on the broadcast tonight, taking flight. a big storm gives way to a spectacular show. and after a rough go of it millions make it home in time to celebrate. tonight, how americans are giving thanks across the country and while serving far from home. >> early birds -- making a mad dash from turkey dinner to stores open earlier than ever. that has some people asking tonight -- is it ruining thanksgiving? the talk a lot of parents are having with their grown children this long holiday weekend as obama care advocates make a push to get young people to sign up. and best in show -- an annual thanksgiving family tradition. and a crown jewel takes the win. >> "nightly news" begins now.

>> announcer: from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams. good evening. happy thanksgiving. i'm kate snow in for briand eve. happy thanksgiving. i'm kate snow in for brian tonight. let's start with something to be thankful for. despite dire predictions and worries that a winter storm might have a major impact on holiday festivities and travel, the flight delays have subsided. while there was snow and rain, millions of americans were able to celebrate the holiday today with family. high wind here in new york calmed enough by this morning to allow the macy's thanksgiving day parade to go ahead as planned. and we start off tonight from the parade route. good evening, katie. >> reporter: hey there, kate. we are told americans are eating 736 million pound of turkey today. but before all the food comas can kick in, 6th avenue here was abuzz with people. crowds lining the street for a thanksgiving day parade that went off without a hitch, almost.

>> reporter: thankfully the 3.5 million people who lined the streets and braved the cold not knowing if the stars of the 87th annual macy's thanksgiving day parade would show up. >> it was fun. >> reporter: is there any part of your body you can feel right now? >> no. >> reporter: the only hiccup was spiderman's left arm punctured and slightly deflated after it snagged a tree rounding a corner. thanksgiving traditions continued all across the country, even after a wet and windy storm canceled hundred of flights yesterday. but weather headaches didn't dampen the spirit. in washington the first family had a traditional dinner at the white house including turkey, ham and nine kind of pie. but before sitting down to eat, the president called troops to wish them a happy holiday and thank them. he praised their service today in a web address. >> no matter what our

differences we are all part of one american family. >> reporter: in atlanta, volunteers offered hot meals, free clothing and haircuts to more than 6,000 in need. >> we are going to pack 2,000 of these packs today. >> reporter: in santa barbara, 1,000 people showed up to help send care packages to victims of the typhoon in the philippines. today marked the first day of chanukah, the two holidays haven't fallen on the same day since 1888, in honor of it one new york 9-year-old. >> my name -- >> reporter: decided to invent the menurkey. all days, crowds lined parade routes from snowy detroit to philadelphia. but none were quite as grand as macy's. >> i think it is pretty awesome. >> reporter: back to thanksgiving and chanukah, probably won't fall on the same day again for maybe 70,000 years or so. if you have dreams of the

turkey, cranberry, stuffing sandwich, where the bread is latkes, better make the dream a reality now. kate? >> out on the streets of new york tonight, lots of turkey being served up for our troops overseas tonight too. tens of thousands are serving another thanksgiving in afghanistan far from home, far from their families, for most of them it will likely be the last thanksgiving there before coming home. as the u.s. prepares to withdraw most troops by next summer. our chief foreign correspondent richard engel is in afghanistan tonight. >> reporter: good evening, kate. there are still about 45,000 u.s. troops here in afghanistan and today just feeding them was a military operation in itself. 70,000 pounds of turkey, 55,000 pounds of beef, 20,000 pies. but for the soldiers on outposts like this one it was a welcome break. at fire base, one of the last american out posts in the mountains of eastern afghanistan. >> happy thanksgiving.

>> reporter: thanksgiving started with a turkey trot. at 5:45 a.m. 3.2-steep miles. they call it the climb to glory. hard, harder still carrying 80 pounds of mortars. the winner was brian campbell, that's him in blue, 24 from maple grove, minnesota. even better than climb to glory bragging rights for campbell, promotion to first lieutenant. chaos company tenth mountain division took a down day. gym time. poker. and volleyball. >> happy thanksgiving. >> reporter: at noon sharp, chow. turkey and ham. stuffing and side. in an old military tradition, commanders served the lower ranks. >> i said put me some meat on my plate. >> reporter: we caught up with lieutenant campbell again and found out why he is in such great shape. he has been training for his

wedding reception. >> i got a wedding coming up when i get back home. had to get ready for that honeymoon body. >> reporter: campbell married kelsey last year. he proposed on thanksgiving. but he deployed two months later. they never had the party. >> this was our last night together. >> reporter: a tough night? >> yeah, it was a tough one. >> reporter: kelsey is starting a new job as a nurse. the late shift. so she is not having a thanksgiving this year just a phone call. the troops today got a taste of home in the war zone. that at least for a little while didn't much feel like one. and kate, for the soldiers here when the sun comes up in a few hours there will be no post-holiday shopping, no leftovers, no turkey sandwiches. it's back to the mission, back to the war. kate. >> richard engel in afghanistan. we thank them for their service. even before a lot of turkeys were in the oven, hours before the football games, holiday shopping kicked off across the

country this morning. and as it creeps earlier and earlier, more than a dozen major retailers from target to macy's are open. according to the national retail federation survey, 33 million people are expected to shop today. and that has some people asking -- if it is all too much too soon. here's nbc's john yang. >> reporter: before dawn in suburban chicago, desiree shuffle is where she wants to be, first in line at k mart. >> this is what i live for to be number one. >> reporter: husband bobby and mom laurie are here too. >> whatever the boss says today. >> go get the pajamas. the toys. the barbies, the hotwheels. >> reporter: she is hot on the trail of a nintendo video game for her son, only nine are in stock. >> right now i just saved -- $165. on one item. >> reporter: racing from store to store is a family tradition. she liked it a lot belter on

black friday. >> i am not home with my 2, 4, 11-year-old. it bothers me. in the long run it is all for me. >> reporter: thanksgiving dinner shared with her daughter outside wal marl-mar wal-mart. analysts predict sales up 4% this year from last year, with online a top destination for the first time. by opening earlier, brick and mortar stores are trying to grab their share. but it may not work. >> you don't have more relatives or more people on your holiday list just because there are more hours or more days to the sale period. >> reporter: some stores aren't joining in including nordstrom, costco, marshall's, one new york area chain is boasting about it. >> at pc richard an son we believe thanksgiving should be spent at home. >> reporter: a face book petition urging people not to shop on thoek has 6,000 likes. it is just wrong to make people work on a holiday meant for friend and families to beep together. the manager of a pizza hut in

elkheart, indiana said he was fired when he refused to open today. he spoke to msnbc's ed schultz. >> it is not right. >> reporter: this morning, pizza hut corporate headquarters stepped in and he was offered his job back. at k mart in chicago, joel meier had two carts of games, dolls, and toys. all to be given away to children's charities. >> how good are the deals today? >> probably, about half price. so, i bought it -- get, twice as many toys for the kids. >> reporter: analysts say that shopping on thanksgiving is diluting black friday they will be comparing these crowds with the crowds tomorrow morning. kate? >> john yang. thank you so much. what will the weather be like for all bargain hunters tomorrow. meteorologist janice huff joins us from the weather center. janice? >> kate, quiet tomorrow, like today from coast to coast. not much going on.

chilly conditions in the east. mild out west. tomorrow, friday for all of you shoppers, it will be sunny, boston, down to washington, atlanta, temperatures in the 50s. miami you will be in the 70s. clear in chicago. out towards denver. and san francisco. a few showers in the pacific north west. that's about it. but it looks like for the big travel day coming up for sunday -- the only place that is going to see any major problems will probably be seattle area. heavy rain expected sunday. maybe snow in the mountains. the rest of the country will be nice and quiet. kate back to you. >> looking good. back to you. tonight 48 hours from a self-imposed dead leline by the white house to turn around the obama care website and get it working for most users. and a race happening to get younger people to soon up for health insurance. in order to make that happen, some advocates are hoping parents will make the pitch to their grown children, perhaps around the dinner table tonight. we get the story now from our white house correspondent peter alexander. >> reporter: what's up, sean? i'm all right, how are you?

>> reporter: 27-year-old nathan is just who insurers are counting on. sheets who works at a homeless center is one of the so-called young invincibles whose enrollment is critical to make the new law work. he is in no hurry to sign up. what's the hold up? >> just haven't gotten around to it yet, i think. >> reporter: how do you get young people on board? recruit their parents with ape dose of humor. aarp is urging mothers to send their children these e-cards. get health insurance so i can stop pestering you to seen up and start pressuring you to get married. >> we have something really important to talk to you about. >> reporter: this new ad encourages moms and dads to have the talk with their grown kids over the holidays. >> well know you don't have health insurance. >> we love you no matter what it is tomb to get covered. >> reporter: using star power too, like actress olivia wilde. >> obama care. >> to succeed, obama care need young, healthy adults to offset the cost of older people. those with pre-existing

conditions. advocates say there are encouraging signs in california. the first state to report who is enrolling. through october, 18-34-year-olds accounted for 22% of enrollments. slightly higher. >> we like to say young, invince bum. i like to say not young and stupid. >> reporter: they actually know that they're an accident away from actually having a $50,000 debt. $100,000 debt. >> beginning this january. a nursing student who works part time will have health insurance. >> it is a burden that has been lifted. you don't know what the future holds. you have to prepare for it. >> reporter: there are obstacles. while california's state run website is working. supporters worry the flawed federal site may discourage young people from signing up. peter alexander, nbc news, los angeles. still ahead tonight -- the american oil boom, bringing gas prices down below $3 a gallon in lots of places across the country. a big deal for millions making

the holiday trek. >> later, the hound who just made history on one of the biggest stages there is. i get o. except when it's too cold. like the last three weekends. asthma doesn't affect my job... you missed the meeting again last week! it doesn't affect my family. your coughing woke me up again. i wish you'd take me to the park. i don't use my rescue inhaler a lot... depends on what you mean by a lot. coping with asthma isn't controlling it. test your level of control at asthma.com, then talk to your doctor. there may be more you could do for your asthma. hey, guys. sorry we're late. milk looks warm. finally got the gang together: maple brown sugar, strawberry, blueberry. yeah, a little family reunion. strawberry, your whole grains are showing. ooops! [ female announcer ] try frosted mini-wheats hot or cold. in 8 delicious flavors. [ female announcer ] try frosted mini-wheats hot or cold. pressure points on my tired, achy feet. i had no clue i was putting this kind of stress on my feet. i have flat feet. i found this out at the free dr.scholl's foot mapping center

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call today, and we'll make it easy to move that old 401(k) to a fidelity i.r.a. back now with falling gas prices across the country down 49 cents a gallon from their peak this year. and when gas prices drop, consumes are more likely to use extra money to buy gifts. it is all being fueled by the american oil boom. we get our report tonight from nbc's harry smith, in an american boom town, chicashea, oklahoma. >> reporter: meet harold hand, a sharecropper's son, a self-made billionaire. harold is bullish on american oil. how much oil is there in the united states? >> we are very fortunate. we have more than saudi arabia. >> reporter: the united states has more oil than saudi arabia? >> yes, we do. yeah. by far. >> reporter: harold is an oklahoman who controls more oil underground than any one else in

the u.s. >> held hostage for our oil supply for 40 years. all this was here. but we didn't have the technology to get it. but it is different, different age. >> reporter: a different age indeed. >> this is not your grandaddy's rig. >> reporter: oil rigs run by joy sticks and software, fine tuned to find black gold and natural gas in places once impossible to reach. america is producing 50% more oil than just five years ago. almost 8 million barrels a day. and that is a big deal. a big deal for army veteran forest dire who couldn't find work in california. his starting job here on the oil rig pays more than $60,000 a year. >> it's very good. for a guy like me with no college education, and, not many other prospects, it's about as the good as it gets really.

>> reporter: a big deal in towns like chickasha, where christie elkin says household income has jumped more than 25% in the last two years. >> it has been a shot in the arm but also a door opening to possibilities and potential for our community. >> reporter: and a big deal for american consumers who are seeing gasoline prices declean f -- decline for a change. oil that is accessible because of horizontal drilling and fracking. fracking that some have blamed for creased seismic activity and ruined waltter supplies. many environmental groups want a moratorium on fracking if not an all-out ban. but hand and others in the oil industry insist it is safe, and hand says all this new oil production has another benefit. >> it means a great deal. we could be totally dependent on ourselves. >> reporter: energy independence, imagine? harry smith, nbc news,

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there has been a run on the nation's food pantries in the weeks leading up to this thanksgiving. demand has soared after $5 billion in cuts to the federal food stamps program at the start of november. tonight, a lot of families are finding themselves without even the basics to prepare a holiday meal. our report, part of the nbc news series on poverty we call "in plain sight" is supported by a grant from the ford foundation. more now from nbc's janet shamlian. >> reporter: people with donations pouring in. they can barely keep the shelves stocked at this food pantry outside denver. cory smith volunteers here every week. he has never seen it so crowded. >> as you can tell they are working really hard, they're coming in, lunch break, trying to do something just to get a little extra food. >> reporter: many are first

timers to a pantry. and like some 47 million americans hard hit by food stamp cuts. >> it is heartbreaking. >> reporter: the director says the pantry is providing a record 6,700 thanksgiving meals. pantries across the country are feeling it, a level of demand they haven't seen in years. as a new wave of clients seeks out emergency food and thanksgiving dinner. tough times are hitting home for families like the rarings in tennessee. with three children they now get $36 less each month in food stamps. $36 goes a long ways actually. we could probably eat three days on that at least. >> reporter: they worked hard to avoid being on public assistance. but with their organic bakery closing christmas eve it is now a necessity. >> you feel ashamed. you don't really want to tell people. we love what we do. and we were hoping it would work out. >> reporter: they're receiving food from a pantry this year, just like millions of others.

>> it is our responsibility to help the community do better. it is personal. it is very personal. >> reporter: in the season of plenty, still, an abundance of need. janet shamlian, nbc news, lakewood, colorado. tonight scientists say the so-called comet of the century is probably a goner. it doesn't appear to have survived its journey around the sun today. there it is in the lower part of your screen. and now, watch as it goes away. scientists say they saw the comet approach the sun, nothing came out on the other side. that means the spectacular light show, a lot of folks were hoping for is unlikely to happen. lindsey vonn said she is back on the slopes for the first time since suffering a partial acl tear in her right knee in practice last week. a picture she posted on facebook. yesterday on the today show, vonn talked to matt lauer and said normally she would stop scum p competing to have it repaired.

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our final story tonight is about an annual tradition for a lot of families on thanksgiving day. gathering around the tv to watch the national dog show. more than 2,000 dogs competed for the title, but only one could be named best in show. and we get the story from nbc's miguel almaguer. >> welcome back to the national dog show. >> reporter: the national dog show isn't just a competition. this is a black tie event. seriously. >> this could be anybody's show today. >> reporter: with $20,000 at stake, last year 20 million viewers couldn't get enough. >> heavy boned. very intimidating as you can see. >> reporter: a who's who of breed. >> the sholo -- >> reporter: though some of the breeds may leave you saying who? >> and from the toy group, the pekinese. >> reporter: what some lack in size -- >> intelligent. comic

comical. fearless. >> reporter: they more than make up for in confidence. >> he's got a little swagger there. >> reporter: in fact, sometimes it can be hard to tell who's walking who. >> can't do a show without his favorite pillow we're told. >> reporter: on the catwalk pun intended judges are looking for temperament, structure and overall appearance. right, pulley. >> the first brushless car wash, actually. >> reporter: over the years, dog shows have become big business. thanks in part to the 2,000 comedy "best in show." >> he went after her like she is made out of ham. >> reporter: of course, in real life, every dog owner has their own best in show. >> the best dog in america is griffin. that's for sure. >> for me it is really bijon. >> reporter: in philadelphia they crowned a winner, jewel, an american foxhound. >> a wonderful choice. >> reporter: the first ever victory for the breed. a top dog and another great

thanksgiving for dog lovers everywhere. miguel almaguer, nbc news. that's our broadcast for this thanksgiving night. thank you for joining us. brian williams will be back here tomorrow. i'm kate snow. for all of us here at nbc news, have a great night. ♪ ♪

how do you go about something like this live? ♪ raindrops and roses >> carrie and the "sound of