tv Today NBC December 25, 2017 7:00am-8:59am EST
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♪ good morning. and merry christmas. breaking news, santa has just delivered all of his packages, as christians around the world celebrate one of the holiest days on the calendar. millions of children are waking up to hopes of that special something left under the tree. and we hope all is merry and bright where you are, as we celebrate this christmas morning today, monday, december 25th, 2017. ♪ >> from nbc news, this is "today," from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning. welcome to "today." merry christmas.
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with us. nice to see you. >> it's the "today" show theme. >> the theme is different today. we're happy because right now, we're spending the day with our families. we taped this special christmas show for you. and so, in our way, we're getting to share it with all of you. merry christmas. >> a fun christmas for all of us. but a new little baby. new little baby. >> it makes it extra special, doesn't it? >> it's a cool morning. >> my baby is home from college. >> exactly. we want to start with a check of the top stories. morgan radford is on duty with those. >> good morning and merry christmas to you. christian s around the world today are observing the christmas holiday. a time of joy and of hope. in the holy land there are fewer visitors making the pilgrimage to the birthplace of jesus. officials say recent clashes with palestinians and israeli security forces are now
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religious tourism down. but thankfully, so far, no reports of violence today. and at the vatican, pope francis used his christmas eve mass to defend the rights of immigrants. he compared displaced families to mary and joseph, saying they, too, could find no place to stay. the pope told 10,000 worshipers that today we are seeing families being driven from their own lands. that's when he made the plea for a new social imagination, where no one isn't made to feel there isn't room for them here on this earth. back here at home, president trump and his family are spending the holiday at their mar-a-lago resort in florida. but the president hasn't exactly left politics behind in washington. nbc's garrett haake joins us from west palm beach with the latest. garrett, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, morgan. the president's trip so far a mix of the traditional and the traditional for this president. last night,
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the first lady attended a church service where they were married. earlier in the day, they spoke to children by phone, conveying the wishes for santa, talking about the tracking program that norad does to keep prtrack of santa claus. and the president had a video teleconference for troops stationed overseas. the president is being active on twitter on this break, including a tweet about christmas itself. people are proud to be saying merry christmas again. i'm proud to have led the charge on the assault of our beautiful phrase merry christmas. the president taking aim at a senior fbi official who he accused of a conflict of interest investigating the clinton case back in 2016. > finally, the president will wake up with a political christmas gift under his tree from guatemala w
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will be moving their embassy in israel to jerusalem, the first such country to follow the u.s.'s lead since our announcement earlier this month. >> garrett, thank you so much. i see you're enjoying a nice, warm christmas in west palm beach this morning. thanks for joining us. arctic air is dominating the north with some of the bitter cold and windchill moving in. then, snow is expected to fall across parts of the pacific northwest, all the way up to the northern rockies. finally, widespread snow and gusty winds from the great lakes. that's stretching to new england, where up to a foot of snow is expected to make for a white christmas in maine. now, ♪ ♪ ♪
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turn to a man who spends a lot of his time thinking about the meaning of this day, timothy dolan, the archbishop of new york. >> he talks about goodwill that walks through the door when you do. >> a blessed christmas. thanks for wearing the red. and savannah, a blessed christmas. >> where's my head. >> it's an important tradition for me to be with you. thanks for the invite. >> we love it. you have a powerful message on christmas morning. >> it's a powerful season. it's a powerful feast day. >> if this is the holiday of joy. a lot of people wake up and joy isn't what they're feeling, what hope can you provide? >> look at it this way. this is the dark -- naturally, this is the darkest time of the year. we just had the darkest day of the year a couple days ago, naturally. the sun is at its lowest. that represents -- i think you're right, savannah, i
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discouragement, the somberness, the darkness that many people feel. we're in the mood, now, of surveying last year. you two journalists are in the business of looking back over what has happened. and we can't deny there's been a lot that's happened the last year that's caused us darkness, right? but here's the meaning, here's what we need -- you know that song, "we need a little christmas" do we ever need it. just as the sun gets to the lowest, eit begins to go back u. the sun is always going up. light is conquering darkness, good/evil, life-dea life/death. and as the sun goes up in the sky, god sends his son, s-o-n, a confirmation of his love. everything is decent and right in the world. a lot of people could be sad this morning. but christmas is that time, i think for a
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a few moments, things gel. things work out. we say, this is the way things should be. families together, sharing forgiveness, generosity, faith and prayer. just for a moment, things seem right. >> i think because you talk about this a lot, when you are feeling the way we were just talking about, you take the focus off of yourself and put it somewhere else. >> yep. you know, if -- it's st. patrick's cathedral. last night when i was able to carry the baby jesus. everybody's eyes are on the christ child, the baby jesus, the infant. for a moment, we get our eyes off of ourself. we're not naval gazing, this narcissistic feeling sorry for ourselves like we tend to do and we raise our eyes up, we see the newborn savior of
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give up on life, but god isn't. god is affirming life. that's what christmas is about. >> there's people of different faiths that might be involving this. and the message is god is involved and god is plunging into human history in a real way. >> everybody, even if they're not christmas, as they celebrate this as the birthday of the messiah, of our lord and savior, jesus christ, it is a season and a time when you might call the more noble uplifting characteristics of the human person seems to rise to the surface. everybody seems to appreciate it. we know it from the excitement in new york. you can't, in christmas season, you can't walk the sidewalks without getting excited. it seems to affirm and put a god's good housekeeping seal approval on everything that is good in the human person. >> i'm looking at you and i'm picturing
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and you have that light. >> i haven't been called little in a long time. >> what was it like for you as a little boy on christmas morning? >> i had a great family. i'm the oldest of five. we didn't -- we were far from wealthy. we had a simple house. my dad worked hard. my mom stayed home. but christmas was a joy and we always got these nice little gifts. the grandparents came. we had a great meal. we were at mass at the parish. when i got older, i served in mass. christmas is one of the highlights. >> we have little kids. i think it's important demean--e kids want to open up the presents and that stuff. i want to ground my children in the real meaning of this holiday and what it means. >> savannah, you would know better than anybody, the insight that hoda had about getting our eyes on somebody else instead of ourselves. nobody does that better than a baby. when you have a baby a
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brand-new one. when you have a baby, that baby becomes the center of your attention. everything you do and dream and dare and attempt is for that ba baby. that's the way we feel about the baby jesus. he becomes the center of our life. >> and for you, what do you do? i know you do a lot of things, obviously, for the church. what else do you do for yourself around christmastime? >> it's for us, it's a lot of work. but still, it's refreshing work. just to see people because this isn't an easy time for religion. to see people this time of year who are eager and open to religion, that's a gift in itself. i have good friends come up -- i have great friends from home in st. louis, two good priest buddies that come up to be with me, a couple i've known for 50 years. we have a good time and we relax. i won't get to relax until a little later on christmas afternoon. then, i get a few down days.
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>> and this eggnog is helping. >> it's a strong pour. >> i'm going to use this instead of wine. >> merry christmas. this marks the trump family's first christmas in the white house. while the west wing keeps busy, other areas are decked out with personal touches from the first lady. here's kristen welker with the story. >> reporter: president trump's first year in office has been jam-packed. but during the holidays, it's all about the hostess in chief, like the first ladies who have come before her, melania trump is leaving her mark on christmas at 1600 pennsylvania avenue. the first lady and oldest son, baron, greeting the tree from wisconsin. she personally selected every detail of this year's holiday decorations. anita mcbride
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staff to former first lady laura bush. >> i think every first lady feels the pressure how they will be remembered or viewed for how they used the white house. so, i think she cares about details. >> reporter: this year's theme, time-honored traditions. the white house says it was designed by mrs. trump to pay respect to 200 years of holiday cheer inside these walls. the grand foyer, a nod to former first lady jackie kennedy and her 1961 first-themed christmas, "the nutcracker suite." this year, the family dinner display featuring reagan's china, a silhouette of jfk. the first lady taking special interest in the decisions, like her signature christmas breathes, 71 to be exact, including the ones decking the
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300-pound gingerbread house. visitors will walk the halls, admiring the work of volunteers who spent 1,600 hours preparing the people's house for the holidays. how important is this time of year for the staff? >> it is something where they, as much as it's hard work, it really is a lot of fun. >> reporter: outside the white house, the whole family, in full force, with first daughter, ivanka, and jared kushner, joining in the annual lights of the christmas tree. >> melania and i are full of joy at the start of this blessed season. >> reporter: a season in which the trump family will make new memories, while paying tribute to pass traditions. kristen welker, nbc news, the white house. >> thank you, kristen. the white house is so beautiful over the holidays. so much tradition and -- yeah. it looks lovelier than ever. >> a beautiful time of year. as you spend time with
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important to remember the thousands of u.s. servicemen and women serving overseas. while many are far from their loved ones, they are finding ways to celebrate. kelly cobiella has more on all that. good morning. >> reporter: hoda, good morning. on this christmas day, nearly 200,000 americans are spending their holiday away from their families and loved ones, deployed to 177 countries, iraq, afghanistan, somalia, and beyond, serving their country. it's america's longest war. for the 16th year, troops are carving up a christmas feast in afghanistan. this captain, a doctor, has been here for two months. her husband and 18-month-old son, home in austin, texas. >> i think it helps to feel like there's a sense of purpose here. and i fit into that and i have an important role to play. that helps me deal with the fact that i'm away from my small child and husband that i miss
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stationed here. and this year, the pentagon announced more are being deployed. part of an open-ended war against the taliban and isis. around the world, america's military touches nearly every country on earth. in all seven continents an on every sea. in hot spots like syria, the baltics, the korean peninsula. as the white house puts it, threats don't take a holiday. as north korea speeds ahead with its nuclear programs, more than 28,000 troops stand guard in the south, where a lump of coal in the stocking is a good thing. soldiers handed out the fuel, spreading goodwill. >> the soldiers are excited to give back to the people to provide heat during these cold winter months. >> reporter: in europe, they are also working through the holiday, with reports the pentagon plans to bolster forces in the baltic to pushac
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against putin. nearly 40,000 are already deployed in germany alone, like private first class crystal arena. it is her first year abroad. >> overseas, it gets overwhelming sometimes. the culture shock is there but i wouldn't have it any other way. >> reporter: in afghanistan, troops follow traditions, carols, golf cart races and ugly sweater contests. americans keeping spirits bright as they serve. thousands of cards, decorations and even some christmas trees were sent to far-flung bases this year, spreading holiday cheer for all of those troops who can't be home for christmas. guys? >> kelly cobiella, thank you so much for that. coming up, it is the world's most famous christmas tree. it happens to be in our backyard here. we're going to have the story of this year's special spruce. then, the holiday season is all about dreams coming true. we'll introduce you to a
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coming up, we're going to share some of our favorite things about the holiday season. and then, candy canes are a holiday staple but why? we're visiting one of the few places in the country where they are still being made by hand. we'll get the un-stop right there! i'm about to pop a cap of "mmm fresh" in that washer. with unstopables in-wash scent boosters by downy. and if you want, pour a little more. ah, it's so fresh. and it's going to last from wash to... ...wear for up to 12 weeks.
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t. rowe price. invest with confidence. ♪ yep. 7:30 now, monday morning, christmas morning. a few nuns skating on ice. >> our christmas present to you. more than a few. this is almost like "madeline." >> we're lucky that our camera captured this. >> i want to see them break out in a routine. >> above the rink is the beautiful tree. a lot of twinkling lights the we're going to tell you the story behind this year's tree in a moment. also ahead, the heroes among us. we met an incredible choir. they touched our hearts. they went from practicing in a shelter to a historic performance on the big stage at
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we're going to have their stories. wait until you hear them sing. we'll hear about a few of your holiday traditions. and we're going to share some of our own. first, back to that gorgeous tree right outside. being here in new york, it's easy to take it for granted. but it is one of the true icons of the season. here's a look at how it all comes together. >> i'm looking for a perfect tree that has a nice shape, that's nice and full, you can't see through it too much. >> three, two, one. >> reporter: for 85 seasons, the christmas tree at rockefeller center has been the highlight of the holidays, a tradition that dates back to 1931. >> it's something that take all year to do. >> reporter: he does it all. >> i saw this tree in 2010. it was perfect. >> reporter: he spotted it on a road trip to penn state. he was smitten. >>
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door, i didn't believe him. >> reporter: an educator, scott bought this home after taking a principal position at a middle school. >> the tree has been in the corner of the property. i always thought of it as a really large spruce. >> reporter: the norway spruce was made over when it arrived here in new york city. wrapped with five miles of l.e.d.s and topped with a 25,000-crystal swarovski star. >> everybody will see it on a daily basis, it blows my mind. >> i like how you said it got a makeover in new york. like it went through the spa. >> it goes through a rough trip to get here. >> just does his magic. >> you should see the before and after. let's get a check of your forecast in your neck of the woods.
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we have a lot more ahead on this christmas morning, including a one-of-a-kind choir and their christmas trip to the carnegie stage. have you ever wondered why candy canes are shaped like that? why are they red and white? we're going to tell you the whole story behind the seasonal favorite. later, a special holiday performance from music superstar gwen stefani, is going t
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♪ good morning. welcome back to "today" on a christmas morning. all week, we're highlights some of our favorite stories of the year. and there's nothing more heartwarming than a leap of faith rewarded. >> this one came from our heroes among us series, everyday folks who quietly spend their lives helping others. it led us to a group in
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who were down on their luck, and a man who helped inspire them to make history. ♪ ♪ i, i've been chained >> for a little while, i stayed outside on the overpass, just throughout dallas, on the streets and in and out of shelters. ♪ i know i've been chained >> this is awesome. this is a great piece of cardboard. some memories of my homelessness. ♪ heaven done signed my name >> my voice has brought me literally from being homeless. >> good morning. ♪ joshua fought the bat official jericho
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idea, the idea of a homeless choir. how did this come about? >> it was a pickup choir of anybody at the day shelter. i would make an announcement, hey, who wants to sing today? >> when i came in, there wasn't no seats. they were going to turn me back around to leave. and someone said, sing. i just sung and people was like, he can have my seat. no, he can have my seat, i'll go. >> i felt at home there. and it just made me really want to come back again tomorrow. >> reporter: jonathan has become more than just the director of the dallas street choir, he's family. and for many, the one constant in their lives. a lot of choir directors deal with certain things. you have a whole different set of issues that you need to deal with. >> sure. whether you have mental illness or
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choir. we have folks with addiction. and if you're under the influence, you're asked to leave and say this isn't your week. come back next week. >> reporter: everyone gets a second chance. >> and a third and a fourth. ♪ >> reporter: after 2 1/2 years of conducting the choir, jonathan thought these men and women deserved an even bigger stage. >> carnegie hall is just so beautiful. i'm just feeling like i'm a queen because i get to go to the royal palace. >> it's surreal. not only are we making history for us and the dallas street choir, but we're making history for carnegie hall. >> that's pretty. >> reporter: to prepare, they need more than just their music. >> we're going with this right here. >> reporter: for many, it's the first time out of texas or even on a plane. ♪ 22 members set off on the trip of their lives. a
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♪ >> reporter: joined by another of jonathan's community choirs. ♪ >> it scares me how well you do that one. >> reporter: in its long years, carnegie hall has never showcased a homeless choir. hi. this is big. do you have family members who know what's happening? >> yes. >> reporter: they do? >> my oldest son says, shut them down, momma. >> reporter: you want to come and take a little peek? see what it's like on the stage of carnegie hall. are they carnegie hall good? >> are they carnegie hall good? it wasn't matter. >> reporter: why doesn't it matter? >> because it's not about being carnegie hall good. it's about being carnegie hall worthy, and that they are. ♪
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>> reporter: are you all right? >> i've been poor all my life but right now, i feel so rich. >> i feel validated. >> reporter: do you all want to try a couple of notes to see how it sounds? ♪ ♪ can't you feel the brand-new day ♪ ♪ can't you feel the brand-new day ♪ >> reporter: from rehearsal to concert, the night is theirs. ♪ ♪ can't you feel the brand-new day ♪ >> i want them to know that we might be homeless but we have a voice. ♪ i know the lord >> i hope when they see us, they can understand our story, that we used to be homeless or we're currently homeless, but we never gave up. ♪
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[ applause ] >> and that guy right there, the man with the big voice, you guys, got himself a solo album. >> he's a star. he needs it. >> he should be on "the voice." we need to work in a out with carson. and the woman, caroline, she's moved into transitional housing. you can watch what's happened with their lives just through the music. >> i love the choir director and his attitude, come one, come all. everybody has something to offer. >> it's transformational. just ahead, dylan will look at your favorite holiday traditions. and in the next half hour, we'll ♪ [ laughter ] ♪ [ male announcer ] for tim and richard smucker, giving a gift of their family's delicious jam always made the holidays just a little bit sweeter. we forgot to put our names on them! richard, i think they'll know who it's from.
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>> they got a lot to say. traditions are part of the holiday season. we asked our viewers to share some of their favorites. renee writes, making gingerbread boys for everyone with a recipe that's been in the family for generations. melissa posts, piling into the car in our pajamas to look at christmas lights. karen writes, my 84-year-old mom making dinner while sipping her christmas cocktail. and kara tweets, my dad and i see a movie every christmas day because it's the only time we can make it to the theater. and rose posts, we set the table with good dishes and then we go to church. we go to wendy's drive through and everyone gets what they want and there's no trestress. you can share your traditions on #orangeroom.
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coming up, we're going to share our favorite christmas traditions. >> that's going to be fun. the new "star wars" dominated the box office. what else should you look forward to this week? the big premieres and the can't-miss movies. this new day looks nothing like yesterday. trails are covered. paths aren't what they used to be. roads nowhere to be found. ( ♪ ) and it's exactly what you're looking for. ( ♪ ) kohl's intimates stock-up and it's exactly what with 25 to 40% off all bras. kohl's has the biggest assortment from the best brands. so now is the best time to stock up for the new year.
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t. rowe price. invest with confidence. ♪ ♪ have a holiday jolly christmas ♪ it's 8:00 this christmas morning. coming up, we'll share some of our favorite holiday traditions and share our favorite gifts that we had when we were kids. >> come on. plus, santa's sweet spot. they're the minty candies synonymous with christmas. and we'll show you how they're still made by hand at a denver candy store. and a stefani christmas. ♪ you make it feel like christmas ♪ >> we're in for a christmas treat when she sings her hit
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today, december 25th, 2017. ♪ i don't want a lot for christmas ♪ >> merry christmas from "today." >> all we want for christmas is a selfie with hoda. >> happy holidays from the "today" show. >> merry christmas. ♪ >> wow. >> welcome back to this special christmas morning of "today." merry christmas. >> look at us together. >> festive and bright, ready to celebrate the holiday. coming up, this is always one of the biggest days of the year at the box office. there's some movies you do not want to miss this holiday season. we'll walk you through the picks that everyone will love. and what is perfect on a cold winter's day? hot, sweet drinks. we'll sample a few, including a hot chocolate with gingerbread and something called a vermont sleigh ride, giddyup. >> something extra in .
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the top stories. nbc's morgan radford standing by. morgan, good morning and merry christmas. >> good morning and merry christmas to you. overseas, a dramatic rescue that some are calling a holiday miracle. 150 skiers serving in the french alps were saved after dangling above the slopes for nearly two hours after their ski lift stalled. hospitals lowered them and rescued their teams on to the gondola-like cars and used the ropes to lower the skiers on to the ground. there weren't any injuries and everyone made it back safe and sound in time for the holiday. and all eyes on the newest royal couple to be. meghan markle joined the british royal family for their christmas day service at the queen's estate. seeming at ease, she ascettendl church walking a i
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harry. typically partners are not invited to spend time with the queen until they're married. but markel was a rare welcomed exception with their wedding just months away. trump and his family are spending the holiday at his so-called winter white house. garrett haake joins us live this morning from sunny west palm beach. garrett, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, morgan. it's been a mix of the traditional and the traditional for this president this holiday season. last night, the president and first lady attended a late-night church service here in palm beach at the church they were married. earlier, they took some time to take phone calls from children around the country, talking about what they wanted for christmas. and the president spoke to service members all around the world, thanking them for their service. the president made time for some golf earlier in the day, as well. as usual, the president has been active on twitter the last couple of days, including tweeting yesterday
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writing, people are proud to be saying merry christmas again. i'm proud to have led the charge against the assault on our cherished and beautiful phrase, merry christmas. some of the president's tweets have been more political. he's been criticizing a top fbi official who is involved in the clinton probe of 2016 and the ongoing russia investigation. and a bit of a political christmas present for the president this morning from guatemala, whose president announced they would move the embassy in israel to jerusalem, the first country to follow the united states' lead, since the u.s. announced it would move its embassy earlier this monlth. >> i hope you're enjoying the sun and the beach there. happy holidays. let's get a look at the winter weather that's coming your way. a blast of bitter cold and windchills as arctic air barrels up north. this is happening as snow is expected to fall across parts of
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northern rocky mountains. that snow and gusty wind going strong the great lakes to new england, where up to a foot of snow is expected to make for a white christmas in maine. let's get a look at your local forecast. >> thanks for joining us this morning. i'm morgan radford. all of us at "today" wishing you a happy holiday. for millions of families waking up, this holiday is all
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or opening presents at the crack of dawn or helping out at a soup kitchen. >> we heard about some of your favorites. now, it's time for us to share. ♪ >> we lived in the desert. it wasn't one of those cut down your christmas tree situations. we would go to the parking lot of a big box store. i would not say our tree was one of the classy, elegant trees. >> we had a fake tree. you needed some pine scent. we were like, squirt it down. >> we always had a real tree. one year, i was 8 or 9 and i had the mumps. and i couldn't get out of bed. and my dad moved the tree into my bedroom. and we had christmas morning in my bedroom. >> we left our tree up. it was like -- it could have been february or i don't even know, maybe even later. someone would knock on the door and my dad's like, oh, my god, the tree. we ran
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my dad was like, welcome, people. and i remember, the next year, we're like -- time to decorate the tree. oh, look. it's already done. ♪ >> we have a turkey. we have a ham. black eyed peas and rice, mac and cheese. >> my mom's big go-to was cornish hens. my mom would cook us each one. >> green bean casserole with the mushroom soup. stuffing, sweet potatoes. >> i like to have mexican food on christmas eve. i grew up in the southwest and i think it's fun and festive. >> we make a salad just to say you did. but nobody eats it, really. ♪ i think i was maybe 7 years old. there was a race set called the
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mot motoriffic race sell st. it was terrific. >> i wanted a trumpet. i am not musical. i have no skills. there's nothing about me that would make sense to have this trumpet. >> i will never forget, one year, the gift that every little girl wanted was wonder woman und underroos. we all posed for a picture that i have now burned. ♪ >> no. come on. come on. santa knows. oh, my gosh. i love you, santa. oh, my gosh. i remember this. >> wow. i didn't think they made these anymore. please tell me they're size large for me now. i'm not touching them if they're used. they're underwear. ♪
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>> i'm reliving my childhood right now. ♪ oh, god, it's used. this is a "rossen reports" in the making. ♪ >> i think the tradition of family and being with people you care about and love is more important to people than it's ever been. >> to me, christmas is magical. there's no other time like it. and we lost my dad when i was a teenager. and christmas was his birth dda. so, it already was a special time. it can mean the food you make or the decorating of the christmas tree or the gift you received that was most special. or most of all, the time you reflect on what the holidays is really about. >> you're asking about my christmases past. i know they must have meant something but not comd
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now. i get the give haley christmas. christmas is a time that makes you realize you have so much to be grateful for and thankful for. and i'm thankful for her every day, but especially on christmas. ♪ >> that's so cool. >> hoda, you got your trumpet. >> i was hoping it was going to be that. >> what was your favorite gift that you got as a kid? >> favorite gift was the yellow walkman. the walkman sport. it closed on the top. that was the best christmas ever. >> i remember that walkman but i think i was in college when you were a kid. remember? >> oh, yes. we've got a lot more coming up ahead today, including the best movies out right now that are worth leaving the house for. plus, raise a glass. we have hot and delicious holiday drink ideas that go perfect with this christmas morning. and holiday hacks in a hurry. simple ways to make stress of christmas a little better. and the
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welcome back, everybody. on christmas, not only do we look for gifts under the tree and spreading some holiday cheer, but also checking out the newest movies to hit the theater. >> this year, santa has been good to us because there's something on the list for every member on the family to enjoy. here to break it down is imdb special correspondent, dave carter. merry christmas. >> same to you guys. >> i love that you give us the viewing guide. >> "the greatest showman" is out. this is the musical bio pic of p.t. barnum played by hugh jackman. it's a spectacle. it has great visuals. the cast is wonderful. zendaya, zac efron, michelle
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but the music is written by ben passic and justin hall, who did "dear evan hanson." they did the songs for "la la land." and i think the music in this one is better than the "la la land's" songs. the bearded lady has the big show-stopping number called "this is me." that's a possible oscar nominee for best song this year. >> we have a sequel of "jumanji." >> the original came out 22 years ago. we're old. now, there's a sequel. and four high school students get sucked into this video game. and they assume the avatars of the game. one of them becomes the rock. one of them becomes kevin hart. and the teenage girl becomes jack black. we do a christmas outing, ages 7-70, this is the one we're going to do. >>
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teenagers. we cannot wait for "pitch perfect 3." >> bring it. >> what a surprise blockbuster phenomenon this franchise has become. this one is a lot of fun like the other two. the bellas are out in the real world. they're having trouble finding jobs. but the uso hires them to do a european tour. they go around the world. there's great songs but there's a little bit of action in this one. >> there is. >> anna kendrick and rebel wilson. >> how does this compare to the other two? >> it's superfun. the humor can be a little crude. families with teenagers, as opposed to younger kids. everyone from the cast that you want to see back. >> when you put tom hanks and merrill streyl streep in a movi together, it has to work. "the post," right? >> this is directed by steven spielberg. this is a true story of the publisher and the editor of "the washington post," as they
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papers, which was the behind-the-scenes information about america's involvement in vietnam. this is going to be huge in the oscar season as we talked about weeks ago. tons of nominations expected across the board. a really timely fame, lly filmy given the current state of the media. >> and "downsizing." >> this is a movie when you shrink yourself to five inches tall. matt damon and kristen wiig are adorable. they are deciding if they should do this, too. >> that's a bizarre concept. >> it's really funny in the first half. and it's really moving and thoughtful in the second half. very surprising movie. one of the most original films i've seen this year. as you can tell, i love it. >> very clever. i can't wait for that one. >> bring us home with
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game." >> that opens today. it's the first time aaron sorkin has directed a movie, the creator of "the west wing." it's about molly bloom who creates this high-stakes poker game. and she gets brought down by the fbi and has to defend herself in a legal case. a wonderful performance by jessica chastain also in the awards chase. >> do you have contender? >> "dunkirk," "the post," "the shape of water" and "lady bird." >> he knows his movies. you tell us everything we need to know. thank you so much. merry christmas. >> you, too. while you're taking in all that entertainment, you might want to do a little snacking. >> we're going to be enjoying some special munchys in a moment. but first, the candy cane. 1.8 billion are made in the u.s. every year. we decided to take a look
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family favorite candy confection. ♪ this is santa's sweet spot, a wonderful of sugar and spice and everything nice. founded in the '20s, this small denver sugar shop, hamman's candies is making candy canes by hand. >> we produce 36 different flavors. peppermint, cherry, and we get into the apple pies, chocolate. >> reporter: 8 million candy canes are cooked and cut right here. it's a 90-minute process that starts with corn syrup, water and sugar. pulling, stretching. folding and molding the candies into shape. >> the day after christmas, we're making candy canes to sell for the following holiday. >> reporter: the origins of the candy cane can be traced back to the 17th century. but modern fkl
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symbolism, the shape of a shephe shepherd's crook, one that they would have carried to meet baby jesus. >> candy cams are timeless and classic. i hope when someone opens one up this christmas and takes a taste of it, it reminds them of a better time. >> reporter: the most wonderful time of the year. they are the best. okay. you're in the mood, now, for something sweet. we frhave the perfect guest. zane is the chef at the lodge in park city, utah. >> merry christmas. >> bark. >> you have to make bark. we melted some white chocolate. and a few drops of peppermint syrup. >> it's going to give it a little punch. a little zing. then, we go into
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dish. it comes right out. and if you take a little of the dark chocolate and pour it on top. we create a marbling effect. superfun and great to throw in a bag and take to the neighbors. you create this little swirl. and finish with our candy canes. we just came from our candy cane segment. give it about an hour. you have bark that's ready to go. >> a home crafted present, people love. >> and the kids will go crazy for it. >> do you bake that or freeze it or what? >> it will set up and become crispy bits. >> it's dlish ee's delicious. >> we're the peanut gallery. >> good snacking stuff now. >> i love this popcorn. >> this is a great recipe. it's easy to do. snicker
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idea, really fun. we pop some popcorn. easy to do. we've taken a little bit of sugar and a little bit of corn syrup. we've gone ahead and melted it. >> was there butter in there? >> finish with butter. we give this a little vanilla just for color. we work the vanilla in. a great caramel, easy. and we go right over the popcorn. >> oh. >> it's so good. >> that's the easy part. now, put your hand in the bag. we go into the bag. >> oh. and the paper bag works great. >> why a paper bag? >> to shape up. >> i'm going to dump this in. we have butterscotch chips, pretzels and peanuts. >> and for the vegans, we put in butternut squash. >> give that a good shake. this is the fun part for the
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kids. >> i love this idea. >> easy enough. >> and you pour it out? >> out on the paper. >> kids go nuts for that. >> oh, yeah. we want to let it cool just a little bit. we kind of break it up. and those chips will all melt. voila. let it cool for a little bit. give the chips a chance to melt. simple, easy. >> another good homemade gift. >> snickerdoodle popcorn ready for christmas morning. >> what's the drink? >> it ee's gingerbread hot chocolate. i warmed up milk and half and half. a simple recipe. but some tricky parts that give you that flavor. molasses. a few tablespoons of molasses. a little vanilla. and we have clove, anise,
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and ground ginger. give it a few moments to infuse the flavors. once this is going, we're going to pour it over three cups or so of white chocolate chips. >> i assume you use a strainer so the bits don't get in there. >> you get all of the cloves and things out. >> that's rich. >> you give this a little stir while we add a few tablespoons of brown sugar. >> that's it? >> that's it. really simple. you have the beautiful and intense flavor. >> can you put a little rum in there? >> i prefer the bourbon. you can do an alcoholic version for the holidays. finish with crushed gingerbread candies and marshmallows and your favorite hot chocolate for theas
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and one more quick drink. we're calling this the vermont sleigh ride. a little warm milk. a little bit of ginger and a little maple to give you that. >> ooh. >> and you can go a little bourbon in this thing. or a lot of bourbon. >> sleigh bells ring, are you listening? >> it adds a little happy to the holidays. >> i'll say. >> what? >> it only takes one sip. >> it does. >> whoa. >> cheers and merry christmas. >> merry christmas. >> if you would like to make some of the delicious recipes and you're still sober, go to today.com/food. coming up, a special christmas performance from the spectacular gwen stefani right after your local news and weather.
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♪ jingle bells 8:30, monday morning. the bells are jingling. it's christmas morning here in the heart of rockefeller plaza. you wipe the visions of sugarplums from your eyes. hopefully santa got your list and your presents are under your tree and you have family and everybody you love. >> just ahead this morning, we'll sehelp you celebrate with song. gwen stefani has one of the hottest holiday albums of the year.
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special performance. with all of the wrapping paper torn off, we will help with the cleanup. holiday hacks to make that chore easier this year. >> we just got the tree up. it's christmas italian-style. we will treat you to a spectacular holiday feast. first, your holiday forecast. here's what's going on in your neck of the woods. now, to some holiday hacks in a
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this is easy ways to keep your kids busy and clean up and make the rest of the week go smoothly. >> elizabeth mayhew is a genius and expert. >> merry christmas, you guys. >> we're going to start with crafts for the kids. after they get the presents open, they're bored a lot of times. >> you'll have a few days with them at home. these are things you likely have around the house. you won't have to go to the grocery store. let's start with the cute marshmallow snowflakes. you take a big marshmallow. you stick some toothpicks in that thing. and you have them stick the minimarshmallows. and it looks cute right on. you put it in your hot chocolate. >> next? >> also using marshmallows and candy canes. take a candy cane. and you break off the top. and you have a stick. then, take
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it in warm water. and you make a hole through the marshmall marshmallow. and you thread three of them on the candy cane stick. it looks like that. you can use twizzlers to make the neck. use white icing. if you want to put a hat on, you can use chocolate kisses. to make the nose, i use orange m&ms and cut it in half. >> how do you think of this stuff? >> and for eyes, you can use a gel pen. you don't need the eyes. if you want it all edible, there you go. >> supercute. another use of candy canes. >> this is taking your candy canes from christmas to valentine's day. you unwrap the candy canes and you glue them together. >> who knew it makes a heart? >> and the other thing you can do if you want them to make, they can make valentine's cards. you take two little
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it on a card and you have valentine's day. >> maybe it's time to clean up the big mess. pine needles are everywhere. >> they're not good for your vacuum cleaner. >> they're not? >> they're not. if you have this, a lint roller, you go like that and it picks them up. >> if you don't have it, duct tape. >> duct tape or any kind of tape. look, you're a professional cleaning. >> look at me cleaning. if you want to store ornaments, often you open up the box after christmas and a couple are broken. >> wrapping paper, go ahead and shred it. you can use egg cartons. and solo cups. put them in a box. >> pack them in there. >> and you can use a wine box. and the nightmare of the lights, just wrap them around a hanger. and you can go like this in your closet and you have them all down. coming up next, a classic
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it's a very festive "today food" this morning. we're celebrating christmas with a little italian flare and our dear friend lidia bastianich. her latest book is "lidia's celebrate like an italian." >> good morning. >> good morning. how are you? >> spending christmas morning with you guys is great. >> a dream of mine would be at your house for christmas dinner. what is that table like? >> this year is about 26 of us. four generations, starting with my dear mother, who is 97. >> stop it. >> you have a dear mom. kids, grandkids, great grandkide'
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that's the idea. >> let's cook up pasta something. >> this is a great pasta for holidays and gathering. all you need is this, a little oil, a little stock, some pasta, pepper flakes and escarole and sausages. sausages, you take them out of the casing and use them for flavor. >> want me to help you? >> just get it into small pieces. mush it up there. you take the sausages and cut it like that. >> get the meat out of there, out of the case. >> you can make great meet bal s meatballs out of this meat. >> how long does this cook? >> you need to get it nice and crunchy. this is what it's supposed to look like. >> exactly. and then some -- >> that's fascinating. can we get a
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aha. that's awesome. >> get your fingers out of there. >> i'm scared of you. >> fresh garlic. >> you mix that. and get the escarole. >> explain what the lettuce is. >> escarole is an endive. it's a great salad. you use uh aall of this outsided leave the inside for a salad. and the outside, you can make a great dish, just like this or a great soup or whatever. >> you throw that in there? >> in that there. >> what's the purpose of that? to get greens in there? >> you want a balanced meal. and chicory is not bad, it's in season. we put a little salt in here. you have the seasoning and the
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p pepper. >> you cook it until it gets just like that. >> our tasters are enjoying this. tell us about it. >> spectacular. >> really good. >> lidia, i try to make this as home and it's never as good as when you make it. >> practice. practice like everything else. >> how do you get to carnegie hall? practice. >> what kind of pasta is this best over? >> tubular pasta. these are rigatoni. these are a little smaller. >> you know what i love? you're supposed to add the pasta to the pot of sauce as opposed to put the pasta on the plate and dump the sauce over. >> exactly. you cook it a little bit and you mix it and let the pasta take some of the flavor. >> this is yours. this is how it should look. when you cook pasta, salted water. never put oil in the cooking water. >> why?
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the sauce doesn't adhere to it. maybe that's part of the problem there, that they never taste the same. >> you have to leave the oil out of the pasta water. >> i don't do that. i follow the recipes word for word. it's just your magic touch. >> we have a lot of beauties up here. beautiful salad and dessert, all on the website. >> have a beautiful christmas. >> you can find these on today.com/food. and for lidia's cookbook, go to today.com/shop. coming up, a classic
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without a little christmas music. who else to get us in the mood than superstar gwen stefani. she is putting her personal take on a classic. from her album, "you make it feel like christmas" gwen stefani. ♪ ♪ dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh ♪ ♪ o'er the fields we go laughing all the way ♪ ♪ bells on bob-tails ring making spirits bright ♪ ♪ what fun it is to laugh and sing ♪ ♪ a sleighing song tonight ♪ oh, jingle bells jingle bells ♪ ♪ jingle all the way! ♪ oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh! ♪ ♪ hey ♪ jingle bells jingle bells ♪
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♪ jingle all the way! ♪ oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh! ♪ ♪ now, the ground is white go at it while you're young ♪ ♪ take the girls tonight and sing our sleighing song ♪ ♪ just get a bobtailed bay 240 as his speed ♪ ♪ hitch him to an open sleigh and crack, you take the lead ♪ ♪ jingle bells jingle bells ♪ ♪ jingle all the way! ♪ oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh! ♪ ♪ hey ♪ oh, jingle bells jingle bells ♪ ♪ jingle all the way! ♪ oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh! ♪ ♪
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♪ jingle jingle bells frx can you hear the jingle bells ♪ ♪ she's dashing through the snow ♪ ♪ got to meet her baby by the mistletoe ♪ ♪ jingle, jingle bells loving and a hugging ♪ ♪ as we jingle all the way ♪ oh, jingle bells jingle bells ♪ ♪ jingle all the way! ♪ oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh! ♪ ♪ hey ♪ jingle bells jingle bells ♪ ♪ jingle all the way! ♪ oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh! ♪ ♪ oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh! ♪ ♪ hey
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welcome back on this christmas morning. the time has arrived for us to open our gifts. >> we drew names a little bit earlier. a little too much eggnog there. we went on search for the perfect presents. we did not reveal who the recipients were. al explained -- >> secret santa. >> can we tell each other now? >> we can. i'm going to start. hoda, you're my recipient. >> what? what is it? >>
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you know how you love music. you can put it in your pocket or your purse. hoda is saying, listen to this song. and it's really small. and it should fit in your purse. >> it is perfect. >> that's so fun. >> that's great. >> and it will go in your new purse. >> this is awesome. thank you. am i next? >> i think so. >> mine is savannah. >> how funny. okay. oh. >> what is this? >> oh. the cutest. it's little guitar picks with the kids' faces on it. >> that's impressive. >> i know you love the guitar. look at your little ones. >> that's the cutest ever. well done. both on a musical theme. >> that's awesome. >> i go next. al, big surprise, i got your name. >> i want to see.
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>> oh, this is fantastic. >> what is it? >> it's a salt block. you cook on them. >> i don't understand. >> you put this on the bourner r the grill. you get it hot. and you cook the food on the surface. >> does it make it salty? >> no. it seasons it. you use it over and over. it is spectacular. we both love salt. >> or you can be like a deer and just lick it. >> exactly. that will last a while. so, i've got a little present. dylan's is over here. >> you got to open the package first. i forgot. >> it's a two-part center. >> yes. >> this is fun. >> this is fun. salt and pepper. >> my gosh. we're on a theme. >> well, keep going. >> there's more? >> no. >> that's awkward. >> and i also got for you -- to use with the salt and
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giant ribeye steak. >> dinner. >> i'll eat the whole plate. >> it's baked potato and broccoli. >> you don't have to have dinner. >> you can cook it over and cook it on the salt block. >> al's running joke is that i can polish off a steak by myself and he struggles to eat it. >> she's the greatest eater ever. >> you have a cooking theme and we have the music theme. it was meant to be. >> we want to wish you the happiest of holidays. we should thank everybody who works here behind the scenes to make the show that we all love possible. so, from our family to yours, merry christmas. ♪ ♪ ♪ i want you, baby slow hands ♪ ♪ like sweat
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t. rowe price. invest with confidence. this morning on "megyn kelly today," a very merry christmas. on this christmas day, we celebrate faith, family and togetherness. a discussion with religious leaders from all walks of life on a common goal. and paying it forward. a woman seeing a need and fulfilling it. one book and pair of pajamas at a time. plus, the big finish. our month of merry freebie train makes its latest and greatest stop. what does conductor alex have in store for his grand gift finale. all that and more on a very merry "megyn kelly today," right now. welcome, everyo
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