are a college group the vanderbilt melodores. zack. turning it on now.

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love every step. the snow is starting to fall and our loved ones are gathered all around, so share that extra joy in your heart and make this christmas even more special than the last. walmart. the flu virus hits big. with aches, chills, and fever, there's no such thing as a little flu. and it needs a big solution: an antiviral. so when the flu hits, call your doctor right away and up the ante with antiviral tamiflu. prescription tamiflu is an antiviral that attacks the flu virus at its source and helps stop it from spreading in the body. tamiflu is fda approved to treat the flu in people two weeks of age and older whose flu symptoms started within the last two days. before taking tamiflu, tell your doctor if you're pregnant, nursing, have serious health conditions, or take other medicines. if you develop an allergic reaction, a severe rash,

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want to spend the night or day in the kitchen, we have a res e pea for you. >> and our contributor giada de laurentiis is here. >> this is kishgs mbo kishgs mbocca squash. >> people were getting confused. >> and what kind of beef? >> a tenderloin. >> oh, no, it is too expensive, a tenderloin. >> i like tenderloin. >> ie the cheaper kind, md that is what i use. >> what is it, the butt? what part is cheap? >> this is hoda's butt here, and we have cut it up and seasoned it. >> what kind is it? >> chuck.

you wanted to, but then you want to cut the squash smallerer so it matches. you could use a tri-tip if you wanted to. >> you want to cook it slow and everything is going to melt and be tender. moving on to hoda's butt. >> okay. >> and then you season it with a little bit of salt and flour, and the flour creates a nice thick thickness to the stew. and then g i the oil. >> dump it, hoda. >> go, hoda. dump it, hoda. >> all right. i'm trying. >> and we will brown it. you brown it for a couple of minutes. >> you don't cook it all of the way through. >> no, because the slow cooker is going to do it for you. >> oh, you are going to be putting in the slow cooker. >> this is something to do and then leave. >> forget about it. >> yes. this is the squash situation. i like the two together, because

so this is a squash, but you could use acorn or butternut or whatever kind. and you need a really sharp peeler, guys. and if not, you can take a knife and just chop it off. but you want to have a nice, well, it is going to be sitting up nicely on its own. >> in a perfect world. >> well, you don't want it to roll around or you will cut your finger finger. >> cut that baby doub. and it can take some force and you can buy this already done. some grocery stores will it up for you and make life easy. >> and what is this? >> well, i forgot. no no, no, i forgot to add the onions and the garlic and the thyme and the rosemary. >> okay. i will do that >> and you let icook, and do this. >> okay. i got distracted with this. >> okay.

dexwlaz the pan. and that is the flavor. >> you see that nice brown stuff? >> yes. >> that is the flavor. that is why you want to brown the meat first or you won't get that flavir. i take marsala wine or beef stock. >> yes. >> and scrape it and clean the pan so you don't have to clean it later, and then you take all of these ingredients. >> and i the slow cooker. >> yes. >> careful. >> you don't want to wear it for the reday? no, i don't. nice. >> and a get all of the bits in there. >> okay. i'm getting as many as i can. >> and then we are going to be dumping the beef broth on top of that. >> beef broth. >> and what about the tomatoes, and sun dried tomatoes, and squash, and put the lid on it, rd we will let it go for ur hours. then we come back here, and this is great, and people love the slow cooker. >> look.

>> has some bread with it. how delicious. and this is a nice meal. it is warm and hot when you get home. >> okay. let's try it. >> for the hot stuff. >> and i'm going to dunk a little i andsit is pretty the. >> and it falls apart. >> and the meat should fall ap apart, and after four hours up to eight hours, tha meat should fall apart. >> hmm. >> and the only thing that we are missing guys -- >> the glass of wine. >> i mean, really, this needs a glass of wine. >> and you can find this delicious stew recipe at today.com/food. >> hey, gather around, because we have a great song here with the vanderbilt before there could be a nation, there had to be people willing to fight for it, to take on the world's greatest challenges, whatever they might be. so, the u.s. army masters not only tactics and strategy, but also physics and chemistry. we make battle plans and create breakthroughs -

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the vanderbilt melodores are not only the champion s of the sing-off, they are the college champions for ak pel capella. >> hoar they are. hang on the mistletoe i'm going to get to know you better ba da da this christmas and every trim of the tree how fun it is going to be together

blazing bright we are carolling through the night and this christmas will be a very special christmas for me me whoa woo ba da da ta-da presents and cards this time t the of year my world is filled with cheer and you this christmas and as i look around your eyes are shining down this christmas fireside is blazing bright

night and this christmas will be a very special christmas for me whoa whoa take it here now take it here now ooh ooh ooh this christmas this christmas you know it is going to be a very special christmas for you and me very special christmas this christmas this christmas will this christmas will be a very

take a hand take a hand now oh, merry christmas baby whoa we'll be together to make this christmas bright >> all right. that was awesome. >> very nice talent and nice kids. a couple of teen sensations spread the joy to some needy children.

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it is our final donation nor the toy drive and it is from our friends at henry o better known as the folks who make hello kitty. >> here to the tell us about it is teen sensations mattie and kenzi zeigler. >> and now before we get to how

you giving away from hello kitty? >> we are giving these away after they raised $130,000 in toys and merchandise and we are so excited to present, because they are so cute. yes, awesome. >> and now, you have major things going on in your career s s. >> yes, mackenzie is a big singer, right? >> yes, i just released my single "sleigh ride" my christmas song. >> number one on itunes, right? >> yes. >> and mattie? >> i just wrapped up filming "my book of henry." and i was exciting. >> who are these people? >> well, they have been raised by f parents, and very polite, and i love that. merry christmas, and we are pekting great things from you guys.

more than $37.5 million to the make this the second biggest toy drive ever. >> thank you, everybody. in the toy drive's 22-year history more than $434 million