, there's plenty of light this holiday season and people can't seem to get enough here's nbc's kevin tibbleshristmas. >> reporter: in the darkness of isolation. is it good to get out of the house? >> yes. >> reporter: a thousand families tonight together in their cars sharing the light with chicago's drive-through fantasy. >> we brought the whole family including hamster. >> reporter: across the country, pop-up light shows are a breath of fresh air to safely celebrate. at the chicago botanic garden, a labyrinth of light. >> this is one heck of an experience. >> it certainly is. >> reporter: here time tickets ensure socihuure a socially disd lightscape, and it's sold out. >> people are joyful to be sharing with their families in is something fun and forgetting about the outside world. >> reporter: don't worry soon we'll say bah humbug to 2020 because there is light at the end of the tunnel. >> i like christmas. >> reporter: kevin tibbles, nbc news, glencoe, illinois. >> yes, there is light at the end of the tunnel. >> we're waiting for it, like it can't come soon enough. >>> thanks so much fo

here's kevin tibbles >> reporter: brightening the holidays one porch at a time. >> there we go. >> reporter: shut in by covid and shut out of family celebrations, it's nico's first christmas. >> he is a pandemic baby. >> reporter: portraits by jackie bravo vicere, a gift for her chicago neighborhood. no fee, just donations. >> they mean a little time machine to look back on and remember, yeah, maybe it wasn't a great year but we made it work. >> perfect >> reporter: memories little jamieson's family can share. >> none of our family has been able to meet him in person. >> reporter: jackie snapped more than 100 families with waiting list as long as santa's. >> super happy upside of 2020 definitely. >> reporter: baby caleb arrived five months ago. >> these are definitely going to be keepsakes. even though there was that pandemic we were able to still celebrate christmas somehow. >> reporter: for big sister elliana, a gift to hug forever >> feliz navidad >> reporter: kevin tibbles, nbc news, chicago. >> there will be some good memories from this year. that's "nightly news" for this wednesday th

. >>> there's plenty of light this holiday season and people can't seem to get enough here's kevin tibbles. >> reporter: let there be light. >> merry christmas >> reporter: in the darkness of isolation. >> is it good to get out of the house >> yes >> reporter: a thousand families a night together in their cars as they share the light chicago's drive through fantasy. >> we have brought the whole family including the hamster. >> reporter: across the country, pop-up light shows are a breath of fresh air to safely celebrate at the chicago botanic garden - >> it's amazing. >> reporter: a labyrinth of light this is one heck of an experience >> it certainly is ♪ >> reporter: here time tickets ensure a socially distanced tour of light scape and it's sold out. >> people are just joyful to be out and with their families doing something fun and kind of forgetting about the outside world for an hour while they're here >> reporter: don't worry. soon we'll say bah humbug to 2020 because there is light at the end of the tunnel. ♪ >> merry christmas. >> reporter: kevin tibbles, nbc news, glenco, illinois.

but with a message as meaningful as ever with that here's kevin tibbles. >> reporter: it's been a scrooge of a year. >> humbug. >> reporter: the ghosts of christmas have haunted chicago's goodman theater for more than 40 years, until the pandemic hit. >> christmas day >> reporter: the show does go on this season but as an audio version free to all online >> it was hard and sharp as flint. >> reporter: across the pond in england. >> keep christmas in your own way. >> reporter: the great, great grandson of charles dickens performs and streams "a christmas carol." a tale that rings as true today as it ever did. >> there is always hope that there is always that chance of redemption at the end of the story. >> reporter: and emanuel theater entertains with a puppet version modernized for these trying times. >> the message really is to reach out to other people around you, to check on other people around you, and to be generous and empathetic. >> reporter: as always scrooge discovers the joy of kindness. >> merry christmas. >> reporter: let's all hope the ghost of christmas next year is more kin

kevin tibbles, nbc news, wisconsin. >> putting on those thinking caps.rogramming note tomorrow on "today" we'll be live from food drives across the country sharing ways you can help from home that's "nightly news." thank you for watching, everyone i'm lester holt. please take care of yourself and each please take care of yourself and each other. >> claire: hey, mom. i'm just walking past the pub, and i thought maybe you and i could have dinner together. >> belle: oh, honey, i'm sorry. i'm working on grandpa john's case. i have to file a motion in the morning, so probably just gonna get something in the microwave. >> claire: no problem. i'll bring you home some dessert. >> belle: okay, see you soon. >> claire: looks like i'm eating alone. >> charlie: not necessarily. >> claire: [laughs softly] >> charlie: do you mind if i join you? >> claire: i would love that. >> charlie: you know what? me too. >> claire: [laughs] >> xander: ava vitali is alive and back in salem. >> sarah: who's ava vitali? >> xander: i can't believe it. >> sarah: oh, my god, are you gon

kevin tibbles, nbc news, wisconsin. >> putting on the thinking caps. a programming note tomorrow on "today" we'll be live from food drives across the country sharing ways you can help from home that's "nightly news." thank you for watching, everyone i'm lester holt. please take care of >>> right now at 6:00 the vaccine is here. healthcare workers first in line. >> today is hopeful. and reason to be optimistic. we have to be mindful of where we really are. >> the only bay area hospital that has doses tonight. >> santa clara county prepares for the vaccine to arrive. the hospitals that will get it this week and how many doses will be in the south bay. >> can your boss force you to get a vaccine to come back to work? >> we want to make sure when people come to the office we do it responsibly. >> we take a closer look at vaccine mandates in the workplace. >> the news atd 6:00 starts now. good monday. thanks for joining us. >> i know you were focussed on listening to vice president joe biden speech. president-elect. >> yeah. he was very direct. interesting

here's kevin tibbles on what the classic means now. ♪ i'll be home for christmas ♪ you can plan on measured moments timeless for the holidays. like the classic "i'll be home for christmas. recorded in 1943 by bing crosby during world war ii as a homesick letter from a soldier fighting overseas. originally the song was turned down as too lonely, as it reveals in the end the soldier wasn't going to be home at all, only in his dreams ♪ where the love light gleams >> reporter: for over 70 years it's been the holiday song for those far from home. covered by everyone from sinatra -- ♪ i'll be home >> reporter: to elvis. ♪ for christmas ♪ if only in my dreams >> reporter: to dolly. note i'll ♪ i'll be home for christmas >> reporter: it remains a favorite for pianist michael feinstein. >> there's no question there's an added emotion to the song this year because of all that ♪ i'll be home the world. >> reporter: when "this is us" stnd country singer chrissy metz recently recorded it, she had no idea how meaningful the song would become in 2020 to her. >> it's very bittersweet, because i won't

kevin tibbles with more on what "i'll be home for christmas" means now. ♪ i'll be home for christmas can plan on me ♪ >> reporter: treasured moments, timeless for the holidays, like the classic "i'll be home for christmas" recorded in 1943 by bing crosby during world war ii, as a homesick letter from a soldier fighting overseas. originally the song was turned down, as too lonely, as it reveals in the end the soldier wasn't going to be home at all, only in his dreams. for more than 70 years, it's been "the" holiday song for those far from home, covered by everyone from sinatra -- ♪ i'll be home >> -- to elvis. ♪ if only in my >> reporter: -- to dolly. ♪ dreams >> reporter: it remains a favorite of pianist michael feinstein. >> there's an added emotion to the song this year because of all that's happened in the world. ♪ i'll be home >> reporter: when "this is us" star and country singer chrissy metz recently recorded it, she had no idea how meaningful the song would become in 2020 to her. >> it's very bittersweet, because i won't be home for christmas. many people will not be. it is my

this year many of those notes are being shared so others can play santa to those in need kevin tibbleser: a letter to santa from a friend she's never met. >> i knew that the weather is changing and hopefully you can help us with a warm coat and gloves. thank you so much, santa. >> reporter: mikayla dean is just 9 years old and already has santa's helper. >> i don't want her to feel sad. >> reporter: especially at christmas. >> yeah. >> reporter: her 6-year-old kid sister paisley feels the same way. so the bedgood family in florida signed on with the u.s. postal service's "operation santa. virtual this year. >> dear santa -- >> reporter: it connects lette frors kids many who are in need to would be santas across the country. >> they're not asking for an xbox or the new playstation or, you know, a phone. they're asking for a coat. >> reporter: the post office has been receiving santa's mail addressed to santa claus at 123 elf road, the north pole, of course, for more than 100 years. putting countless smiles on children's faces. the bedgoods adopted two letters this yea and went shopping

. >> nbc's kevin tibbles this morning has more on the meaning and the message behind the holiday cheerlive with mile after mile of christmas. what do these lights represent to you? >> they represent hope for the future. >> reporter: 12 miles of lights, all organized by my block, my hood, my city, a volunteer organization that lends a hand in neighborhoods often overlooked. the founder, jamal cole, recruited santa's helpers from across the city for a be a part of the light program. >> basically you're turning on a light. >> hopefully inspiring hope but interrupting trauma. i'm tired of the police car lights, i'm tired of the blue lights flashing. i want to see some holiday lights. >> reporter: a christmas army of volunteers lines up to spread the spirit. >> merry christmas! >> reporter: each car is loaded with lights and assigned an address to decorate. >> it's about giving back to the community. we do make sure that our kids understand what it means to give back. >> reporter: in this, its third year, the program will decorate 500 homes and 500 street poles. many of the decorations are