good morning. breaking news. horror down under. an suv slams into a crowd of holiday shoppers in melbourne, australia. police calling it a deliberate act. at least 19 people injured, two men arrested. we're live with the latest on the investigation. travel crunch. the holiday rush getting underway with more people expected to take to the roads, rails and sky than ever before, but will the weather make getting to your destination a nightmare? trump's triumph. the president basking in his first big legislative win. >> it's always a lot of fun when you win. >> fellow republicans pour on the praise. >> you're one heck of a leader. >> exquisite presidential leadership.

>> america is going to start growing again. >> corporate america gets out the checkbook for employees. how long will the good times roll? all that, plus new bombshell. mckayla maroney claiming usa gymnastics tried to buy her silence on abuse. the new ad that could scare you out of ever texting and driving again. what made prince william get on his high horse? today, thursday, december 21st, 2017. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today." live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning, everybody. welcome to "today." nice to have you with us on the thursday before christmas. >> just when you thought you couldn't love the royals any more, he gets on a horse for that little girl. >> why do we love it when they do dorky things? >> because they're just

in australia, a driver rammed his car into a group of pedestrians. it happened in melbourne. there is a suspect in custody this morning. police say he did it deliberately. bill neely has the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. this happened at the start of the evening rush hour, right in the center of australia's second biggest city. probably the biggest intersection in melbourne. a deliberate act, say police. terrifying, but they still can't say it was terrorism. this was no accident. the victims mowed down by a man whose intentions, say police, was to injure or kill. a high-speed collision witnessed by hundreds on crowded streets. a white car plowing into pedestrians. this the scene filmed by a bystander seemingly moments afterwards. people rushing to help the injured. a man believed to be the d

is being searched and handcuffed by police. at one point, they slap his face. while all around him, the injured, many of them seriously, are being treated by passersby and first responders. witnesses say the driver accelerated through a red light, ramming into 50 or 60 people crossing the road. >> at this site, we have 14 people injured and several are critical. at this stage, we believe it was a deliberate act. >> reporter: one witness said the driver made no attempt to brake or swerve. another saw people flying through the air. a preschool child is among those seriously injured. police say the driver has a history of drug use and mental health issues. >> he's a 32-year-old australian citizen of afghan decent. he is a person who we've known as victoria police. he had historic adult matters. >> reporter:

incident in melbourne this year. in january, a man drove a car into a crowd of people, killing six. police say that was not terrorism, but they built concrete barriers to prevent a high-speed ramming. barriers the driver of this car avoided. several of his victims clinging to life this morning. so police say they have no evidence or intelligent at this point to indicate any connection to terrorism, but in another quite bizarre twist, when they arrested the second man who they say had been filming the incident on his phone, they find he was carrying a bag of knives. so counterterrorism detectives are still working on this, and they are ruling nothing out right now. hoda? savannah? >> there's a lot to be done there. bill, thank you very much. with christmas just four days away, the holiday travel rush is picking up steam. millions are keeping a close eye on the weather. there's a lot of storms out there that may be threatening to slow you down. al has what you need to kn

>> hey, guys. aaa says 107.4 million people will be traveling. this is a record. 97.4 million by car. 6.4 million by air. the other 3.6 million by trains, busses and cruise ships. we're starting to see this first storm get itself together right now in the rockies. going to see some problems for denver today. that precipitation spreads all the way back into parts of southern minnesota. here's what we're looking for for today. for the plains and the midwest, snow developing throughout the day. possible travel problems from denver, along i-90, i-80 and the airport in green bay. we move into tomorrow. rain and snow disrupting travel, stretching from boston, cleveland on into nashville and down into dallas for rain. as you get up into upstate new york and new england, along i-90, we're looking at snow. then we move on into saturday. rain for mobile to portland, i-70, i-95. atlant

everybody in the northeast. moving on into sunday, we're watching another storm system get itself together. rain from the cape to savannah. snow developing across the ohio valley. this is going to be very interesting to watch. on christmas day, could be a big storm along the northeast and new england coastline. lake-effect snow. heavy snow possible for new england. guys, we are actually going to have to watch this very carefully. we have a lot going on right through christmas. a lot of people travel on christmas day, so this could be very, very interesting. >> okay. interesting is one way to put it. al, we'll keep in touch with you. thank you. also this morning, politics. the president and republicans are still savoring the passage of the biggest tax overhaul in decades. this is the republicans' most significant victory since taking control of white house and congress last year. millions of americans will soon feel the impact. some are already. we have two reports for you, beginning with nbc white house correspondent kristen welker. kristen, good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you.

celebration here at the white house after republicans passed that landmark tax bill, giving president trump his first major legislative win. what he's calling a christmas gift for the middle class. but before lawmakers can start their christmas break, it's back to work with the government set to run out of money tomorrow. this morning, fresh off their historic tax reform victory, it's crunch time again for republicans. with a possible government shutdown looming tomorrow. overnight, many gop lawmakers insisting they'll find a way to keep the government open despite lingering battles. >> i'm optimistic we can get there. we're not there yet. we'll know more tonight. >> reporter: and while republicans try to work out a spending deal, they're still relishing their biggest legislative achievement yet. a major overhaul of the tax code. >> it's always a lot of fun when you win. >> reporter: it is a campaign promise kept. >> we're going to have the biggest tax cut since ronald reagan. >> reporter: and on wednesday, the president was practically giddy as

at the white house, flanked by house and senate republicans. >> we are making america great again. you haven't heard that, have you? >> reporter: mr. trump, who clashed with republican leaders after the failure to repeal and replace obamacare, had nothing but high marks. >> i want to thank mitch mcconnell. what a job. what a job. and i want to thank paul. >> reporter: that's house speaker paul ryan, who was among the republican lawmakers heaping praise on the president. >> something this profound could not have been done without exquisite presidential leadership. >> this has been a year of extraordinary accomplishment for the trump administration. >> reporter: senate majority leader mitch mcconnell also gave president trump a louisville slugger with his name on it to celebrate what he called a home run on historic tax reform. arizona senator jeff flake, who is not seeking re-election and

trump, one of the few republicans who didn't attend the party. >> i can only take so many of these, stand around and clap things. i'd rather be here. >> reporter: what's in the bill? it will lower taxes for eight in ten americans, including most middle and working class families, but those taxes expire in eight years. corporations will see the largest cuts from 35% to 21%. cuts that are permanent. republicans are betting the benefits to business will trickle down and boost individuals and the economy. at&t and nbc's parent company comcast announcing employee bonuses, something the legislation doesn't require. the bill passed without democratic support. they say it will hurt the middle class, and with polls showing the bill is widely unpopular, democrats are bouncing. >> officially cements the republican party as the party of the wealthy and the party of big corporations. >> reporter: the tax bill also pe

mandate, something that could lead to higher premiums and 13 million fewer people being insured. republicans say many americans will see more money in their pockets starting in february. the president could sign the bill into law by tomorrow, but that timing could also shift. as for funding the government, well, the expectation is republicans will strike a short-term deal. the house is expected to vote later today. savannah? hoda? >> kristen, thank you. we want to focus on corporate america's response and the surprise bonuses for hundreds of thousands of workers. nbc's stephanie ruhle is with us. she covers business. we were just talking about this yesterday, with speaker paul ryan. would corporations take this money they're getting and plow it back into the economy? on the first day, it seems some have done that very thing. >> listen, they're doing something, but they're literally doing the least they can do. now, it's a positive for anyone at at&t or comcast or boeing or wells fargo. it's great to get that $1,000. it is great to see

get pushed up and people get $15 an hour. but we have to take a step back. this is day one. from a pr perspective, you're darn right, those companies should have done something. they without a doubt have a relationship with the white house. they know that there were protesters in washington. people are going, hold on a second, my taxes are going to go up, and corporations are going to get billions of dollars less they have to pay? what are you going to do for me? this is a great gesture on the part of these companies, but thus far, it is a gesture. >> for example, an at&t does have a merger pending, correct, before the justice department? >> it's not being cynical. they've got a merger. we know the president has an issue with cnn. the department of justice has gotten in the mix. comcast benefitted last week. you asked, who benefits from the net neutrality? big companies. boeing, huge contracts with the government. wells fargo, fifth third bank, they

mulvaney is in charge. it is a great pr move. it is not long term yet. >> all right. stephanie ruhle, thank you so much. the top democrat on the senate intelligence committee is warning president trump against firing special counsel robert mueller. virginia senator mark warner said wednesday that growing criticism of mueller's russia investigation is concerning, and that calls for president trump to remove mueller are irresponsible and reckless. he said attempts to fire mueller or pardon anyone in the investigation would lead to a constitutional crisis. >> in the united states of america, no one, no one is above the law. not even the president. >> president trump said recently that he would not try to push mueller out. also on this thursday morning, we're learning more about the terrible bus crash in mexico. it killed 12 people, and most of the victims were american tourists on a cruise ship excursion. today, national correspondent craig melvin is

>> it is a tragic story. a mexican tourism official confirming eight americans are among the dead. all but 4 of the 18 who were hurt have been released from local hospitals. they could be heading home soon. this morning, devastated families are searching for answers. they're trying to understand how a routine day trip to see mayan ruins could have ended like this. a bus carrying tourists down this mexican highway flipping over tuesday morning, claiming at least a dozen lives and injuring many more. among the american victims, andy fritz and his wife, jodi, and five members of one family. 11-year-old david bahar, his mother, anna, and his grandmother, all died. 15-year-old david bahar and his father were hurt but managed to survive. >> when the bus got flipped over, i saw people escaping from the bus and screaming because, you know, it's blood

>> fellow cruise passengers expressing shock and sadness. maria valdez martinez was going to be on the bus, but decided at the last minute not to go. >> translator: thankfully, we didn't go. >> the bus was traveling from the cruise port at mahah mahahu toward the mayan ruins when it flipped over. it didn't appear other vehicles were involved. >> it wasn't because of a tire explode or something like that. seems like the bus just lose control. >> mexican investigators are working to try and figure out what caused the crash. a state official said there's evidence that the bus was being dri driven at, quote, immoderate speed. the driver who received medical attention is not being held by police. according to the state prosecutor, could be charged at a latest date. the bus was carrying passengers from two royal caribbean cruise ships. the company is doing all it can to care for its guests, calling the accide

the accident yet. the bus company posted a statement on its facebook page expressing profound sadly about the tragedy and pledged to cooperate with investigators and support the affected passengers. >> hits so close to home. so many people have taken the cruises and gone on the excursions. >> thank you, craig. meantime, the family of a bride-to-be who was shot to death by a minnesota police officer earlier this year is speaking out. this after a prosecutor blamed investigators for failing to produce enough evidence to file charges. nbc's ron mott has more on this. good morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. this case has captivated the twin cities and much of the nation. was this officer justified in using deadly forced against an unarmed woman? in australia, her dad is speaking out and demanding some answers. in the five months since 40-year-old justine damon was killed by a minnesota police officer, her family in australia has kept a low profile, speaking at a memorial service this

this morning, they're calling for justice in the wake of recent comments by the county prosecutor, critical of the investigation conducted by the state's bureau of criminal apprehension, the bca. >> what are we to think? we are apprehensive that perhaps the bca have not fulfilled its promise. >> reporter: the family's outcry coming days after attorney mike freeman, whose office will determine whether the officer will be criminally charged, was caught on cell phone video at a holiday reception, blaming officers for a lack of resolution in the case. >> i need evidence, and i don't have it yet. let me just say, it is not my fault. so if it isn't my fault, who didn't do their job? it's called investigators. they don't work for me. they haven't done their job. >> reporter: a frustrated freeman also said officer knorr still refused to answer his

questions, using an expletive to describe a second officer's account of what happened that night. >> [ bleep ]. >> reporter: monday, the prosecutor apologizing for the outburst in a youtube video. >> i was wrong to discuss the agency's work on the justine damon case in a public setting. >> reporter: the controversial shooting happened july 15th near damon's home, when the officer sitting in the passenger seat of a police vehicle fired across his vehicle and struck damon when she appeared outside of the vehicle door. she called 911, reporting what she thought was a sexual adult in the alley behind her house. her family in australia has raised the volume on their grief. >> they looked me in the eye and said they were committed to getting to the truth of the event. we were grateful for their promise, so we could better understand why and how such a tragic event could occur. >> reporter: in his apology video, the

public next week on the status of this case. nbc news obtained a statement from the bca. in part, bca is committed to conducting a fair, impartial investigation. back to you. >> thank you so much. back to al. everybody is hanging on your forecast because of the holidays. >> that's right. let's show you what we have going on right now around the country. again, we're looking at some more winds picking up. i'm sorry. in southern california. critical fire danger there. above average

after a cold start there morning, the sky is clear. the sun will be up here shortly. there is a live look at national airport. pack your patience, everybody, if you're leaving on this busy travel day. current temperatures mostly in the 20s in the suburbs. manassas down to 19. our usual cold spot. if you're looking at your hourly planner, temperatures in the mid 40s with plenty of sunshine today. a nice day to be outside. clouds come back in for tomorrow. rain, light rain, most of the day on saturday. >> that's your latest weather. >> al, we need you. hang in there. >> okay. coming up, an explosive accusation from gold medal winner mckayla maroney. did usa gymnastics

keep quiet about abuse allegations against the team's former doctor? and the powerful, new ad to stop you from reaching for your phone when you're behind the wheel. first, this is "today" on nbc. running a small business is demanding. nbc. and that's why small business owners need more. like internet that's up to the challenge. the gig-speed network from comcast business gives you more. with speeds up to 20 times faster than the average. that means powering more devices, more video conferencing, and more downloads in seconds, not minutes.

for only $24.90 more per month. comcast is building america's largest gig-speed network to give small businesses more. call 1-800-501-6000 today.

still ahead, help for anyone flying with holiday gifts. what you should not bring if you want to avoid hassles when you go through security. plus, what had prince william galloping like a horse. and prince harry and meghan markle's just released en it's almost christmas dad. ♪ "it's raining men" - the weather girls ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ nanana a little soul a little tune to play to make the good times roll here we go nanananananana nanananananana here we go♪ crazy square: eyyyyy crazy square: uh oh from our crazy delicious family to yours. crave those crazy squares

achoosnap achoo! snap achoo! achoo! snap snap achoo! achoo! feel a cold coming on? zicam cold remedy nasal swabs shorten colds with a snap, and reduce symptom severity by 45%. shorten your cold with a snap, with zicam. gstores are now open 24 hours. take an extra 20% off when you spend $100 or more! and get kohl's cash for you! short on time? buy online and pick up free in store! give joy, get joy - right now at kohl's. it's the final days of the ford year end sales event. ♪ i'm on top of the world, hey. ♪ it's your last chance of the year to get our best offer of the year: zero percent financing for seventy-two months, plus an extra one-thousand cash back across a full lineup of ford cars, trucks and suvs. so hurry and save big on america's best-selling brand. it's the final days of the ford year end sales event

see your ford dealer before jan 2nd and save. one day, we'll save the lifwith your help.d... st. jude children's research hospital is leading how the world treats and defeats childhood cancer. we won't stop until no child dies of cancer. and families never receive a bill from st. jude... because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. give thanks for the healthy kids in your life and give to those who are not. visit stjude.org or shop where you see the st. jude logo.

7:26 is your time on this thursday, december 21st, 2017. good morning to you. i'm eun yang. >> i'm chris lawrence. a local family from lorton, virginia, is plong the dozen that lost their lives after a tour bus crash in mexico. they were on their way to the mayan ruins when the bus flipped over. the driver is facing manslaughter charges. and here's a live look at our city cam right now today. it is the worst travel day of the holiday season. aaa calls it the terrible traffic trifecta because traffic will increase threefold on some roads today. the worst traffic will come between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. that means you have to get moving. now let's check

traffic with jack taylor. good morning, jack. good morning. it's ever changing situation. we heard the accident activity on 28 southbound at 66 was in the clearing stages with a tractor-trailer. someone was hit at the scene of the crash. northbound lanes were temporarily blocked. we're moving west of 66 on the 28 north. everybody is under police direction southbound. once again, detouring on to 66 west. please pay attention if you're riding into centreville. good, not a good scene. let's hope that clears up before the big rush. a check of your forecast next.

good morning, everybody. temperatures in the 20s to around 30 degrees to get your thursday morning started. it will be a bright and sunny day to day with temperatures in the mid 40s for afternoon highs. the race to christmas is on. 50s tomorrow. 60s with rain on saturday. cloudy and chilly on christmas

eve itself and chilly side christmas day on monday. >> thank you, check. another local news update in 25 minutes. for now, back to the "today" show after this short break.

♪ i gave you my heart we're back at 7:30. thursday morning, december 21st, 2017. >> great version of that song. christmas, just four wake ups away. there's a lot to get to. we'll start this half hour with a check of the headlines. a tragic story breaking overnight. >> chaos in australia. a car plows into pedestrians early this morning in melbourne, injuring more than a dozen people in what police say was a deliberate act, but not connected to terrorism. >> police arrived to the scene within minutes and arrested two men. at this stage, we have 14 people injured and several are critical. it's always a lot of fun when you win. >> white house

tax bill without any votes from democrats, securing president trump's first major legislative win. >> we are making america great again. mounting outrage. child sex abuse survivors blast the catholic church's decision to hold a funeral for disgraced cardinal bernard law today at st. peter's basilica. pope francis expected to speak. in the clear. tennis star venus williams will not be charged in that fatal car crash she was involved in earlier this year. and christmas miracle. police recover dozens of presents stolen off the doorsteps of boston amazon shoppers. those robbed hoping to reclaim their gifts today, thursday, december 21st, 2017. >> all right. we're going to begin this half hour with disturbing, new information on olympic gold medalist mckayla maroney's lawsuit on the sex abuse she claims she suffered for years at the

doctor. nbc's stephanie gosk joins us with more on this story. >> reporter: good morning. mckayla maroney was a member of the fierce five who took the london olympics by storm. while the world was applauding her gold medal win, the young gymnast was being sexually abused by then-team doctor larry na naslarry nassar. she accuses usa gymnastics of signing a deal with her four years later, giving her money in exchange for her silence about the abuse. mckayla maroney anchored the fierce five team in 2012 with incredible performances on the vault. >> unbelievable! >> reporter: earning gold and silver at the london olympics. but a new lawsuit says her career was cut short. the young athlete suffering severe depression after years of alleged sexual abuse by team doctor larry nassar. according to the suit, maroney believes na

continuously, obsessively and compulsively. including while he was abusing her. maroney believes the photos were shared by nassar with other pedophiles. in september of last year, reports first surfaced of nassar's crimes against young gymnasts. in december, maroney went to usa gymnastics according to the complai complaint, to get help for psychological treat mentreatmen. they agreed to a settlement, her lawyer says, for exchange in signing a disclosure agreement. >> you don't put a gag on them saying, we know you were molested but you can never talk about it. >> reporter: usa gymnastics says the concept of confidentiality was initiated by maroney's previous attorney. not usa gymnastics. her current attorney says, the agreement was written by usa

to do one thing, keep their secret from the public. maroney wants the previous usa gymnastics settlement overturned as unlawful and is suing the organization, nassar and his former employer michigan state university. maroney went public with her story in october, despite the agreement. writing, in part, i had a dream to go to the olympics. the things i endured to get there were unnecessary and disgusting. at the time, usa gymnastics publicly commended maroney and other accusers for their courage. because of their strength in coming forward, predators can be held accountable for their actions. >> they would try to look good by acting like they wanted her to come forward. that statement is the height of hypocrisy, and it is despicable. >> reporter: two other members of the london team, aly raisman ab

>> he is a monster. it is disturbing, what he did to me and so many other people. >> reporter: raisman has been critical of usa gymnastics. >> i was told to keep it quiet and they were handling it. they didn't let me help. >> reporter: nassar is in jail, awaiting sentencing on sex abuse charges against seven young girls in michigan. he also pleaded guilty to federal child pornography after investigators found 37,000 images in his home. the former doctor will likely spend the rest of his life in prison. the usa gymnastics statement says that attorney gloria allred represented maroney when she signed the nda during last year's agreed settlement negotiations which are, by law, supposed to remain confidentiality. allred had no comment. michigan state university had no comment, citing the ongoing litigation. >> he was able to continue to work for a year and is astonishing. thanks, stephanie. let's switch over to

has a check of the weather. >> yes. i want to take a moment, get the kids here, because we have proof about rudolph, okay? this is very important. the fact is, think about t guess what? according to smithsonian magazine, there is a reindeer species known as caribou in north america and parts of siberia and sweden that actually have noses with a

so, in fact, rudolph does exist! >> yes! >> yes! yes, he does. we're going to need him right around denver and parts of the plains where we have sflnowy co weather. and some fog down through the gulf coast. won't you guide my sleigh tonight. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the nose. >> good morning. we're looking at temperatures below freezing. warm coat as you head out. a lot of areas below freezing except the district. 34, 33 annapolis. 23 dulles. weather looks good and dry for travel across most of the eastern half of the country. but as you're driving today, temperatures will be in about the mid 40s. dry roads for your thursday commute. a lot of people hitting the roads today. into the weekend, we have rain and maybe some chris plas morning. christmas morning. >> get that weather any time you need it. check out the weather channel on

cable. did vail enjoy that? >> she believes santa, but the smithsonian is good proof, too. >> of course. more ahead, including a new ad that will shock you into never texting and driving again. then if you're flying and bringing gifts along with you, we'll tell you what is and is not allowed on your flight. also ahead, some images to brighten your morning. how about this? harry and meghan's first official engagement photos. i'd say they're in love. >> they're in love. no-fuss recipes to make holiday entertaining a little easier. (chris) the very first time i met bruce i saw on his lapel he's got a purple heart. (bruce) we started talking about the service. i outrank him. (chris) [laughs] yeah. meals on wheels reaches so many people. it's impactful beyond anything i've ever done in my life. (bruce) the meals and his friendship really mean, means a lot to me. (vo) through the subaru share the love event, we've helped deliver over one-point- seven million meals to those in need. get zero percent financing for 63 months on select models, plus we'll donate two hundred and fifty dollars to charity.

the unique formula with nourishing almond oil leaves skin smoother moisturized for 24 hours. enjoy smoother skin and now try new oil infused lotions moisturize with indulging scents

♪ that moment when who you're going with is more important than where you're going. wherever life takes us, we go together. interwoven... ...exclusively at kay, jared and zales. interwoven... and roomba from irobot gets to work using two multi-surface brushes and power-lifting suction to grab and remove everything from fine dust to large debris. daily dirt doesn't stand a chance. you and roomba from irobot. better together. whoo! testis this thing on?! huh? c'mon! your turn! mmmm... where do pencils go on vacation? (loud speaker) pencil-vania! pencilvania! (laughing) frosted just right. crunch in every bite.

♪ i'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain ♪ ♪ what glorious feeling i'm happy again, ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ the things that matter most happen one morning and one cup at a time. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

this holiday, the best gift you can give, is your time. volunteer at neighbhorhoodofgood.com. state farm.

welcome back. in the days ahead, nearly 100 million americans are going to hit the roads to reach their holiday destinations. >> we're among them. we have new warnings for you about the dangers of texting and driving. this is important. tom costello has the story this morning. good morning. >> reporter: hi, guys. good morning. we talk about this for years, but if you're going 55 miles per hour, you can go the length of two basketball courts in two seconds. even if you keep your eyes off of your phone and on the road, what about the guy next to you? this week, millions of americans are filling up, buckling up and hitting the road, making their way to visit loved ones for christmas. but while the stress of driving over the holidays can be high, the dangers may be even higher. recently, traffic deaths in the u.s. saw their

50 years. with the first six months of 2016 up 10% over the year before. a major contributor, smartphones. with apps, texting and e-mail all distracting us behind the wheel. according to a new analysis of 3 million americans, drivers were on their phones during 88% of the trips, putting a spotlight on how frequently drivers can be distracted. and causing major accidents. overseas in the uk, the issue also taking on new urgency. with road safety groups warning drivers are twice as likely to crash while texting as they are while driving drunk. the threat now the focus of a new ad campaign. a father killed after texting with his daughter while driving home. highlighting how distraction can lead to tragedy over the holidays. back here at home, the danger not going away. >> if i'm able to speak, i will speak. >> reporter: florida

corlet lost her daughter last year. >> i don't want her memory to be lost. i want people to really understand how dangerous it is. >> reporter: the 19-year-old was texting her boyfriend while driving. with her last message saying, i can't wait to see you this weekend. moments later, her car veered off the road and crashed into a tree, killing her instantly. >> she was a good kid. i couldn't ask for a better one. she wanted to do good things in life, and all that is gone. >> reporter: corlet is now working with the local sheriff's office to turn her tragic loss into the focus of an anti-texting campaign. >> we want people to take distractions out of their life while behind the wheel. the text message, phone call, whatever you're doing in your car, is it worth the few seconds that could change your life forever? >> reporter: this week, police are sure to be out in force, making sure everyone has a safe holiday. florida is among the states now increasing the penalties for texting while driving. you know, guys, a state trooper said to me recently, it is

tell our spouse, tell the person sitting next to us, to tell our kids, put the darn phone down. it has no place when you're in a car. you may not be popular, but you may save a life. back to you. >> i know. i mean, i've done it. i've been the recipient of it. i would say everything we care about is in this car. >> yes. >> we can't look at our phones. >> absolutely. >> thank you so much. carson is back this morning in the orange room. >> hoda. hey, everybody. the video re-igniting the christmas debate. real or fake christmas tr nick is a logistical mastermind. when it comes to moving packages on a global scale, nobody does it better. he's also an avid cookie connoisseur. dig in, big guy. but when it comes to mortgages, he's... less confident. fortunately for nick, there's rocket mortgage by quicken loans. it's simple, so he can understand the details and get approved in as few as eight minutes. apply simply. understand fully.

rocket mortgage by quicken loans. this pitchmas, let's acca-finish this. [ all cheering ] hell yeah. the bellas, we show them that we are not a joke. end on a high note. [ vocalizing ] what a beautiful group. everyone of them going nowhere. rated pg-13. i just finished months of chemo. but i don't want to talk about months. i want to talk about years. treatments have gotten better, so... i'm hoping for good years ahead.

insurance advice, and a place to stay during chemo. i need that stuff like you don't know. and now that you do, please give at cancer.org. it's what's inside isthe person who opens it.x. give ancestrydna, the only dna test that can trace your origins to over 150 ethnic regions. save 20% for the holidays at ancestrydna.com. therbottle of tropicana pure oranges squepremium.o each and absolutely no space for added sugar, water, or preservatives. tropicana. we put the good in morning. gstores are now open 24 hours! and get kohl's cash for you! give joy with fine fragrances an american girl doll or diamond jewelry and you'll get kohl's cash!

[ various sound effects ] it only takes 15 minutes, to bring holiday cheer. get the party started with delicious chex party mix. even if you don't buy one from us. because maybe you're already buying a car somewhere else. or maybe you want to shop around. or, maybe you don't want to drive a car at all anymore... like, maybe you want to ride a camel into the dessert and take a deep hard look within. just figure some stuff out for awhile. that's cool. whatever your plans for buying a car, carmax is the place to sell your car. okay, let's do this, tina, tchick-tchick. here we go, tchick-tchick. i believe in ya tina. c'mon now. ah, we can just hang out here. lines?an develop fine lines what lines? the chapstick total hydration collection. our advanced skin care formulas instantly smooth

chapstick. put your lips first. ♪ sleigh bells ring back at 7:50. guess who is back in the orange room, right where he belongs, after wrapping up another successive season of "the voice"? our friend, carson daly. >> thank you for the plug for "the voice." we need it around here, hoda. people have preferences when it comes to getting a real or fake

of california. his wife joked about getting a fake tree this year. >> well, we re-use it a lot of times. >> no. >> then we can get a glade candle that smells like the tree. >> i don't know what's happened to you. i know i can't solve it. so i'm just going to let it go. >> that video has been seen more than 4 million times. people were quick to make a meme of joe's disappointed face there. devin tweeting, me looking at 2017 and leaving for 2018. don't worry, joe ended up getting a real tree. his reaction started this discussion around here. we thought, we're going to ask you, real tree or fake tree? our twitter poll here, i thought it'd be a little more toward a real tree, but it is split. 55% and 45% there. let's look at ours. savannah, is that real? >> sure is. >>

what happened? >> look at haley sticking her tongue out. >> uncle al, real tree? >> real tree. >> carson. >> i have two trees. this is my first, which is real. i put lights on and ornaments. it was too small. we took the ornaments off. then we got a new tree. before and after. >> serious. >> that's fun. >> we're getting great trees. send them to us. use the hashtag orangeroom. >> thanks. why some late-night hosts are not ♪ are not ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ as soon as i became a parent i changed as a person, drastically. ♪ i tried hard to quit smoking. ♪ but when we brought our daughter home that was it. ♪ now i have nicoderm cq. the nicoderm cq patch with unique extended release technology helps prevent your urge to smoke all day. it's the best thing that ever happened to me. can you say thanks nicoderm cq? every great why needs a great how. in this home we are grateful. for the things we have. for those we love and for making it to the grown up table.

no family pays st. jude fbecause all a family, should worry aboutd. is helping their child live. and play. and definitely play. visit stjude.org or shop where you see the st. jude logo. whoo! testis this thing on?! huh? c'mon! your turn! mmmm... where do pencils go on vacation? (loud speaker) pencil-vania! pencilvania! (laughing) frosted just right. crunch in every bite. kellogg's frosted mini-wheats. so this is the all-new chevy equinox. it's gorgeous. it offers rear seat reminder, built-in 4g lte wifi... apple car play compatibility... wow... ...and teen driver technology.

all of these features, you'd need all six of those crossovers. that's insane! yep, and you still wouldn't get everything that's in this equinox. wowww... six cars in one. use your employee discount for everyone to get forty -five hundred dollars below msrp on this 2018 chevy equinox. find new roads at your local chevy dealer.

it's 7:56. i'm eun yang. how are the roads looking, jack? >> good morning. still problem in centreville, 28 southbound. all traffic stopped at 66. traffic deverted southbound. the cleanup will continue. downtown, freeway going eastbound coming off the 14th street bridge past the third street tunnel towards 11th street, two left lanes are getting by the crash. back to you. >> thank you, jack. we'll take a quick break now. we'll check the forecast when we come back.

good morning. it is a cold one out there. 34 degrees in washington. rest of the area mostly in the mid to upper 20s. later today, temperatures will be in the mid 40s. sunny. 50s tomorrow. rain into the weekend. >> another local news update in 25 minutes. for now, back to the "today" show. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ it all starts with a wish. the final days of wish list are here.

in a new lincoln with zero down and a complimentary first month's payment. it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, breaking news. holiday shoppers in australia mowed down by an suv. >> at this stage, we believe it is a deliberate act. >> more than a dozen injured. a suspect now in custody, as police search for a motive. we'll have the latest. plus, travel smart. heading to the airport with some holiday gifts? the important information you need to make sure security is a breeze. and aliens in new york? ♪ look what you made me do ♪ look what you just made me do ♪ >> the latest viral prank from think

running away. on thursday, december 21st, 2017. >> merry christmas. >> who do you want to say hi to at home? >> amanda and dad down the street in our hotel. >> wow, they came a long way. >> i like this. al roker. 44 years? >> 44 years. >> you've never had a fight? >> that's right. >> you didn't say anything. >> our bucket list is a photo with al. good morning, everybody. welcome back to "today." glad you're with us. it is thursday. >> is it? >> 21st of december. >> here we go. >> four days until christmas. >> it's knocking on the door. >> it is. let's get right to the news at 8:00. an suv slammed into a crowd of holiday shoppers in melbourne, australia today. it injured at least 19 people. police aal

one, as well. nbc's chief global correspondent bill neely joins us with the latest. >> reporter: good morning, everyone. this happened at the start of melbourne's evening rush hour, right in the center of australia's second biggest city. police say a 32-year-old driver deliberately rammed into dozens of pedestrians. witnesses say he accelerated through a red light and made no attempt to brake or to swerve. so this was no accident. video taken minutes afterward shows a man, believed to be the driver, being handcuffed by police. at one point, an officer slaps his face. police say he is an australian citizen of afghan origin who has a history of drug use, assault and mental health issues. they say they've got no evidence or intelligence to indicate a connection to terrorism. but in another quite bizarre twist, when they arrested a second 24-year-old man who they say had been filming the innt

found he was carrying a bag of knives. so counterterrorism detectives are still working on this. they're ruling out nothing right now. strangely, there was a similar ramming just a few veet street in january, when a driver killed six people. that was not judged terrorism. 19 people injured in this incident. one a preschool child. four of them are in critical condition. hundreds of people, of course, witnessed this. a crash that is still a mystery, savannah. >> bill, thank you very much. after a turbulent year, president trump is basking in his first legislative triumph after making good on his campaign promise to deliver a big tax cut before christmas. nbc's chief white house correspondent hallie jackson joins us with the latest on this. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the president is clearly feeling triumphant today, and so are republicans in congress, heading into the new year. today, ready for another celebration of their tax cut bill. this time, not at th

there is also more work to be done. the government is set to shut down at midnight tonight. congress is scrambling to cut a deal to keep the lights on. it sounds like right now, there will be a vote in the house today on something short-term. punting the big battles over spending and immigration until after the holidays. in the meantime, for republicans, it is all about the afterglow of the tax bill passage. now that the president is ready to sign it into law as early as tomorrow, possibly. most americans will see a tax break, but the bill boosts businesses and the wealthy more. that has democrats howling. not a single democrat supported this plan. the republicans are making the bet that benefits to businesses will trickle down to everyone else. we've already seen companies like at&t and comcast, nbc's parent company, linking new employee bonuses to those corporate cuts. but the bill does not require other companies, any companies, to do anything similar. the white house says people will start to see the impact of the tax cuts in their paychecks, hoda, starting in february. >> hallie jackson, than

what you got to pick us up? >> people are stressed this time of year, but this may be the cure. sometimes going to the grocery shore can be maddening. one employee at a store in massachusetts managed to bring the hustle and bustle of a holiday season to a complete halt. take a listen. ♪ hear the angels voices ♪ o night divine >> that's the voice of an employee in massachusetts. the store hired another musical act to entertain shoppers, and he was just doing the sound check. he brought everybody to tears. turns out, he was a singer in brazil before he moved to the u.s. two years ago. >> wow. >> how about that

that dream. >> i hope so. he gave me chills. that is beautiful. thank you. coming up, are you flying home the next few days? are you bringing gifts? well, we have a guide for everything you can and cannot bring through security. also ahead, what had prince william showing off his dance moves? and breaking overnight, harry and meghan's new engagement photos. first, a look ahead to "megyn kelly today." >> four days until christmas, and we have you covered. last-minute gift ideas, fun crafts for the kids when home from school, wrapping odd-shaped gifts and megyn's month of merry. >> she loves doing that. >> her voice has gotten strong from doing that every day in december. plus, a remarkable woman using her camera to bring the magic of christmas to deserving

gstores are now open 24 hours! and get kohl's cash for you! give joy with fine fragrances an american girl doll or diamond jewelry and you'll get kohl's cash! presents for them, kohl's cash for you! give joy, get joy - right now at kohl's! nice man cave! nacho? [ train whistle blows ] what?! -stop it! -mm-hmm. we've been saving a lot of money ever since we

switched to progressive. this bar is legit. and now we get an even bigger discount from bundling home and auto. i can get used to this. it might take a minute. -swing and a miss! -slam dunk! touchdown! together: sports! ♪ touchdown! a dog's big life, is measured in wags. and when you feed your dog nature's recipe, you fuel the wag with our premium recipes like chicken, sweet potato and pumpkin. nature's recipe. fuel the wag.

daddy!! did you get my surprise? ♪ it's the little things that make life rich. ritz. ♪ at zales, we believe a diamond kind of love is all about that look right there. shop the zales season to sparkle sale to save on dazzling holiday gifts. now through december 24th. 'tis the season to save and sparkle more than ever. at zales, the diamond store. us. it's what this country is made of. but right now, our bond is fraying.

how do we get back to "us"? the y fills the gaps. and bridges our divides. donate to your local y today. because where there's a y, there's an us. welcome back, everybody. if you're planning to fly to your holiday destination and you want to come baring gifts, we have important info to know before you head to the airport. >> before you try to get it through the tsa. contributor editor from "traveler" magazine, good morning, mark. >> morning. >> happy christmas. >> first is wrapped presents. >> nay? >> yay. i've gotten one through. >> you can take them but probably shouldn't. this beautifully wrapped gift is allowed on the plane. but if a tsa agent x-rat

says, i want to see what's inside -- >> then you have to open it. >> you're chancing it. >> put it in a gift bag. if you have to arrive with a wrapped gift, put it in a bag. pull it out and put it back? >> candles. i'll say yes, you can bring a candle. not the lighter but the candle. >> i'll say no. al roker whispered to her in my ear. >> so this is another maybe. if you take -- you can't take a gel candle because it falls under the rules around liquids. wax candles you can take on board. this happened to me, tsa agents will see the wick in the x-ray and often need to manually check the candle. it'll give you extra time in security. >> what about the glass, too? >> there are lots of reasons they want to look at it. they should let you on board with it but, remember, it'll take longer. >> okay. >> sadly. >> must tell you, this seems like a no-brainer. >> you can't bring your wine. >> sadly. i wish it were open and we can toast the holidays. you can't bring a big bottle of wine. you're taking

champagne home, you can't do it. you can bring the miniatures because they fall under the tsa rules. what's the fun? put it in the suitcase. >> sometimes the shops will sell champagne if you want to pay the big prices at the airport. >> there are work-arounds. i wouldn't want someone to pack a beautiful bottle of champagne and have to leave it at the tsa checkpoint. >> the snow globe seems like a no. >> i'll say no because it is liquid. >> liquid in it. >> i love that you notice that. people just see the solid part. again, lotion and snow globes, both fall under the tsa rules. remember, 311. one person, one quart gallon bag, and everything inside it must be 3.4 fluid ounces. >> is this okay? >> a small one. >> put it in your toiletry bag, and it's okay. >> ice skates. i'm going to say no. they're on blades, for crying out loud. >> i'll say yes. >> i feel like hoda is the pro here because she is right. >> okay, that's never been said. honest to god, r.

>> never. >> maybe you've traveled a lot. you can legally take them through at the security checkpoint, but take them out of your bag so the staff can check them manually. >> finally, batteries. what do you think? >> i say definitely, yes, you need them for the toys. >> i'd follow her. you're absolutely right. in fact, you should take batteries into the cabin. in the new year, some airlines are changing rules about checked luggage. the smart luggage with batteries built in that you can charge devices on you can't put into the hold. batteries can be a fire risk in the hold. if in doubt, put batteries or items with batteries into your carry-on bag. >> why are they a fire risk in the hold but not the cabin? >> they're reachable in the cabin and the staff can put out any fire. >> learn something every day. mark, thank you so much. hoda, since you knew all the answers. let's get a check of the weather from al. >> announcer: today's weather is

tis the season to sparkle more than ever. zales, the diamond store. a quick check of what is going ton day. we have snow stretching from denver to green bay. that may cause airport delays. we move on into tomorrow. airport delays from boston all the way down to dallas. we'll be watching that snow also in new england. and then as we get into saturday, going to be real mess along the east coast and we could see some major storm systems developing causing snow, white christmas on monday in the northeast. last time new york had one was 2009. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> 2009 is the last time we had a white christmas in washington as well. skies are clear now. typically chilly outside this morning. 24 in gaithersburg. 27 in hagerstown. planning out your day to day, look at all that sunshine. temperatures will peak around 46 degrees this afternoon.

on. your extended forecast calls for mild weather as we get into saturday. but that does come with a pretty good chance for rain drops. >> that's your latest weather. guys? >> al, thank you. time to trend. >> thank you so much. >> we are excited. not only is jenna here. >> yeah. >> but kathie lee. >> i mean, hello. >> christmas came early. >> not for have many people. anyway. >> we are four days away. i know we all love christmas music. kathie has a hit christmas song. >> yeah. >> two. >> no account for taste. >> sing one. ♪ glory, hallelujah on monday, i'm going to sing it right. >> sounded good to me. >> we are ready for trending because it has a christmas music theme. buzzfeed created a game that puts a modern spin on our favorite holiday classics. can you guess the christmas song from the

>> fun. >> we'll start easy. >> grandma got run over by a reindeer. >> next, next. >> next one. >> i saw mommy kissing santa claus. >> i love this game. >> no need to yell, kids. >> santa claus is coming to town. >> yes. >> what is it? >> santa claus is coming to town. >> the next one? >> baby it's cold outside. >> good. next? supposed to be getting harder. >> o holy night. >> next one. >> turn back christmas, santa claus. >> return christmas -- >> santa come back and don't -- >> oh! ♪ last christmas, i gave you my heart ♪ >> there's no heart. >> i'm sorry. >> okay. >> what's this? >> 12 days of christmas. >> oh, wow. nice. >> you guys were almost perfect. >> what was the other one? >> last christmas. i don't get it either. >> needed to be a heart. >> you

it was fun, right? >> carson daly? >> pop start. >> has ellen degeneres returned it into a game show yet? give her 20 minutes. it'll be on primetime nbc tonight. we'll start with prince william. we know about the royal wave, bow or curtsy. are you aware of the royal gallop? check out this video of prince william at the royal variety show, showing off his new moves. >> please, sir, will you gallop for us? >> oh! >> oh, my gosh. >> i'm sure the internet will put ganggmemes to that. >> kensington palace releasing harry and meghan markle's new engagement photos. >> that's hot. >> what is the date? >> may 18th. >> 19th. >> be there on the 18th. >> be there

>> beautiful photo. jimmy kimmel shared a photo on instagram. jimmy assembling a giant food truck toy for his daughter. he said it took him four hours. who would buy such a gift? here's the caption. dear carson daly, thank you for your terrible gift. it only took four hours to assemble but jane loves it. that's payback. he got his son, jackson, a nerf blaster a couple years ago, which was big and awesome. with it, he got 1.2 million extra nerf darts and they're all over my house still. there you go, buddy. let's go to the daly click. our pals at thinkmodo, they're known for viral video pranks. their newest video has new yorkers running for their lives. check this out. >> oh! [ bleep ]. >> [ bleep ]. >> oh! [ bleep ]!

>> [ bleep ]. >> oh, hell no! >> amazing stuff. >> thinkmodo created the video for next month's "x-files" premiere. we couldn't resist pulling the same prank on a few of our own. >> it's just there. >> oh [ bleep ]! >> i thought i was going to -- ah! what the hell is that? >> slo-mo. >> dylan hasn't returned to work since. there you go. >> hang on. where's hoda's? i was here for hoda's. >> too much cursing going on. carson, kathie lee made an appearance for a couple reasons. she looks hot in leather. but also, we have a special contest. >> we're throwing a wedding. >> who is getting married? >> not me. >> they have to qualify. so we're

couple. do it while you're happy. say i do with us, okay? john cena is going to officiate. he agreed. >> no, he's not! >> yup. >> we're going to pick the couple. viewers can vote on the details, the cake, the ring, the dress. >> honeymoon. >> all of it. >> if you want to get hitched with me, hoda and john cena and live happily ever after -- >> i do! >> -- send us a 60 second video of the two of you sharing your love satisfactotory. you have until january 2nd to get the videos in. you have bonus points if you go to creativity. make us laugh. go to kathie lee and hoda.com. hit the connect button for more information. >> it'll be good. >> so fun. >> it'll be a lot of fun. >> when you get divorced, come back on the show and we'll do the whole thing, too. i'm kidding. >> will you sing at the wedding? >> i have to sing by monday. i have to get this voice in shape by monday, okay? >> it's fun. great. >> carson, we have the legal forms here. let's pause and get a check of whatever is

>> announcer: this portion of share kind neness is brought tou by the y. supporting kids and families in 10,000 communities for a better us. >> now to a story that really shows us what the holidays are all about. jenna has that one for us. >> i loved this day. photographer wendy wellington, with a little help from santa and her community in pine bush, new york, makes magic moments for very special kids. >> look at me and smile. i love santa. >> as a photographer, you see beauty through the camera. >> i do. i do see beauty in the kids' eyes, the way they look at santa. >> yay, they made the good list. >> we started taking pictures at the studio in 2009. a family came in to get pictures. >> so this little girl, what did she ask santa for? >> for underwear. that was all she wanted, underwear. it just -- we all kind of looked at her and we thought, what little girl asks for underwear? when we looked into her, it was ain

struggling. >> give me a high-five. how are you guys? >> wendy wellington was inspired to help struggling families at christmas, with magical moments with santa. where she takes free family portraits. she hands out invitations to local teachers and nurses who pick the families going through tough times during the holidays. >> here we go. >> each family is invited for a special photoshoot at wendy's studio. >> one year, a father had negotn down in front of santa with tears in his eyes and said, i lost my job this year and i didn't think i was going to be able to give any gifts to the kids. we don't judge any family for coming because you don't know what is going on behind the doors or why they were nominated. it's always been wonderful. the people that come. >> and the community chips in, too. to provide a hot

perfect gifts for santa to surprise excited, deserving kids. >> thank you! >> what about for you, mom, the fact that the community comes together for this and santa looks out for your kids? >> this is a really incredible experience. last christmas, both of my children were hospitalized in two different counties, in two different hospitals. so this is such a gift. >> look! thank you so much. >> my pleasure. >> why was it so cool? >> because i never knew i could actually go to like this place and get presents from santa. >> a dentist, the police, firefighters, the bank. >> yeah. >> the doctors. your entire community is behind this. >> yes. >> what has that taught you about where you live? >> we just have a great community that we've grown up in, and we have such support. we love to give back to the kids right in our backyard. >> what's your favorite part of all of this? >> i love to see the kids opening their gifts and the excitement on their face.

to do it again and make it bigger and better each year. you know? more toys. i think it is wonderful that these kids that might not get a lot, it makes it worth it. >> can you say, i love santa? >> i do. >> you do? >> it's a photo but also so much more. capturing the joy of children and the importance of giving back. the true meaning of the holidays. >> wh what has this taught you about the goodness in people? >> that just helping is what gets you through. it humbles us every year, of what we're doing. it makes you realize what christmas is all about. it's to give, not to receive. that's what we do. it's been wonderful. >> can we say, "i love santa"? >> i love santa! >> i love wendy wellington. >> i know. >> it's one woman who had an idea, who then changed her community. >> i think if you ever feel like you're overwhd,

do, to watch one person change the world like she just did in her community -- >> that's the christmas spirit, too. the whole story embodies it. we get wrapped up in shopping and gifts, but a simple act of giving means so much. >> also, she knows she's a photographer. this is something i can do. she built something all around it. >> also to see these parents who now have this relief because their kids are celebrated. it was incredible. >> jenna, that was awesome. >> thank you, jenna. >> merry christmas. coming up, we're going to eat, folks. ee easy appetizers. simple stocking stuffers. we have everybody's last-minute

good morning. it is now 8:26. it is a major travel day to day. let's get a check on the roads with chujack taylor. >> good morning. 28 southbound centreville, that's what we're dealing with. we have a crash. you got south bound lanes diverted to centerville this morning. you'll find 95 southbound into stafford also very heavy and very slow. there is a work zone down there that is blocking the right lane and exit route 630. you'll find on the rail the green line residual delays at the branch avenue from an earlier train malfunction. back to you. >> i hope that clears up by t

roads. we'll get a forecast whethn we come back.

with twice the crispy caramelized peppered bacon. dunkin' sweet black pepper bacon sandwich is back. experience a breakfast sandwich made for bacon lovers. america runs on dunkin'

afternoon highs will be in the low to mid 40s. plenty of sunshine today. the race for christmas is on. mostly cloudy. 55 tomorrow. rain likely on saturday. it will be rain at 62 degrees.

♪ just hear the sleigh bells ringing ♪ 8:30 now on this thursday morning. it is the 21st of december, 2017. we got a great crowd out here. getting a little chilly. feeling like the holidays are upon us. got some weather coming. cute crowd. >> yes. >> by the way, do you see that? world-famous harlem globetrotters are collecting gifts this morning. happy to have them doing the honors, and thank you for donating. >> we have a crowd moment. i'll do what al roker does and run. >> she's running. >> come here. hold on. where's the halter family?

is this the halter family? >> yes! >> we've heard about you. what do you want for christmas? >> puppy. >> oh. well, we'd like to give you something for christmas. >> what else? >> we don't have a puppy, but we do have -- kevin will walk in with this gift bag for you guys. these are stocking stuffers for your whole family from our next segment coming up. we hope you enjoy this. >> thank you! >> you are saying? >> go hokies! >> over to you guys. >> wow. we have simple snack ideas for your next holiday party. or for the times when a friend or neighbor stops by unexpectedly. >> love when that happens. megyn stopped by, but we expected her. what do you have coming up? >> i never know what to get doug for christmas, ever. men are impossible to buy for. >> impossible. >> you can ask. >> that takes all the fun out of it. >> i agree. >> there are certain things you know he'll like, but i'm talking about things you can buy at the store. we'll have a

wow -- and talk about what you can get for the man in your life. we'll talk about how to wrap the weird stuff, like the bike or the skateboard, the dollhouse. what should you wear to your holiday parties? then the end of the show -- >> oh, boy. >> megyn's month of merry. >> i almost tripped doing that with you yesterday. i have to stop. i don't have the core strength you have. megyn, thank you so much. al, a check of the let's show you what we got happening starting with today out west. red flag warnings. we got 40 to 60 mile-per-hour wind gusts to day. southern california, santa barbara south and east of los angeles and we got a high -- a really elevated risk for over nine million people today. so we're going to be watching that very closely. rest of the country, big storm system coming out of the rockies causing airport delays. denver up into minneapolis. we're looking at average above average temperatures through the mid-atlantic states and into the gulf. plenty of sunshine in the pacific northwest. that's what's going on around the country. here's whaha

>> well, good thursday morning. we have plenty of sunshine to work with today. so nice dry travel wernl for at you. it is 34 degrees in washington. much of the area is below freezing. warm coat before you head outside. chilly today. nice and dry through much of the eastern half of the country for any holiday travel. today though, temperatures will be right around the mid 40s. tomorrow, the 50s. into the weekend though, we have rain moving in and watching christmas morning. >> by the way, 11:28, winter officially begins here in the continental united states. and another big thank you to the harlem globetrotters, helping with our toy drive this morning. we've already donated more than $15 million in gifts. we're going to add to the total with a special donation from sanrio. here to tell us about that is pop star and youtube sensation poppy poppy. >> good morning, i'm poppy. >> yes, you are. what are your friends

doing for our toy drive this year? >> this is the 18th year sanrio is donating. it is their biggest donation ever. $175,000 worth of merchandise. >> including hello kitty? >> including hello killty. >> kitty. >> why do you do this? >> sanrio wants to bring smiles to the whole planet. >> we appreciate that. >> thank you. >> tomorrow is the last day to donate to our toy drive. if you're headed to the plaza, bring a gift. you can donate online. go to today.com for more details. is it colder up there where you are? >> yes. >> anyway, let's go back inside to you. >> announcer: this portion of share kindness is created with our sponsor, the y. supporting kids and families in 10,000 communities for a better us. >> now to our special series "share kindness." our friends at the y are giving us a look at some of their programs helping members across the country. >> sheinelle iser

>> this is a good one. it changed me, i'll tell you that. it did. so the y wants you to know that it is more than just a gym, right? it is a place for people of all ages to find the community they need. we talk with one student who says the support it provides to kids like him is something that can benefit people of all ages. just 17 years old, hercules has already faced a lot of problems. >> i don't have food or i don't have a home tonight. that builds up in you, and you start thinking, you know, i'm at the bottom of the totum pole. i'm in this dark hole, and i can't get out. >> struggling with homelessness for as long as he can remember, by 15, he had lived in 20 different places. what's the hardest part about it? >> i think the hardest part is just knowing that you're going through this moment andha

how many times can you go to another student and be like, hey, i'm going through this? >> he's now living with a family he knows from church, an hour commute from his school. >> knowing you're not alone is something all teens, parents and families should know. there are so many generous people. there are people with good hearts out there. the y is a perfect example of that. >> the y, located on his high school campus in los angeles, california, is now his home away from home. >> regardless, you know, socio-economic level, you know, come here, find a place, a safe place, first of all, and be able to interact with other students. be able to be emerged in all of the programs the y has to offer. just be in a space where all you're expected to do is be yourself. >> jane lynch has been a member of the y in her neighborhood for nearly 20 years, and now she's a spokesperson for the y. >> there are very few communities for kids these days. now the ys

opportunity for kids to have like a neighborhood. a place to go after school where, you know, everybody knows your name. you can have fun and feel safe and protected and cared for. >> we talk about things like this, and it almost sounds, you know -- it is a big thing to grasp, and then you meet a young man and it puts it in perspective. >> it does. it is about these individual kids finding a place where they can see more possibilities for their life than they would going home every night. >> lynch says she's doing her part to give back to the y. >> it's about community. it's giving to the community. give to your local y. you can designate where you want the money to go. you can say, i want it to go to the after-school programs for kids. i want to support that so kids have a place to go that's safe and enriching. >> joining in the spirit of kindness, we arranged for some gifts for

classmates. thanks to our friends, you have this decked out, stylish teen lounge, just for you. >> oh, my goodness! >> wow. >> you guys are also going shopping. jcpenney is giving all of you guys gift cards to go shopping. >> oh, wow! >> sort of like a blank canvas, you know, where you as a student, as a young individual can come and sort of create. you don't have to worry about what's going on and why. >> one, two, three. >> teen lounge. >> he was in the process of applying to colleges. he's planning on majoring in phycology and theater. right after we talked, he rushed to take a stats final, statistics, and came right back. he's a great student. he was telling me there were times where he's getting ready to take a test and his stomach is growling and he was wondering where he was going to sleep that night. you meet him and he is so positive. >> super smart. >> beautiful, thoughtful. >> warm and kind. >> i'm forever changed. not

great work they're doing at the y to help kids like that. thank you so much, sheinelle. coming up next, we're going to have some last-minute stocking stuffer ideas, and all of them are under $12. >> like that. >> first, this is "today" on nbc. hey honey, how was practice? good must have been hot out there today, huh? yeah yeah- why don't you go put that stuff in the laundry room right now? okay. do your athletes bring home big odors? tide sport is super

concentrated to beat even the toughest stains and odors. hey buddy! hey oooh- somebody ran laps! yeah. the new tide sport collection- it's got to be tide

we are back with today's hassle-free holiday. the shopping is done. wrapping is nearly finished. menu is planned. wait a minute, you forgot about the stocking stuffers. we are here to help you. lifestyle expert jen has ideas for all the members in your family. the price is right, right? >> $12 and under. easy to find. available at places you're probably shopping anyway. make it simple. >> the idea for these, you go to the stores. you're not going to be online because right now we're in crunch time. go out, put your pants on. >> put on pants that button, get in the car and go. all these things are useful, but they're still unique. things people will use. >> all right. >> first up, these are bath bombs. this is a new

being. they're $6. drop them in a bath, and it is going to fizz up. this brand has the best scent. there are four scents. really fun. another beauty treat, cvs has a huge range of k beauty. the korean beauty imports. these are masks. something for everyone. they're $3 each. >> put this on your face? >> we have a picture of me doing it the other night. before i come on air, i get ready with it. >> what does it do? >> there's hydration. something for everybody. they're great for stockings. >> stroll down memory lane, lip smackers. >> target has these vintage lip smackers. i love the strawberry. now i can't get it open. smells so good. >> reminds me of being a kid. awesome. >> they're great. >> if you want a fun game for the stocking. >> also at target, this is coinhole. a coin toss game. it is table top. it's like a yard game, in the big scale. i'm terrible at it. fun way to keep everyone occupied. >>

slippers, on the side. >> pom-poms are huge. hold navy has these. they're $10 right now. they're soft and cuddly. they roll up. there is a brand called all in the cards. they have these at target, $3 each. you can use it to personalize your bag. this is my bag. makes it look fun with pom-poms. >> everybody loves coffee. this is a fun way to get it into a stocking. >> yeah. for christmas morning, you're up early typically, so this is a great thing to put in a stocking. bullet proof coffee. whole foods stores nationwide. it is clean coffee. no toxins and gives you great energy. this is cold brew, and it is new. it is in this great pack. put it in a stocking. pour over ice. >> taste good. >> we love. >> marshmallows? i wouldn't think of putting it in a stocking. >> this is the glam marshmallow. this is candy cane. mint chocolate chip. it's a fun thing for a stocking. >> those are good.

i can't get started with these or they'll be gone. >> this is a fun, cute little one. i love this. >> i think this is so fun. american eagle happens to have all these cool stocking stuffers. this is a pocket disco ball. bring the party with you. plus it into your phone and you're set. >> genius. >> these are chargers that you will never lose because they're unique. snowflakes, christmas lights, they can blink so they stay solid. they're $10 each. everyone can use more chargers. >> post-it notes seem bland. i did not realize that's what these were. what a clever way. >> how cool is that? from pop, a container store. you'll never lose a post-it note again because this is a great desk accessory. >> the end? >> this is fun. maybe they wanted a motorcycle and they're not getting it for christmas. put this in their stocking. >> it goes on the bike? >> all of a sudden, it sounds like a motorcycle. there you go. $9.99 at amazon. get it on amazon prime. how fun. >> when we were kids, we used to put playing cards with a clothes n

that. >> keep your playing cards and use this. thank you so much. coming up, easy appetizers you can throw together when the unexpected holiday guests stop by. first, this is "today" on nbc. well it's a perfect nespresso morning here, george. first, this is "today" on nbc. hold on a second. mmm. ♪ [mel torme sings "comin' home baby"] hey there. want a lift? ♪ where are we going? no don't tell me. let me guess. ♪

♪ how far would you go for coffee that's a cup above? i brought you nespresso. nespresso. what else?

>> announcer: today food is created with our sponsor, ritz. life's rich. >> all right. today, we've got a good one for ya. it is today's food. we have a quick and simple holiday fare. no one needs a complicated recipe when you're entertaining. elizabeth is going to show us a fun recipe. this is the time of year people just show up at your door and i have to whip up an appi quick. >> it is going to hell in a hand basket. that's where my life is right now, and i don't have five minutes.

>> this is the best dip in the world. softened cream cheese, green onions and bacon. everything everybody loves. we have mayonnaise. we're going to mix, mix, mix. we're going to add our scallions into this and let this go. continue to mix it all up. fabulous. then we're going to add some of the bacon. some people only add the bacon on top. we're big bacon fans. >> we all are. >> we're going to add this. i'm going to let you work on that. >> i'd be happy to. >> start spreading that in there. >> bourbon works into this whole thing, and i discovered it. we'll get to it in a moment. >> absolutely. >> you're going to bake this? >> yes. once it gets nice and bubbly. >> how long do you bake it for? >> it'll take probably about 15 to 20 minutes. >> you're not going to use the ritz cracker as the cracker for this, you're going to crush them up and put it into it? >> exactly. it'll go on top. like you see here. so this has been baked. we have the ritz. >> crumbled. how long did you bake

minutes, just till it gets nice and warm. now, this is the secret. my friend -- >> look at al roker. and hoda and savannah. >> get out of here. it is not your turn. it's not your turn! >> sorry. pay no attention. >> we're fine. >> now we have this wonderful pepper jelly glaze. my great friend, this is his favorite dip in the entire world. so now we put it on top. it's going to pop back into the oven for a few more minutes. >> the whole thing took less than ten minutes. while your friends are out there -- >> people were also stealing bacon and it worked out. >> so what is this? >> something the kids love. again, it couldn't be simpler. we have caramel. we melted them with a little cream. take that and let it cool a little bit. >> delicious. >> you need it to be a little solidified. we're going to put that in the center. >> savannah, really? >> a 2-year-old can do this. >>te

>> now, let that cool. >> the crackers are good. they're salty and savory. >> salty and sweet. >> yeah. >> we'll dip it into the chocolate. we're going to add a pecan on top. >> you're making a sandwich here. >> yeah. you can even do -- sometimes i'll do peanut butter and fluffer nutter in the middle of this. >> i'm sorry, is that a car, a volkswagen? >> it's the marshmallow stuff. you can drizzle more caramel on the top if you want it to be fine and fancy, which is what we love. >> beautiful. >> isn't that good? >> also, your kids can help you out with this, as well. >> where is your bourbon? >> i don't know. i'll get it. >> you left it. >> these are so easy. and the ritz crackers are a nice -- >> it's really difficult. i mean, you have presents to buy. you're trying to clean up your house. you have in-laws coming.

you need quick and easy. >> this is the dip. >> move the flowers out of the way. >> hoda, this is one of the best things you'll ever put in your mouth. >> is it? >> the first time i made this, i made it six times like in a three-day period. it's absolutely delicious. >> ridiculous. >> come on! >> isn't that wonderful? you top it with a pepper jelly glaze. fabulous. >> really good. >> it's that sweet/salty/smoky. everything in the world you could possibly ever need. >> one of the questions was, if you didn't want to use bacon, could you use something else? >> you could. i can't imagine why people would want to do that. these people are not my friends. >> these people. >> who asked that? >> you could do chopped mushrooms, if you had an aversion to bacon. >> yeah, right, sure. >> those people won't come to my house, so i don't worry about it. >> less than ten minutes to make this. your bacobacon, i don't have a y contraptn

>> we always do the bacon in the oven. i do a sheet pan. i don't have anything fancy like that either. you bake it, bring it out. you want it to be nice and crisp so you can crumble it on top like that. >> this is good. little gin and tonic. >> for us, it's like lunchtime. >> you're right. we drink at lunch in new york. >> well, yes. >> i love my job. >> city never sleeps. elizabeth, thank you so much. >> happy holidays. >> if you want these recipes and more, click on today.com/food. we're back in a moment. first, cheers, everybody, this is

"what if" more of the came from renewable resources? "what if" the electric grid could detect, fix and even prevent power outages? "what if" our grid were less vulnerable and more secure? "what if" all these "what if"s became a reality? well, they are. at dominion energy, we're completely transforming our power grid and the way we think of energy... ...to move from "what if" to "what's next." dominion energy.

welcome back, everybody. welcome back, everybody. it's time for birthdays. r. >> uh-oh. >> with the gin and tonic. >> it'll be a good one. set your dvrs. all right. time to celebrate some nice folks from uc

birthday to lil rains. she likes to workout. took up by pla tees in her 90s. ruby is busy keeping track of her 11 grandkids, 19 great grandkids and 8 great great grandkids. happy 100th birthday to frankoff moline, illinois. he walks at least one mile every day. end of the week, he's seven miles from home. salty from venice, florida. she loves to keep in touch with her grandkids using facebook. ellen jones from virginia, also 100, served ed as a deacon at h church over 80 years. last but not least, happy 75th anniversary to

from florida. they say the secret to a long and happy marriage is having a good sense of humor and a whole lot of patience. >> awesome, al. >> sounds about right. >> excellent job. what do you have coming up? >> ambush makeovers. louis and jill went to the crowd, picked a couple lucky ladies and they'll get re-dos. >> this was delicious. >> thank 8:56 is your time on this wednesday, december 21st, 2017. good morning. right now we want to check on your commute with jack taylor in your first 4 traffic. good morning, jack. >> good morning. our trouble spot has been in centreville all morning. 28 south bound at 66. all lanes remain closed. 28 south detours on to 66 west. you can ride ba

trouble in silver spring is on 16th street southbound before spring street. one lane gets by. a car overturned. authorities are on scene. >> it's thursday, december 21st. we'll check on your forecast.

the cold start to your thursday morning. 46 for a high this afternoon. as we go into the weekend, we have rain approaching. a little bit wet on saturday for your traveling. for monday morning, christmas morning, we could see a chance of rain and snow. >> thank you. get the latest news and weather any time in the nbc washington app. have a great day.

this morning on "megyn kelly today," your holiday headquarters. last-minute gifts for him, her and those tiny tots. then it's a wrap. creative ideas for picture perfect presents. plus, our month of merry rolls on. just three days left. we're giving three gifts away today. what could they be? all that and more on "megyn kelly today," right now. hi! whew. hello. merry christmas!