good morning. new year's eve soaker. powerful storm set to put a damper on celebratio across the country. tens of miions facing heavy rain, high winds and even snow, to usher in 2019.il whe police heighten security for tonight's countdown. al has the forecast so you can plan your night. let's make a deal? toth the government shutdown entering day tenp republican signals trump could be willing to compromi. >> he's very open-minded about combining wall funding with other things to make it a win-win for the country. >> so, what will it take to end the stalemate? 're live at the white house. horrific attack. a 22-year-old intern, killed by a lion at an animal park in north carolina.

>> any sort of incident like this is devastating to everyone. >> the animal, shot and killed by police. so, how d it manage to escape from a locked enteosure. the last on the investigation just ahead. those storie plus stop the presses. the search for answers after cyber attacks targeting major u.s. newspapers. netflix and thrill. inside the streaming service's record-breaking weekend that had millions glued to their devices. and massive jackt. the new year's day mega millions drawing approaches $500 million, with a lot of people wanting to start the year off ahole lot richer. monday, december 31st, 2018. >> from nbc news, this is "today," with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, live frn studio 1a ickefeller plaza. good morning. welcome to "today" on this final

day o 2018. i'm sheinelle jones, alongside kristen welker. savannah, hoda and craig all have the morning off. it is packed outside this i'm wondering, are these folks going to run out of steam? >> it's packed and they have a good day for it. it's relatively tepid here. >> it is tepid,ut we'll s what happens. we have our eyes on several trouble spots across the country, includingasve system from the south to new england. it means that millions in times square will be watching the ball and the rain drop tonight. l go there in a moment. but first, al roker is in california for the rose parade anst has the f check of the forecast. good morning, my friend. >> good morning, everybody. thank you fetng your first weather from us. we're in the rosemont pavilion, the place where we put the floats togethl. it we colder here in pasadena for the ball drop than itl be in new york city. but a big storm is getting itself together and this one

packed a punch. a wintry punch out west. a big, severe weather punch, as you getown to the south. 6 million people are under threat for w severether today. greatest threat for damaging winds butan rule out isolated tornadoes. here's what we're looking for am far as s impacts with this system. the flooding rain, in the midwest, rising creeks and streams. strong winds will cause problems, too. air delays and road delays. i-55, i-40, and i-76. out west, snow in the rockies. slippery roads, hazardous travel, airport delays for denver. chicago may see some dela, as well, as well as minneapolis. and i-70 will be a problem. i-90. billings to madison. and i-95, casper to albuquerque, it will be a big one. and the rain is goingo come tonight, for the big ball drop

in times square. we'll look at that. but we have a mess on our hands guys.w year's eve, >> i don't think they're allowed to have umbrellas, either. >> people will be watching the forecast closely. >> thank you, al. all of the rain al mentioned, will only add to issues for police in times square. stephanie gosko is there see what is being done to keep eryone safe tonight. stephanie, good morning. happy new year to you. >> reporter: happy n year to you, too. it's quiet but that's going to change. people will startn pouring here later. as you mentioned, it's not that cold. there's been some years where it has been frigid out here. but there's weather problems. r then that al mentioned is going to come in. the rules, security rules, include no umbrellas. long before the new yr even begins, law enforcement officials in new york city are working on their resolution to

keep times square safe. while millions of revelers look lp at the crystal ball in times square, the nypd wave eyes everywhere else. the new york city police department will have the largest contingent of new york citypo lice officers ever seen at any event in new york city. >> reporter: tpot increased ce presence, reenforced by bomb bomb-sniffing dogs, 200 blocker vehicles and 200 cameras tha will include drone technology for the first time ever. >> we're using drones to go in, lower than a helicopter can go in and concentrate on an area. >> reporter: detectives will take positions inside new york ci i hotelsn an effort to prevent anttack from the 2017 mass shooting in las v yas. this newear's eve, vegas officials are leaving nothing to

chance. >> security will include strike teams in the strip, and sniper overwatch on the strip and fremont street. >> reporter: the hollywood sign will have extracu sety, after pranksters targeted the sign 2015. there's no known speedfic or crible threats, ty're urging revelers to remain vigilant as they ring in 2019. >> everyone has to be ready, if they see something. if something doesn't feel right, you have to tell an nypd officer so they can act on that information. >> reporter: the ball drop this year will be honoring journalists and celebrating press freedoms. there will be a bunch o journalists onhand, including our buddy, lesterho holt, will have the best view of the night. >> well deserved for lester. no question about that. >> thanks, stephanie. we're joined by commissioner james o'neill. i know it's the start of a busy day. >>morning, sheinelle. good morning, kristen. >> you have people from all arnd the worl some people will be out there 13, 14 hours.

what's your greest concern is morning? >> this is something that obviously happens every year. we got it down to a science. road closures in the beltway area will start at 4:00. the other roadlores will be closed at 11:00. we have 13 access i points. ve concerned about any lar event. ut we do this how many times year? we just came off the marathon, the halloween parade, the treat lighting, and now, today,ew year's eve. >> there's a first this year. you're using drones. is that a game-changer? talk about the significance of that and how that's going to prove your ability to secure the area. >> the drone gaves us perspective from a greater height. it won't be tethered. it is the first time we're using it. we have a responsibility to make sure that whatever technology is available, that we use it. we have counterdrone technology, which is important also.

>> i was going to ask you. w about others trying to get their drone up? >> we're working with private companies and partners in the fbi. we have counrdrone technology. don't bring alcohol or large bags, backpacks, don't bring umbrel umbrellas. >> i heard that. >> don't bring drones. >> don't bring drones. >> right. >> and bottom line for the ralel re, we say this, but if you see something, say something. ands of polico officers out there today. if you're from new york or wherever you're from, and peope cohere, you see something that makes you uncomfortable, see something that doesn't look right, there will probably be a cap close to y cop close to you. emember how cold it was last year? >> i remember exactly how cold it was. >> s, sheinelle. i couldn't feel my face. >> i heard the news coming in, it was 9 degrees.

it was 4 degrees. >> commissioner, thank you. >> i should say all of the officers a theen and women away from their families and friends. >> i want to thank the men and women of the nypd and the agencies helping us tonight. >> commissionero'neill, thank you. >> we thank them, as well. another major story we're following on this new year's ale eve, the par government shutdown as it enters day ten. one lawmaker sees the potential for a deal to end the stalemate. geoff bennett has more. >> reporter: good mo kristen and sheinelle. a turealent in washington is coming to a close, with no signs of progress, as the government shutdown stretches into a second week.en prestrump has not reached out to democratic congressional leaders in nine days. that's as one top republican is nowignalling the president may be willing to strike a deal. this morning, the partial governmes shutdown heading

into its tenth day, with both sides stuck in a standoff over the proposed border wall, talk of new optimm on the part of the president. >> he was in a very good mood. and i think he's receptive to making a deal, if it achieves his goals of securing our border. >> reporter: frutrum ally, lindy graham, strategizing with president trump over a two-hour lunch. >> the wall has become a metaphor for border security. >> reporter: graham suggesting mr. trump might conside a compromise that would extend work permits and temporary legal status to qlified undocumented immigrants, in exchange for billions to build border barr r barriers. the private meeting cappingtr p's fourth-straight day with no public events. the president out of sight but activeev on twitter,eling a

stunning accusation, after two migrant children died in federal custody earlier this month. any deaths of children at the border are the fault of democrats antheir pathetic policies. mr. trump arguing that migrants wouldn't make the journey if we have a wall because they wouldn't try. democrats say a wall is a deal-breaker. >> he wants $5 billion from the american taxpaye to bui something that would be ineffective. >> reporter: adding his voice to the debate, outgoing chiefst of f john kelly, saying the long-promised border wall is not what he has portrayed. to behonest, it's not a wall. and blamingme f attorney general jeff sessions for the policies separating undocumented immigrants fromheir children at the border. kelly said the move took him by gesurprise. >>f, as a reminder of the real-life implications of this

down, the new york polic commissioner warns us that the fbi and secret service are working to secure times square and are not getting paid tonight. this comes as the president is tweeting about his predecessorwh barack obama's he saying, geoff? >> he said president and mrs. obama blt a ten-foot wall around their d.c. mansion/compound. i agree. the u.s. needs the same thing, slightly larger version. the obamas bought their home in 2017. and the website reported that the couple was building this wall around their property. a spokeswoman for the obamas declined to comment in all of this. in her new book, "becoming," michelle obama wrote that donald trump's embrace of false conspiracy theories about her husband made her fear for her family's security. >> thank y for thatpoint. appreciate it. also this morning, an

investigation is under way into a deadly lion attack at a wi wildlife conservatory in norca lina. gabe gutierrez has that story. >> reporter: good morning. the animal park in burlington, north carolina, is closed this morning. authorities say the attackha ened after the lion somehow escaped from a locked space. this morning, the family of 22-yeaold intern alexandra blache is tbroken. authorities say she died sunday, after a lion somehow escaped from a locked space during a routine enclosure cleaning, during aat conseive center, a wildfe sanctuary in north carolina. puties shot and killed the lion after efforts t tranquilize it failed. >> it's sad bause it's loss of life. and then, it's the loss of a majestic animal. but we had to de what had to do. >> reporter: black was a recent

graduate from indiana university. she started wking at the center as an intern ten days ago. her family saying in a statement, she wanted to make a career working with animals, adding, sheifas a beautul young woman, who had just started her career. she died following her passion.r the carolina chapter of the humane society has identified the lion, ,mathai featured in one of the center's videos. the photo that says he i shy and nervous has been removed from the website. the sanctuarylu is more than a dozen ylions, man rescued from ohio in 2004. the animals are featured on the center's social media profile and youtube page. the center says it's devastated by the loss of a human life and will be closed until further notice, as the investigation moves forward. >> working with wildnils like this, this is a highly

ofskilled sion. and it's something we take very seriously. any incident i like th devastating to everyone. >> reporter: park officials say there were visitorseon-s but they were escorted to safety. it's not clear how that lion got out. >> heartbreaking. thank you. there is more tos get to t morning, including a new wave of lotte lottery fever, spreading coast-to-coast. the jackpot for the mega millions drawing is 5$515 million. kerry, i hope you can get all of s.us some tick >> reporter: well, good morning. as we enter the new year, we're going to hear so many people with their resolutions. they're going to go on a diet to lose weight.he then,re going to go to the gym. going to quit smoking. if there'sne sure way to change your life in 2019, it would be to win $415

llion-plus in the mega millions. >> can i get the winning lottery ticket, please. >> reporter: this morning, the mega millions registers are ringing. cket buyersin hoping to rin the new year, $415 millionch rier. >> we could spare a couple pubus for that. a reporter: the drawing new year's day has lot of people drming. >> vacations, vacations, vacations. >> student loans. >> pay off my current house and probably buy some more. >> reporter: if one person wins the jackp and takes the cash option, they would go home with nearly $250 million. >> security. and travel around the world. >> rorter: maybe it's a diamond cartier bracelet you've been dreaming about. the white gold one with 624 diamonds. you could afford more than 2,800 of them. or the porsche 911 gt2 rs,

you've had your eye on for $293,000. you could get8 of them. but save money for gas. or you could snag the most expensive house for sale in america, this bel air mansion, listed at $245million, but thereouldn't be much left for furniture,e?ould th ng jackpot has beenli rol ov ticket worth5 $1. billion was sold in south catlina. who tlucky winner is, still a mystery. they have until april to come forward. the long odds, 1 in 302 million. no deterrent when the jackpot is this big. >> i hope it's the winner. >> reporter: i asked my cpa, lenny miller, would it have been bett to maybe have won this year, versus next year, because of all of those trumpax cuts. he said you would still pay the same amount.e guys, to h such problems.

>> a girl can dream. >> indeed. winning any time sound good for me. let's head back to al in california for the rest of the forecast. al? >> hey, guys. not a lot of winners out in timesquare, because in the northeast. so, for anyfestivities, you'll have big problems. we'll be looking at that and we're looking at a sog. 49 degrees. that's 40 degrees warmer than last year when it was 9 for new year's day in pasadena, gorgeous day, plenty of sshine and 47 degrees but a little on the breezy side. we'll get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds.

and he's the latest on storm team 4 radar. still dry in the immediate d. metro area. showers starting to push in towards the la ray area. we'll have rain moving in between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. showers continue throughout t day wit high of 53. scattered showers out there tonight. if you're heading on you theheo ring in new year, you want to grab the umbrella. mild tomorrow with a high around 60 but breezy with partly to mostly cloudy skies. >> that's your latest weather. comi that'seshe l weather. coming up in the next half hour, we'll look aamazing weather stats from ew2018. n developments in the disappearance of a colorado mother. her fncee accused of murder, set to speak in court today.

we'll have the very latest. the cyber attack that almost stopped the press at major newspapers across the country. was your private information exposed? first, this is "today" on nbc.

just ahead on this big day fo ride sharing, which service will get you there fastest and cheapest? our "rossen reports" tea is testing out and comparing uber nd lyft. beautiful anzarre. what fans are saying about the start of lady gaga's las vegas ok, i'm ready...

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feed his kindness, with the fresh roasted peanut taste he loves. where there's jif, there's love. good morning, everyone. it's 7:26 on this december 31, 2018. >> in the news this morning, three children have died. two adults have been injured after a multicar crash on indian head highway. three cars crashed on the road around 10:00. the children and adults were trapped after the crash. firefighters were eventually able to get the adults free. no word yet on what caused it. this morning officials at bwi marshall after a collapse. three people were hurt. inspection crews determined a

defective metal bracket was at fault. now with a check on the commute, here's wtlt's dave. >> traffic jam inside the beltway on route 50 westbound to 252. only one left lane getting by a crash on u.s. 50 heading for new york avenue. l is clear on the beltway. the ramp from 123 to westbound 66 was blocked by a crash response. back to you. a check of your forecast coming up. look. it's over.

i love you, but i'm not in love with you. she says i can't see you anymore. find furniture you'll love at... the more you buymore sale. h you save -- up to $1000. how much you save is up to you!th e deals are break-up worthy. havertys. life looks good. showers will be moving into the area over the next few hours with this storm system. we're still dry right now. it's mainly between 9:00 and 11:00 when rain moves into the area. we'll have rain through the evening and overnighthours. dry time as well. when it's not raining we'll have

plenty of clouds out there with a high temperature of 53. tomorrow breezy, with a high of 60. >> thank you. another local news update in 25 minutes. now back to "today."

♪ . love 7:30, now, on this new year's eve e -- new year's eve morning, i should say, in the states. it's 2019 in other parts of the world. th's the celebration in new zealand a short time ago. now, it's quiet i times square. that will change soon. millions are ready b tove the forecast to watch the ball drop here. we'll get al's forecast coming up. >> happy new year's to new zealand. that was a good one. first, a check of today's other headlines. the partial government shutdown is entering its tenth tere's talk of new optimism on the part of president, as both sides remain stuck in a standoff over the proposed border wall.

lindsey graham spent sunday strategizing with president trump, over a two-ur lunch. >> he was in a very good mood. i think he's receptive toea makg a if it achieves his goals of securing our border. >> graham suggested the president might accept a compromise that would extend work permits and illegal status to immig ntsstead of money to build border barriers. democrats says border wall a deal-breaker. an apartment ilding collapse in russia after a gas explosion. rescue crews are digging through the rubble, searching for survivors. a deflective metal bracket is likely to blame for a jet bridge collapse at the baltimore airport. paramedics were helping a passenger with medical problem. four medics, two southwest airline employees and the sick

passenger a fell to the ground. they were treated for nonlife-threatening injues. the remainder of the passengers exited the plane safely using the stairs. the otherac jkets will be replaced. we're expecting to learn more about the colorado mother who disappeared on thanksgiving and is presumed dead by authorities. this rning, her fiance is appearing in court. joe fryer joins us with the latest. >> reporter: good morning. patrick frazee will be formally charged a tod is expected to enter a plea. he was arrested ten years ago, accused of murdering his fiancee, kelsey berreth. but so far, the body has not been found. a shackled silent, patrick frazee said nothing tote reporrs as he walked into a courtroom before a custody hearing for his 1-year-old daughter. today, he will return to the same colorado courthouse, as criminal case against him. frazee is accused of

first-degree murder and solicitation of first-degree murdls. but officave provided few details why frazee is a suspect and if someone else could be arrested. >> that's a possibility. but i'm not going tatguess about t this point. >> reporter: police spoke out at a news conference following frazee's arrest. at the time, investigators said they did not believe berreth w alive. >> we have not found kelsey at this time, informaon is being developed to help our search. >> reporter: berreth was last seen on s thanksgiving,pping at a grocery store with her daughter. frazee said he saw baerreth latr that day when he picked up t daughter. the couple was engaged but did not live together. berreth's cell phone pinged a tower about 700 miles away in idaho. >> her phone did end up in ah we're working to recover that phone. >> reporter: police in twin falls, idaho, say they helped

with the investigation, serving several search warrants and providing evidence. kaley, their daughter wil stay with her parents. theeg county has l custody. and frazee's mother has filed a motion tointervene, which is necessary to figure out her rights in the case. a judge must consider who will be given custody of the young girl, with her mother missing andsu pd dead and the criminal case against her father moving orward. >> hfrazee issued any statements since his arrest? >> so fa no. he is represented by the public ers office. in court filings, frazee's attorneys have sought to limit pretrial activities because of the negative publicity. >> joe, thank you. we want to take a turn and get a check of t weathe al is in pasadena, california, >> y, guys.

one of the great things, all the flowers on the floats are the great vintage vehicles. this is a 1967 fire truck that was originally in service here inde pa. it's going to be ridden by the mayor of pasadena.s chaka khanoing to be in the grand marshal's car, which is right over here. i feel fort you t you're not here to enjoy all this. i feel for you. anyway, s let'sw you what's been going on. 2018 has been an amazing year for some statistics. we want to take a look back. first of all, as far as hurricanes were concerned, it was an amazing hurricane season. 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes, 2 major. four tropic storms a same time. category 4, michael, strongest to hit the florida panhandle. rainfall has been crazy. 've seen the greatest rainfall, wettest years on record for d.c., roanoke, raleigh, wilmington. top five years for new york city, chicago, dallas, atlanta and hartford.

the good news is, whe it cam to tornadoes, we had a record low number ofrn oes. fewest since 2014. onlyen tornado fatalities. that's the fewest on records. and we had first time since 1950, n violent tornadoes in a given year. so, that is good news. and that's wha going on. we'll get to your local forecast. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> we're going to have rain showers moving into our area today between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. and continue at times on into the remainder of the day before winding down around 1:00, 2:00 a.m. if you're heading out, 7:00, 9:00, 11:00 p.m., there's a chance fof thrain. g too heavy. our temperature slowly warming overnight. 55 degrees out there around midnight. tomorrow we'll have near steady temperatures throughout the day in t upper 50s to around 60. >> guys coming u coming up in the next half

hour we'll take a look at the big storm hitting coast to coast hitting here on new year's eve. back to you. >> thanks, al. all eyes will be on that. > still ahead, the new kids on the block. not us. 're talking generation z. the first year to never know life without internet is taking new approaches to just about everything. planning to take an uber or lyft tonight? which one will get you there faste fastest. a sneak pk at hoda and kathie lee's toast to 2018. new cyber attacks targeting u.s. major newspapers. hat you need to be most concerned about from hackers in 2019 right after this.

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>> reporter: good morning. the cyber attacks on "the los angeles times" and other newspapers is just the latest in a string of high-profile haals, raising concerns about the security of your personal thformation. wi new year on the horizon, this morning, new fears about hacking, after a cyber attack over the c weekendsed printing and delivery disruptions at "the los angeles otimes" aer major newspapers across the country. "t l.a. times reports the attack appeared to originate outside the u.s. "the times" former parent company, tribune publishing, still shares a platform with "the times." in a statement, tribune ublishing continues the diagnosis andremediation of the malware that impacted our systems, used to publish newspapers. it's the latest of high-profile hacks o 2018, targeting t-mobile, google and orbitz. facebook revealing 50 million of

its users were hacked. cctackers getting access to their accounts andnts linked to them. one of the biggest hacks involved marriott's starwood chain, with informatio stolen over a four-year period. what should you do if you he been hacked? notify your bank and credit card company. your data is still vulnerable. >> when it comes to your name, date of birth, mother's maiden name, chances are companies have it because they broke into the companies that store it. >> reporter: make sure y have a unique password for every account. and never reuse passwords across sites. download a manager on your phone or desktop to keep track of your passwords. >> you never have to remember one but that this opens your password manager. >> reporter: check your banknd

credit card statements for sipps of fraud. the risk for getting hacked will only go up because data gets saved in places we never thought of before. consumers, we have to be that much more careful. >> a lot more places you can be vulnerable. whenan are people and cos vulnerable to the hacks. >> it's around this time of most staffs are fewer. there's fewer people monitoring systems. andonsumers using credit card information online at a faster clip and being less careful. the mostt consist advice i heard is use a unique passwoh. it's s hassle but they agree it's worth it. >> talk out a hassle. >> all right. garrett, thank you for that. up next, inside netflix hug holiday weekend. will its first-ever i thought lmarried an italian. eage was the vecchios and zuccolis. through ancestry, through dna i found out that i was only 16% italian.

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great crowd outside. we're going to head out soon and folks.lo to all those in the meantime, though, the holiday season is a popular time to go to the movie theater. this year, a lot ofeople are choosing to stay home to watch the latest hits. >> netflix is celebrating record-breaking streams of "bir" nd a first of its kind interactive movie. >> reporter: netflix is giving ysubscribers a role to p in its popular series. >> we're going to be a hit factory. i mirror," er:n "black which debuted friday,ie vrs choose their own adventure andes make cho that impact the film, like deciding on the movia soundtck. ♪ warm my heart >> reporr: not really a fan of the thompson twins? you can choose another musical option instead. ♪ i want to breathe in the open wind ♪ >> reporter: throughout the film, viewers are presented with multiple choices and have ten seconds to make a decision that will map out the course of the

oory. >> what you want for breakfast? >> reporter: frosties or sugar pops. it's captivating fans on social media. >> the audience online is going crazy about this. if you go on twitter, people have all kinds of theories. they're mapping this out. reporter: the technology is mind-boggling. the movie washot in jus5 days and has five main ends. but because of the choices lot viewers, there were over a trillion variations of the oryline. if you make a bad decision, the characters in the yolm will let know. >> sorry, mate. wrong path. >> netflix had to develop a torytelling tool that would help them branch the narrative, find the loops and find out whic decision leads to which path and map out t different endings. >> reporter: and netflix couldn't have scripted a better way to end the >> did you hear that? >> reporter: they'ti rep that bird box, a horror film

starring sandra bullock, has been viewed by nearly 45 million accounts since it premiered on december 21st. thevi streaming s of breaking its own rule of never revealing viewership numbers. revealing in a tweet, best first seven days ever for a netflix film. it seems netflix is on a roll, leading streaming services with golden globe nominations, including three for the drama "roma. now hopin the success of black mirror is a reflection of things to come in the new year. for "today", miguel almaguer los angeles. >> once you pick the ending, what are the odds you watch it again lfer to see you can change the ending? it's a genius warm lformula. >> this is incredib i feel behind the times. >> you've been busy this year. >> just a little bi> ust ahead, the recipes for

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7:56 is your time on december 31st, 2018. good morning to you. let's get towplt for your first 4 traffic. >> there getting the move on ip bound 50, all lanes opened. athe crash justut clear. hyattsville, new vehicle activity reported on 212 near east/wt highway. all clear in virginia towards springfield. back to you. a check of your forecast coming up next. stay with us.

here's the laitest on storm team 4 weather. a few sprinkles around la ray, a steadier rain there. is rain moving into the d.c. metro area between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. no a rainyday. we'll have dry time as well. when it's not raining we'll have cloudy skies. oohigh temperature today around 53 as we to new year's eve tonight. temperatures continue to warm to abou 55 degrees at midnight. the chance for showers really drops off just after midryght. we'll beomorrow. >> thank you so much. another check of the news in 25 minutes. back to the "today" sh

it's 8:00 on "today." coming , the final countdown. with just hours to go until the times square ball drop, officials are stepping up security around the country. this, as powerfultorms with heavy rain and strong winds are set to impact millions, just beforemidnight. of you need to know ahe tonight's celebrations. plus, uber or lyft?ff ossen puts two of the most popular ride-sharing apps to the test. >> order at the same time. the, two, one, order. >> so, which one gives you more bang for yourbuck? the answer just ahead. ♪ and let'sparty. as festivities get under aaround the wor

the world, we'll have last-minute tips to h ring in the new yearright. december 31st, 2018. ♪ >> 15 hours until midnight. >> hi to our friends and family in virginia. >> sending love to our family in alaska. ♪ >> hi to my students at patrick henry. high scho >> shachecking off my bucket li on the "today" show. >> today is assa's 40th birthday. >> one of my favoritearts of the show. welcome back to "today" on this new year's eve morning. thank you for joining us. take a look at this. world.ppening around the >> that's right. they are celebrating in sydney, australia, already.ee you can thousands turned out for those fireworks there. a huge display. we'll be celebrating here soon. sheinelle, my big question for you, tre you going make it until midnight tonight? >> i'm going to take a power nap

around nunoon. my first n year's d off in five years. i'm going to force myself to stay awake. we have a lot to get to this morning, starting with your news at 8:00. the holiday season is wrapping up the way it started with severe winter storms. it could pose a challenge forre. al is in pasadena for the rose bowl parade, to tell u what to expect around the country. >> we're going to have a nice new year here. we have storms through the midwest and into the southeast. e snow back through the west. here's what we're looking at. severe weather. 6 millioneople couldee severe weather in the south. greatest threat for damaging winds and isolated tornadoes are possible. here's the impacts we're looking e'. first of all, talking about flooding rains, heaviest in the midwest. 1 to 3 inches possible. we're looking at travel delays. airport delays today, chicago,u st. memphis, on the

roads, i-55, i-40, i-70, st. louis all the way to baltimore. and back to the west, heavy snow blowing and driing, slippery ads, hazardous travel. we're looking at airportr dela nver, also working our way to minneapolis, milwaukee, flagstaff, albuquerq and on e roads, i-25, i-90, billings to madison, and i-70, moab to nver, going to be stretchrpanch. al, thank you for that. police will be using evey tool tave to keep the crowd safe, wherever they gather to count down to 2019. stephan stephanie gosk is in times square,n the center of it all. good morning, stephanie. >> reporter: kristen, right now, it is blissfully mild and not

raining. like al said, that rain is going to kick off in the late afternoon and go all the way until the ball drop. people won't be able to bring their umbrellas. that's one of many rules. nf will be the largest contingent of lawcement on the ground here ever for a new york city event. they will beupported by 200 blocking vehicles, theon sanitarucks filled with sand to stop vehicles from ramming into the crowd. b there wil 1,200 security cameras, detectives in the hotels that ring times square, as well as metal detectors. for anyone that's been here on new year's eve, all that security fades into ase backgroundhe night builds here. the ball drop will be celebrating journalists and press freedoms. a large contingent of journalists, including our theer holt, who will hav best vantage point of the night. >> stephanie, thanks. >> one o trump's key allies is

hinting that the pnt might be ready to end the shutdown. geoff bennett starts usoff. is that changing with a tweet? >> reporter: democrats and republicans are stuck in a standoff over the border wall. there's talk of optimism on the part of the president. trumpally, senator lindsey graham. he was at the white house for a two-hour lunch with mr. trump. graham suggests the presidentst might sug compromise that permits andwork legal status to qualified undocumented immigrants in exchange for billions the president wants to build border barriers. president trump has been out of sight over the last few days baa he's been active on twitter, including in the last few minutes, as you mentioned. the president says this, an all-concrete wall was never abandoned as has been reported by the media. some areas will be concrete. but the experts at border patrol

prefer a wall that is see-through so they can see what's ghng on on b sides. democrats said a border wall is a deal-breaker. it appears the shutdown will drag on. >> geoff, thank you. russia's domestic security service says it hadai dd an american citizen in moscow on suspicion of spying. it took him into custody on a criminalopened case against him. the security agency referenced a section of russia's criminal code dealing with espionage dbu did not provide specifics. the u.s. state department was not available for comment. ac drama rescue operation this weekend brought 140 stranded skiers safely down to the ground. a p mechanicablem forced a montana ski resort to stop one of its chair lifts. repairs could take too long. so, the ski patrol went into action. they had to lower skiers from the lifts, using cables and harnesses. the entire operation took2 abou

/2 hours. that is the news. now, sheinelle, you have "the morning boost." >> this is a good one. a college student in chicago thought she would have to spend her final year because she couldn't swing the tuition. as she unwrapped her presents on christmas morning, one gift from her sister left her speechless. >> oh, it's another little box. >> at the bottom of the box was a note that read, quot i am paying off your school balanc her big sister said she was not going to let money hold her little siste back frommp acshing her goals. >> her face says it all. coming up next, a special "rossenrt re you'll want to see if you're hitting the town tonight. >> hi. good morning. i'm jeff rossen. it's holiday party season. thateans we're going to be

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"rossen reports," a ride share faceoff. we're talking about uber and lyft. >> is thereeally a difference between the two? "today" correspondent jeff rossen is going for a lot of e. rides to comp good morning. >> reporter: good morning. it's the holiday season. that means it's party seasonat love you should never drink and drive, which is why ride sharing services like uber and lyft are so popular, especially now. many of us rely on them to get around. i always wonder, you probably do, too, which one is better? che cheaper? to figure that out, you would have to order at the same time and go to t same place. who has time for that? we do. wherever you look, you see them, ubers, lyfts. this year, more than 60 million people will use a ride-sharing app. which one is cheaper and gets to you faster. to find out, i'm taking rides

across the country. and i've enlosisted thp of conner from my team. i'm going to order uber exclusively. we're going to go to three s different cit and take two rides per cityar to comp >> exactly. i'll be using lyft and only taking the lyft economy line, which is pretty much the same as uber x. >> reporter: we're interested and curious which car comes first. we're going from the same location, to the same location, hitting the button at the exact same time. which car comes first and the price difference. first stop, new orleans. we bothrder our rides at the same time. in just two minutes -- conner's is here first. >> reporter: conner is getti into his lift. but i'm right behind him. once inside. i get beads? i lov this uber. when i arrive. results time -- my uber cost $16.94. >> my lyft cost $1st97. almo $2 cheaper than your uber. >> reporter: that's right. lyft is cheaper. for our next ride -- order at

the same time. thre two, one, order. when my uber arrives. uber ishere. i tell you to confirm the license plate. we're going to confirm the plate. yes. this is my uber. who aer you for? >> mr. jeff. >> reporter: mr. jeff. that's me. >> yep, that's me. >> reporter: soon, conner his way, too. and the price? my uber cost $15.34. but his lyft only cost $12.15. lyft was cheaper for both rides in new orleans. next , new york city. we take our rides. >> see ya.yf >> reporter: l is cheaper both times here, too. but there's a problem. on one of thide s, conner had to wait more than 17 minutes for lyft. but just watch what happens in california. twist. this time, uber is cheaper. but the very next trip -- three, two, one, order. back to the pattern. lyft is cheaper again.

this time, by double-digits. our nationwide results, lyft coming in cheaper for five out of six rides, saving conner $20.18, to go to the same places. as for who showed up first, a tie. uber three times and lyft three times. uber telling nbc strive to be the most consistent and reliable. and they are constantly working to deliver an even better, more reliable experience for riders. lyft sayi, we're thrilled to provide affordable and reliable rides. happy riding on your next trip. the six rides we took, for uber and lyft, were regular res. no discounts applied to any of them. here's a couple of money-saving tips, cool stuff that uber and lyft both do. they offer discounts tori rs. you want to keep an eye on your account. you may be eligible. and both uber andyft have announced rewards program for all riders, just like the aiines, that will be rolling

out across the country in the coming months. back to you. >> not a bad idea years ago, i linked my uber -- theyg were dotrial program with an airline. it was like a dollar a mile. >> those rewards are critical. >> do you use uber and lyft? >> i do. and i switch on and off. w chever is faster. let's turn to tonight's all-important forecast. al is ringing in the new year in >> ubernd lyftave electric scooters that you use an app, get on and ride away. 's crazy. as we talk about weather, let's look at your all-impofoant cast for the couple million people in times square. it will be a wet one but warm. probably 40 degrees warmer tha last year. 49. rain showers. some rain could be heavy. for the next day, new year's day out here in pasadena for t 130th rose parade, pasadena, 47.ifornia, mostly sunny and breezy.

chaka khan being the grand marshal. it will be fantastic. hodaotb will be joining me. let' l take ak what's going on right now as far as the floats areconcerned. pam knapp, nice to see you. you have thousands of il volunteers,ons of flowers being put on all these floats. this is the universal float dreamworks' how to train your dragon hidden world. everything has to be covered by natural ingredient. >> every float has to be 100% natural ingredients. we start this week, everything is covered. you see volunteers putting flowers together, covering all ofhese floats by th end of the day today. >> look at all du these indi flowers with glue on them. they have to stick them on the float. >> you see seeds, youee rice, all kinds of grain. >> i'm hungry. >> yeah. you can smell it in here. it smells so good.

by tomorrow morning, every surface will be covered with all kinds ofatural materials and we're going to have so much fun with this. this float is covered with dragons. and it's going to be beautiful. it's just going to be beautiful. >> pam, again, a gorgeous day tomorrow on tap. have a great parade. >> thank you >> 130th tournament of roses parade right here on nbc. wverage begins at 11:00 a.m. eastern, 8:00 on tt coast. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> temperatures right now in the 30s and 40s. 44 degreesn washington. 39 in gaithersburg and 37 in manassasht we're dry r now but showers move in between 9:00 and 11:00 ghm. and continue thrt the day today with a high temperature around 53 degrees.so pretty mild. at midnight we'll haveat tempes around 53, maybe a little warmer. 60 for a high temperature tomorrow.

it will be noticeably breezy for new year's day with mosloy to partlyy skies. >> and that's your latest weather. ladies, irought y something. >> oh. hope they live by the time you get here. >> they will. i won't. >> al! >> thank you. >> you will.we , carson is bizcy getting ready for tonight. sy. he's getting ready for tonight. you have "pop start." >> i'm going to "pop start" it today. first up, lady gaga. a new star was born over the weekend when the performer was propelled fromheeiling to the stage. the show brought out celebrities including adam lambert and katy perry. but it was celine dion that outshined the crowd of fans, as she danced and sang along with gaga. the show came to an emotionald, when gaga got choked up while performing the song ow "sha from "a star is born."

take a look. ♪ i fall in and all the good times i find myself longing ♪ ♪ for change [ cheers ] ♪ and in the bad times i feel myself ♪ ♪ i'm on the deep end watch as i dive in ♪ ♪ i'll never meet the ground >> gaga, a you heard there, broke down in tears during the performance but composed herself to finish the song. you can hear the crowd singing with her. her second residency show, "jazz and piano" kicks off january 20th. a kathie lee hoda will

celebrate a toast to 2018. a star-studded special that t highlihe biggest pop culture moment. heo 's a preview of what's t come. >> this is awesome. >> hmm. >> uh-oh. >> what was that? ♪ >> oh. >> i don't think that's right. >> oh. >> why do we do that? >> why? >> it's just fun. >> wow. >> here's to >>you. hoda and kathie lee. >> that was awesome. >> it's going to be a good time. a lot of familiar faces in that clip. to watch the special,une i 8:00 eastern, 7:00 central. and stick around to watch carson da daly, hosting new year's eve with chrissy teigen. >> that looks like a fun show.ne ever laughing. meantime, parents, you want

to pay attention to tht story. do you feel like you aren't understanding your kids? nbc's savannah sellers is with us to help everyone better understand generation z. good morning, savannah. help >> reporter: good morning, guys. there's the boomers, there's millennials. but gen-z is the next wave. and that's quite a bit that makes them uniquely them. the new kids on the block or in your office, aren't just millennia millennials. >> reporter: the freshest faces are those of generation z. millennials are those defined born between 1981 and 1995, those in gen-z, are born from 1996 on. it's more th the birth years that set these generations apart. we wenrc to the s and talked

to four people that we found the gen-z way, on snapchat. >> i think it's internet engagement. >> we were born with itno we donw a world without it. >> reporter: while most millennials can remember life before smartphon and media, gen-z have always had a phone in their pocket. >> snapchat. >> reporter: they are job market in a new day. what does success mean to you guys now? >> people in our generation are looking for the success in the way of living on your own terms. >> reporter: tt means looking to social media platforms for viable career opportunities, causing some to think about education differently. do you think that, given social media opportunities, tt going to college is necessary anymore? >> i really think that we're moving towards a time where a degree isn't necessarily important. >> reporter: they multitask wita . their digital fluency allows

them to take on a lot at once. sometimes comingacross as unfocused. they say it's focus, the n-z way. >>ou're not only one social media for a time. yare on snap chachat and you wat to go on inepagram. >>ter: short attention spans mean trends evolv fast. when your parents know about it, we're on the downhill. >> when it leaves the generation, it's not cool anymore. >> reporter: access to social media and technology has made n- ge more global. >> we're the first generation that's grown up with the tools that make us able to connect with anybody across the world.r: >> repor they are all under 20 and founded and run a consulting firm, helping fortune 500 and others reach gen-z they want you to know they're ready for a seat at the table, especially since gen-zs the largest percentage of the population, at over 25%.

and it represents up to $143 billion in bing wer. >> we're overtaking millennials as the largest generation by 2019. if you don't work with us, u're going to miss the boat. >> reporter: and don't underestimate what they're up to on their phones. give me a thort answer older people saying to you guys, you're always on your phone. >> you iave noa what i'm doing. >> we'ret not jus ignoring the world around us. we're interacting with hundreds of people. >> reporter: this generation wants you to know, just because they care about followers, t doesn't meay don't care about friendships. and it doesn't mean they're ro disconnected what happens in the world. >> we as a generation, we're so heverse. we'reost inclusive generation. we know what we want to see in our >>leaders. oung people have always been standing up for things, always disrupting the status quo, iways rewriting trends. what's uniqu the tools we have access to, allow for disruptionssto become maam.

>> reporter: and with the tools, they plan to do big things. 60% of gen-ze it is 8:26 on this mondayin mo hope your new year's eve is off to a great start. i'm chris lawrence. let's get a check on the commute. >> it's off to a great start trafficwise. the only traffic jam w w had inbound 50 in maryland. that crash is a wrap. it'sear. we're getting ready for the military bowl parade in annapol annapolis. they'll head towards navy, marine corps memorial stadium. clear sailing on the capitolbe way. we'll get a check on the forecast when we ce back. it'se for our lowest prices of the season on

the new sleep number 360 smart bed. it senses your movement and automatically adjusts to keep you both comfortable. and now, the queen sleep number 360 c4 smart bed is only $1299. plus, 24-month financing on all beds. ends new year's day.

good morning. storm teamr. 4 ra i'm tracking light rain along 66 back to the i-80 corridor. showers continue to move into the area tod and we'll have rain at times into the afternoon

and evening hours with a high today of 53. 60 tomorrow, chris. >> thank you. and you c get the latest news any time on the nbc washington app.

[ cheers ] he> w have a fantastic crowd out re, outside of "today." for this new year's eve. it's8:30, now, on this monday rning, december 31st. it's early but our cro is revved up and ready to celebrate only this big holiday. a lot ofpr them ably heading over to times square for tonight's big party. and you can watch it all right here. >> yes.nd carson chrissy teigen are

hosting nbc's new year's eve. and ot keith urban will be live nashville. jennifer lopez, blake shelton, just to n a few. and our own lester holt, host of "nbc nightly news," has the honor of p bhing theton to lower the ball. he's big-time. >> that's going to be so cool. >> it will be fun. so many of you are up so early this morning. so, it's time for our "crowd moment." where is emma? emma? here she is.ha i hear it is emma's 10th birthday. emma, you haveemma hats. you're emma. how are you? >> good. >> where are you from? >> southern california. >> are you going to be awake at midnight? >> yes. >> can wepying h birthday to emma? one, two, three. ♪ happy birthday to you happy birthday to you ♪ ♪ happy birthday, dear emma

happy birthday to you ♪ yay. >> what a fantastic way to celebrate your 10th birthday.la congraons. >> happy birthday. that's a nice way to kick off 10. >> so many of you are celebrating, obviously, the new year. show of hands, how y many of will be at times square tonight? >> wow. >> that's impressive. >> whoever sells ponchos on the corner is going to be rich. that's what i know. >> that's dedication. up early, up late. better than we can do, sheinelle. just ahead, we have simple yet festiveip r for cocktails and oftize e appetize watch the ball drop. he and we'll speak to first lady of tequila, why she's one of the first ladies of innovation. and what to watchor in 2019. first, let's get back to

pasadena and get >> ahey, guys, i'm in the mids of a bunch of hobbobblers from universal dreamworks how to train your dragon, the hidden that could have been close. this is how they actually -- this is what they used to cover the hobb gobblers. they take dried flowers, put them in a blender, pulverize them, put glue on them and decorate them.th 's crazy. let's take a look at new year's eve and new year's day.st ting off today, new year's day, rainy w andindy through the midwest and intense chill through the plains. mountain snows in the pacif northwest. plenty of sunshine out west. for new year's eve heavy rain in the northeast with snow in new england. light snow around the great lakes. mountain snows in the rockies. clear along the west coast. and then new year's day, wets weather mo out of the east coast. showers through the soheast. frigid cold back through the plains. we're looking at snow

through the rockies. sunny skies, southern california into tno pacific hwest. that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the wos. >> i'm tracking some thick fog in pts of northern virginia, including culpepper and leesburg where visibility is a quarter of a mile or less. showers moving into virginia. heading out you definitely want the umbrella or rain jacket. when we get a rabreak from the rain, expect cloudy skies. breezy and mild tomorrow with temperatures near 60 and partly to mostly cloudy skies. >> and that is your latest weather. coming back in a little bit with some birthdaysn the smuckers jars. guys? >> t you, al. >> thanks, al. it. >> thanks, al. now, to our special series "leading theway,showcasing innovators who are shaping the world. >> this morning, a woman who is changing the way you think about

tequi tequila. here's nbc's kristen dahlgren. >> everything matters. the care that goes into the fields, when we harvest. >> reporter: s 's been dubbe the first lady of tequila, a master of the spirit and one of "fortune" magazine's most innovative women. >> my love of tequila started en i started to work in the industry. >> reporter: a veteran of the industry, 40-year-old gonzales is stirring up more than margaritas. >> it's a male-dominated industry. i didn't want to be i woman the tequila category. i wanted to be a professional in theui t category. >> reporter: in 2008, she left the big guys to go back to the basics. >> i heard, you are crazy, so many times. and i was so and am still, enamored by the ,in that is not something i thought was an obstacle. >> reporter: joining forces with media mogul bob pitman, to

launch a small-batch, hand-crafted sipping tequila. >>e s wawe an cou old bring a unique style of tequila, sipping tequila. >> reporter: born and raised in co city, before attending grad school at northwestern, she has been an erepreneur since the get-go. >> as a child, i had a lot of different ideas. i had a poinsettia lansscaping busi imported clothing from the u.s. my parents never stopped me. good thing: that's a because tequila is on the tip of everyone's tongue, with amoricans drinking than ever before, 200 million bottles justar last ye >> if you travel throughout mexico, tequila is part of the social fabric. how we socialize and celebrate. we want to seduce international chefs be ed dventuroure adventu create pairings. >> reporter: no longer just a party drink on college campuses. with savvy marketing, it's become amultibillion category.

it has l celebritie diddy, justinti mberlake, and george clooney getting in on the game. they are following suit and creating their story around mexico's elite cavalry, who masterminded their independence from spain in the1700s. >> these were heros that were perceiveanas rebellious. with their actions, it changed the history of mexico. we want to be part of tequila producers that are pushing tequila into the future. to showcase mexican craftsmanship in everything we do. when you're an entrepreneur, there's a balance between the structure that you're building, people believing in you and the efhathis. you have to have passion and dedication. it was and is a dream come true. >> reporter: for "today," kristen dahlgren, nbc news, new york. >> she went to northwestern. she must be a genius. up next, did you get one of

those populdn test kits for christmas? how they're making discoveries about the original cave men. rst, this is "today" ofin me

wel back. dna tests were one of the holiday season's hottest t gift. t's right. they can reveal a lot about who you are. apparently that includes details about our ancient ties to the original cavemen. ke simmons has the latest. keir, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this in ancientimes was known as the end of the world. and it's thought this, is the last place that neanderthal died out. but why did they disappear? the cavemen that once lived here could be your long lost ancestors, passing on blue eyes and red hair, an increased rk

of diabetes and crohn's disease. lighti this campfire here about 40,000 years ago. >> this was home for them. probably one of the last hom on the planet, the last ones that lived in these caves. >> reporter: they died out mysteriously around the time we arrived on the scene, some 35,000 years ago. some experts think we wiped them out. adjust , they couldn't to the changing climate. >> europe was getting covered in ice. it was not a world for ambush huntin >> reporter: but the latest evidence suggests they interbred with us. thr dna, still alive in many of us today. manage the features we may have inherited, a strange bone, some folks, includingasme, h behind their skull. this could be my brother from another mother. or my sister, from another mister. to find out, i sent some of my to see-- you don't want me do this -- to be dna tested.

the knneanderthals were a mysterious creature. >> they had brains sometimes larger than ours. they weren't dumbcreatures. >> reporter: perhaps creating the first cave art. discovered back here and never filmed before. it looks a little like a hash tag. >> an indication of the symbolic capacities and the abstract thinking these people had. >> reporter: is it art or a t'message? >> t the mystery. >> reporter: how about the dna test i did? i discovered i'm 2.6% neanderthal. perhaps that explains a lot. neanderthal man survived for 300,000 years. we modern humans have a ways to go before we reach that milestone. so, guys, maybe, just maybe, from are some lessons for us in what happened to them. >> okay. by the way, that backdrop was

stunning. gorgeous. >> great assignment. >> now, we have to get our dna test. still planning your new year's eve party? we have gre ideas for fun and festive drinks and serve later tonight. first, this is "today" on nbc.

and we're back with a segment we're most excited for "today food." if you're hosting a new year's eve bash ler tonight but you're still putting together the menu, listen up to this. >> you can do something a little different this year. eden is executive chef of dez. she is here with ick and easy appetizers and cocktails to spruce up your last night of 2018. >> thank you for having >>me. tell us why these are some of your favorite dishes. >> itc love sng things up. i like having variety in different dishes to serve to your guests.

>> i like this because this isn't somethi you would expect. and i think anybody coming over would love to try it. gr>> this is t, too. in is a vegan option that i'm really awar i like to have variety. this is our -- this is actually a variation on one ofhe most cauliflower.es, our this is cauliflower that we like to put a lot of extra virginiv oil on. >> you char it? >> we season it with salt and then toss it and throw into a 450-degree oven. and you get a beautiful, golden cauliflower. >> how long? >> around 15 nutes. >> how do you not burn it? >> if you put it on high for a short amount of time, you steam it, you get a nice char. it's the best way to cook the cauliflower. >> you dip it into the tahini? >> first, we' going to work on the chimichurri.av we cilantro and garlic and we're going to blitz i and add

grape seed oil. >> oh. >> you want to make sure when you put it on -- you slowly add the oil. that emulsifies and comes together and turns into a saucew sot we do here is we do a little layering. >> i'm goingo tryt while you're talking. >> sheinelle is getting in there. >> this is the tahini. >> this is the last day of 2018. seize the advantage. >> exactly. >>i. raw tah we want to add ice water to make a tahini sauce. mon juice torighten it up. >> does that cut the flavor a little bit? >> it does. tahini can really be bitter. just the actual sesame paste. so, the lemon juice really brhtens it up. you want to add the garlic and the water and the lemon juice d some salt. >> this is excellent. >> yay. >> keep going. >> you mex it and you get this beautiful tahini sauce. then, you want to l, butayifule.

>> it's crunchy. >>ou don't want it to steam. you want to hold the texture and get the caramelization that has so much flavor in it. >> and it's beaiful to serv >> this is great for a party and awesomat home as a side dish. >> and the colors arec. fantas we have this chimichurri and some currants in there that adds some sweetness. and we finished with fried capers. and w garnish with dill. >> my gosh. >> picture-perfect. >> exactly. it's aea vegan's we have a minikebab burgers. i love this because the kebabs, you don't need to serve it in a burger form. you can serve it on a stick with the tahini, which you saw over here. it's the same tahini. i finished it with a cucumber and red onion salad.

>> we are using lamb here. but you can do anything? >> i've donet with beef. the spices in there makes everything come together. >> and i you're trying to find something creative, even the presentation, to just stick those in there. 's super cute for any slider. >> absolutely. >> what's next? a >> these great. this is a different direction. this is aichoke dip bites. >> stop. >>ot it's messy. >> you don't need to serve it with the bread on the side. you bring everything together. we have the artichokes. we have the thawed spinach. we have sauteed onions with garlic. and you add in cream cheese. youn addur cream. >> fair amount of cream cheese, looks like. >> that adds the creaminescream. and these are little bites. you don't feel guilty at all. no guilt. >> how long do you stir it for? >> until it t comether.

try to make sure everything is the same temperature. >> the green is festive. >> you eat with yo eyes first. why not make everything beautiful and colorful. >> what are these things? >> that is puff pastry. you can buy it at any grocery stor when you use a muffin tin, you want to butter it properly. you roll out the puff pastry. >> haperfect. is too much? >> that's perfect. >> is that good? >> that's perfect. >> this is easy. this.do and parmesan on top. it's simple. i'm all about simple fo 375 another 15 minutes and you're golden. >> easy. >> amazing. >> i'm trying this. and the sandwiches. >> and to garnishith aleppo and chives on there, another way to bringut the spices. beautiful. >> excellent. >> this is fun. this is bite-sized foods.

they're a fancy ham and cheese sandwich. i love elevating those traditionals. >> what's the difference between this and croc monsieur. this has the bechamel. it gets goldn top. the ham and the cheese. >> however you say it, it looks great. >> theresentation of . >> and it's fantastic for the morning after. you can whip that up for the 1st. >> heck yeah.he >> you're getting out of bed at 10:00 a.m., a little later. now, it's time for the cocktail. >> okay. >> i'm not gre at making cocktails. this is my sure way of making sure you have delicious drinks onhand. >> this is pomegranate. >> this is winter citrus and pomegranate punch. we put a beautiful ice cube in the middle, whis my hack for making it specialnd festive.

you take a bundt pan and y i fi with water. you put it in the freezer overnight. >> what a great idea. >> yes. you put it into a clear pun bowl. in here, we have pomegranate, orange. we have gin and champagne, obviously. >> obviously. >> as you do. >> it looks sobeautiful. >> happy new year. >> thank you. >> happy new year to you. if you want to try these recipes, trust me, it's worth it. you can find them at today.com/food. back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc.

we're back with some special birthdays. al, wha do you have? >> that's right. the last birthdays of 2018. heree go. first up, a happy 10th birthday as wepin those smucker's jars to ms. fern own, an author

from river woods, illinois. she's written more than 30 books for kids and teens. next up, lola hellmann, a baker from orida. celebrating 100 years. rumor has it, she has the best apple cake you will ever try. send one thisy, lola. happy birthday to john constan of muncie, indiana, serving as a minister at his church for 30 years. ruth shapiro of newton, mass, loves spending time with her 1 grandkids and great grandkids. helene, worked in retail for over 30 years. and last but not least, happy 100th birthday to robert thauer, a traveler from ohio, serving our country war ii. we salute you for your service, sir. i want to salute you ladies. hope you have a great new year's

eve and new year's day. we hope everybody will joind hoa me on nbc tomorrow, 130th tournament of roses parade on nbc. >> have a great new year's al. that's all the time we have this morning. just ahead, we'll set dn with one of t stars of "aquaman." >> have a safe and happy new year. your local news is ahead. > good morning. it's 8:56 on this monday, december 31st. let's get a checkng on the mor commute. >> good morning. minor crash i maryland. 95 northbound between the beltway and 212, everything cleared out of the way. it's a free flow. we're getting ready for the military bowl parade heads

towards navy marine corps stadium. all clear heading into georgetown. back to you. we'll get a check of theew year's eve forecast when we come back.

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here's the lest on storm team 4 radar. showers moving into the area and we'll have rain throughout the day today into tonight. dry time as well. it's not a total washout. cldy skies otherwi and patchy fog out there, especially northern virginia. a high today o 53. near steady or slowly warming temperatures overnight tonight. >> thanks so much. get t latest news and weather any time on the nbc washington app. evolution in sleep. the new sleep number 360 smart bed is on sale now during our lowest prices of the season. it senses your movement, and automatically adjusts to keep you both comfortable. it can even warm your feet to help you fall asleep faster. so you wake up ready to make your resolutions, reality. and now, the queen sleep number 360 c4 smart bed is only $1299. ranked #1 in customer satisfaction with mattresses by j.d. power. plus, 24-month financing on all beds. ends new year's day.

sleep number. proven, quality sleep. from nbc news, this is "today." hey, everyone. craign mel here. sheinelle jones, jenna bush hager, alroker. as we prepare to enter the new year, we're going to look back this morning. you can look at social media. >> and the htah >> tweet those at us. >> if you follow craig on sociae a, he points in every picture.e. >> that is tru >> i point to the other person. why do y do that? >> two reasons. you take a picture,