and the fallout comes quick. the pageant's tv partner cutting ties with the organization overnight. all that, plus remembering legendary sportscaster dick enberg. rossen returns the season's toughest to find toys to deserving kids. >> what do you think of this? >> it's awesome. and making spirits bright. ♪ with the "home alone" soundtrack like you've never heard it before, "today" friday, december 22nd, 2017. >> from nbc news, this is "today," live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. ♪ deck the halls with boughs of holly ♪ ♪ fa la la la la la la la la ♪ 'tis the season to be jolly ♪ fa la la la la la la la la ♪ don we now our gay apparel ♪ fa la la la la la la la la ♪ troll the ancient yuletide carol ♪ ♪ fa la la la la la la la la >> and good morning, everybody. welcome to "today." great job. we hope that got you in the spirit. we have a bunch of angels on our plaza, as we say good morning. three days till christmas. now, we're in the mood, right? >> you kids were amazing. were you nervous? no. they were terrific. they were from the new york city children's choir. it's fun to be outside at the top of the show. >> we're in the spirit. and everyone is talking about one thing if your traveling, and that's the weather. cross country storms to tell you about. we want to inform you how they will impact your holiday plans. we have our team standing by. we'll start with al. he's in his weather man cave over there. good morning. >> thanks very much, guys. we're starting off from texas to lexington. we have flash flood watches for 9 million people. winter weather advisories from michigan to new england for 28 million. as you look right now at the radar, you see showers and thunderstorms from san angelo to movice. we have snow from chicago to upstate new york and new england. here's what we are looking for with travel. it's a two-prong issue. we have showers to the south, snow developing in the north. i-40, i-20, going to look at problems. dallas-ft. worth and the houston airport, problems, as well. we move into tomorrow, rain, fog, low ceiling snow for buffalo. i-90 will be a mess. stretching from boston, laguardia all the way down into d.c. and atlanta along i-85, i-95, wet weather and hazardous travel as well. rainfall amounts are going to be heavy down south. travel for air and roads is going to be a mess from central arkansas all the way into virginia and west virginia. upwards of six to seven inches of rain possible. and you look into saturday night snowfall amounts. four to eight inches from buffalo into new england. and icing is going to be a big problem, as well, especially throughout parts, much of new england, from portland, all the way down into worcester. hartford, looking anywhere from quarter of an inch of ice to half an inch in some places and that could bring down power lines and roads will be a mess. let's find out what the airports are looking like. let's go to ron mott at o'hare's international airport. ron, how is it looking? >> reporter: al, good morning to you. it's looking better than here at dallas. at love field, there was an emergency alarm that sounded at that airport. they had to evacuate the terminal. anyone who had been through security will have to go through again. we understand that normal operations are resuming. officials aren't saying if this was a prank or an actual fire event. back here in chicago, they're expecting the busiest travel day in the air here. 225,000 passengers expected to flow through o'hare here. on the other side at midway, another 70,000. take a look at the numbers. 107.3 million americans are expected to travel to see friends or on holiday. orlando, florida, the number one travel destination. here's how they are going to get there. most of you are driving. 9 out of 10 of you getting on the road. al mentioned the highway conditions out there. 6% or so will fly. the other 3% taking trains and other methods of travel. we always have holiday tips. number one, pack your patience because it is the busy season. pad your schedules, especially if you're flying. we've seen the lines get thick out of the blue here. and, of course, pack a smile, it is the hall tay see sup. >> good advice, ron. thank you so much. the airport isn't the only place you will find large crowds. stores will be packed, too. jo ling kent is checking out the last-minute shopping rush. she's in bough maryland. how is it going? >> reporter: it's happening offline at brick and mortar scores and online. this has been the season of online shopping. 60% of all americans say they are done with their holiday shopping. that means 40% of you are still going to be shopping. where are the best sales? let's look at target. 50% off christmas trees if you're looking to decorate. 30% off sweaters. at macy's, 50% to 70% off. a lot of the gifts are wrapped. top over to amazon, you get 40% off the amazon fire hd. 29% off the xbox one. amazon prime delivery happening there. at best buy, $150 off an apple macbook. that's a good discount at this late in the game. $220 off beats by dre wireless headphones. at walmart, $36 off a dream house playset. that's one of their best sellers. and $90 off a laptop. good electronics discounts still available. we have to look at last-minute shipping, as well. so many of us online shopping. today is the last day for two-day shipping for amazon prime members, you have until midnight on christmas eve. that's a late deadline for procrastinators out there. toys "r" us say you can receive by christmas if you order by noon and do in-store pickup. and best buy, they might ensure delivery for christmas if ordered by noon on christmas eve with same-day delivery. the real trick this holiday season is all about ordering online and picking up in store. before you do that, you want to make sure they've got it in stock. so far this retail season has been a really good one for retailers. back to you guys. >> jo, thank you so much. a little bit of a different holiday rush in washington to tell you about. before heading home, congress passed the temporary spending bill. it keeps the government funded into the new year. but the deal has critics on both sides of the aisle. we go to kristen welker with more on that. >> reporter: good morning to you. president trump is ending the year on a high note. getting his tax bill passed and working with congress to avert a government shutdown. soon he'll teak off for the winter white house, mar-a-lago, his home in florida. still, there's a lot of unfinished business when the new year begins. this morning, a christmas crisis averted. >> the motion to concur is agreed to. >> reporter: after the senate voted to keep the government open for four more weeks. it's a political punt, allowing congress to put off a number of difficult issues until next month. >> i voted for this to keep the government going. this is not the way to govern. >> reporter: republican senator, ted cruz, whose home state of texas was hit hard by hurricane harvey, expressing his disappointment that lawmakers didn't address the issue of disaster relief funding. >> there's hundreds of thousands of people in texas and in florida and in puerto rico who are still hurting from hurricanes harvey, irma and maria. >> reporter: the house approving their version of the bill earlier in the day, without any democratic votes. >> the motion is adopted without objection. >> reporter: house democrats say the bill fails to address issues such as d.r.e.a.m.ers and funding for children health care. e >> they have the votes to keep the government open. they don't need us to keep the government open. >> reporter: the bill funds the government until january 19th. it keeps c.h.i.p. going until march. and gives the defense department $4.7 million in emergency funding. the president visited wounded warriors at walter reed on thursday, ignored shouting questions on his way to the white house. all of it as the vice president made a surprise trip to afghanistan to rally troops ahead of the holiday. >> let me say from the first family, my family, from families all across america, merry christmas. >> reporter: pence's trip comes before president trump has visited an active combat zone and four months after the president announced a surge of several thousand more u.s. troops in afghanistan. >> i believe victory is closer than ever before. >> reporter: this morning the president tweeted about his new year's agenda. infrastructure would be a first place to start. a senior official telling me he will sign the tax bill into law today before he leaves for florida. >> we know how you do. thank you so much. we're hearing from reality winner, the former nsa contractor jailed, accused of making off with top-secret documents from a government facility. she's speaking out in a rare jailhouse interview. nbc's kerry sanders has that story. good morning. >> reporter: reality winners has been held here in this jail for more than six months, as you noted. now, for the first time, she's speaking with a reporter. but as you'll see, the government shut down that interview almost as soon as it began. >> reporter: this morning, new details are surfacing about reality winner, the former nsa contractor in jail, awaiting trial for allegedly leaking classified information. winner is accused of stuffing a top secret report about russian election meddling in her pantyhose and walking out of the building ato a news outlet. >> her family believes she is a patriot. >> reporter: winner's family and friends describe her as intense, focused and concerned about the state of the world. >> they believe that the document that she leaked is one that american voters deserve to see. >> reporter: recently, she was able to talk to winner at georgia's lincoln county detention center. the two separated by glass, speaking on a jail phone. >> she was serious, eager to talk, eager to tell her story. >> reporter: after less than six minutes, a guard realized that she was a reporter and ended the interview. she said she never lied about being a reporter, winner listed her as a friend who could visit. and no one asked when they checked her i.d. >> we never got to talk about how she feels about the consequences or her motivations. >> reporter: fluent in several middle eastern languages, winner serves as a translator in the air force and turned 26 just weeks ago. in her room, a pikachu bedspread since her arrest. a make america green again bumper sticker on her car. according to the article, winner referred to donald trump as an orange fascist. and according to court documents three months before she was arrested winner messaged her sister writing, i have to take a polygraph where they're going to ask if i ever plotted against the government with the #gonnafail. her sister said it was a joke. winner's mother says what's happening to her daughter is so unfair. >> she feels like she's being treated as a political prisoner. she does feel very powerless and hopeless in this. >> reporter: i spoke to her mother last night and she says both she and reality's older sister will be visiting with her this weekend here, it will be a christmas visit, and just like that reporter, the visit will be on a phone through the plate glass window and the government will listen to and record every word. savannah? >> thank you. now, to a story that's got the attention of millions of iphone users. apple has been hit with a massive lawsuit days after admitting it slows down older models as they age. here's nbc's gadi schwartz. >> reporter: today in california an iphone bombshell. one man filing a class action complaint, saying that apple slowed down older phones with older batteries, to drive sales of newer, pricier models. >> i think it's a well thought-out plan by apple to make sure the consumers come back and buy the latest and greatest phone. >> reporter: apple acknowledging it did reduce processor speeds of iphone 6 and 7s in updates. after a post online, talking about speed tests showed significant performance drop-offs for older phones with previous lithium-ion batteries as soon as the latest ios was installed. apple declined to comment on the complaint but claims it was trying to improve customer experience. featuring a prevention of shutdown to prolong the phone's life. but experts say that kind of throttling means the phone might not respond like it used to. >> complicated apps like games or photos and you're deep with work in the phone, they will see their performance limits because the processor can't run as fast because the battery can't supply as much power. >> reporter: a new iphone battery costs $80, cheaper than the new iphone that runs $1,000. but replacing the battery involves bringing it into the store. customers say apple is not up front about changing batteries, and apple says they have pushed updates that were never asked for and reduced the speed and the value of their phones. >> when you have to save and struggle to buy a piece of equipment, then you only learn that the folks who sold you that equipment are downgrading it on you, it's betrayal. >> reporter: for "today," gadi schwartz, nbc news, los angeles. now, to sad news. dick enberg whose hall of fame career spans 60 years has died. miguel almaguer looks back at his remarkable life. good morning. >> it was believed that dick enberg died of a heart attack at home. he covered so many sports from wimbledon to the super bowl to the olympics. as a play-by-play man, he provided fans a front row seat to some of the biggest moments in history. this morning family, friends and fans are mourning the loss of an american broadcasting icon, dick enberg. a fixture in the southern california sports landscape through the 1960s and '70s. enberg broke on to the national scene as a game show host. later joining nbc, where he became the network's lead play-by-play voice for the nfl and major league baseball. >> fumbled the ball. and denver has recovered. oh, my. >> reporter: enberg was known for his enthusiastic signature call, oh, my, when describing big plays. he was incredibly versatile, covering a wide array of sports for decades. enberg called 28 wimbledon tournaments, 8 ncaa basketball title games, multiple olympics, a 1982 world series, big golf and boxing events, too. he also spent 42 seasons in the booth, calling nfl games, including eight super bowls for nbc. enberg, sharing memories with "today" back in 1996. >> i was at the practice session for the bears, watching and trying to get notes. as i was standing, someone snuck up behind me and lifted me off of my feet. there was a loud pop. i looked back and saw walter payton. he said, i got you back in place. i said, no, you just broke my glasses. >> reporter: during the '60s, enberg was the voice of the bruins dynasty when the team won titles under john wooden, including the so-called game of the century in 1968 when houston snapped the bruins' winning streak. overnight, condolences pouring in over social media. john ireland the radio voice of the lakers tweeting, if there was a mt. rushmore of l.a. sports announcers, dick enberg is on it. definition of a gentleman. a gentleman and a giant in broadcasting. enberg's golden voice now silent, but will never be forgotten. at his very first job, a custodian at the michigan radio station, enberg earned $1 an hour. he managed to double his salary when he started working on-air as the weekend sports guy. he retired two years ago calling games for the san diego padres when he was 80 years old. back to you guys. >> what a career. >> classic. >> thank you. >> what a voice. what a voice. >> nice man. >> he'll be missed. mr. roker, you want to take us to the weather? >> let's show you quickly what is going on around the rest of the country. out west, we have continued elevated fire danger. flood threats in the mississippi river valley. snow throughout the interior sections of the northwest, and sunshine through the eastern gulf to the southeast. we're going to get to your local forecast coming up in the next 30 seconds. l'eclat the new fragrance lancôme now available at macy's, your fragrance destination. good friday morning, i'm meteorologist, kari hall. as we look at the sunrise over emeryville, a beautiful start to the day. as that sunrises, we dip to the coldest temperatures of the day. we are seeing widespread freezing temperatures from the north bay to inland valleys. morgan hill, 28 degrees. same in fairfield with the high temperatures reaching the mid to upper 50s. we will have a nice recovery with a mix of sun and clouds. more of this weather throughout the weekend. >> coming up, we're going to take a look at christmas day. >> we need that. >> it will be kind of interesting. >> that's al speak for snow. al, thank you. coming up the alleged sexist and vulgar e-mails that has miss america's ceo under fire. plus, a holy undertaking. with christmas just three days away, we'll take you inside the largest search of its kind for evidence supporting the bible. first, this is "today" on nbc. still ahead, he's back at it armed with the season's hottest toys. pulling off more christmas surprises for deserving kids. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ make the holidays a treat with kellogg's rice krispies. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ contra costa county a very good friday morning to you. it is 7:26, i'm laura garcia. contra costa firefighters investigating a string of fires in antioch within a few blocks of each other that appear to be intentionally set. the first set off at 10:00 at a street and madril. one fire happened at a commercial building. the others were set at homes, none of which were occupied. no injure ies were reported. we want to check the forecast with meteorologist, kari hall. a cold start. >> yes, as we take a live look outside san francisco, beautiful sunrise as you get out and about. 41 degrees there. we have had a lot of widespread 20s and 30s for the area. still below freezing for the next hour and a half. we are going to see the high temperatures reaching the mid to upper 50s. overall, a very nice day. more clouds in the mix. we'll see the clouds linger throughout the weekend. highs mid-50s and a slight chance of rain on christmas then dry weather. san francisco mid-50s and inland 61 degrees. let's get an update on the commute with vianey. there is an issue for eastbound 580 before grant line road. a car crash is blocking lanes. i'm not showing delays in terms of the traffic map. the peninsula drive times are off to a great start. southbound 101 to highway 92, six minutes. a live look at the bay bridge toll plaza. 7:26 and no metering lights. back to you. >> looks like the holiday started for a lot of folks. another update in a half hour. hope to see you then. ♪ ♪ sleigh bells ring are you listening ♪ >> back thou, 7:30 friday morning. three days to christmas. we are in the spirit. >> we are. and that happens to be, by the way, our top story, too. there is a travel rush going on and some of the rough weather may slow you down. >> winter storm warning. as a record number of americans are hitting the roads, rails and sky today, more than 50 million people are under weather advisories, cross-country storms bringing heavy snow, flash floods and fog. >> the snow is already moving in, gate for the skiers, but horrible for your travel on this friday. >> christmas crisis averted. congress passes a temporary spending bill funding the government for mow, but putting off a number of decisions until next year. >> well, i voted for this, this is not the way the to govern. >> papa gone. >> papa john here, the founder of papa john's pizza. >> founder of papa john steps down less than two months after his controversial remarks about national anthem protests by players. caught on camera, security footage catches a truck ram ago sports store taking off with several motorcycles. >> and under water wedding, a couple goes under the sea in the florida keys to say i do. today friday, december 22nd, 2017. >> you know what? you don't have to worry about your hair. >> or your makeup. >> i love it. we're moving now to a stunning report ayou cuesing the ceo of miss america's organization of name calling and fat shaming former pageant winners. his alleged harsh words found in a year's worth of leaked e-mails. >> good morning. overnight, dick clark productions which produces the pageant's telecast cut ties with the miss america organization over that explosive series of internal e-mails. >> miss america or mistreated? this morning, some not so crowning moments for sam hascal, miss america's ceo. a trove of internal e-mails obtained by the "huffington post" but not verified by nbc news revealed haskell made remarks. he e-mailed the lead writer of the miss america telecast to inform him of a change he wanted to make in the script saying in part, quote, when referring to a woman who was once miss america, we are no longer going to call them forever miss americas. they are former miss americas. the writer, lewis freedman, responded saying he, quote, already changed forevers to an offensive term about a woman's body part. in turn, the organization decided to fire freedman after an internal organization. >> miss new york. >> after winning the miss america pageant in 2013, mallory hagan became close with haskell and his wife. but later, as several e-mail exchanges indicate, haskell fixated on hagen and her sex life and her weight. >> omg, she is huge and gross. hagen says she believes haskell played a role in ending her career as a pageant coach. >> when i first read the e-mails in the article, i wasn't shocked, but i was validated. i mean, for the longest time, i've tried to explain to people around me that this is happening or these things are being said. and to have the ability to then look on paper and say is, see, i told you -- >> miss north carolina -- >> in other e-mails, haskell seemed to target kate shindel after she released questioning the miss america's board's decision to pay him a $500,000 consultant fee. in december of 2014, freedman sent haskell an e-mail offering his condolences on the death of a former miss america. the subject line, quote, it should have been kate shindel. haskell replied, thanks so much, even in my sadness you make me laugh. >> they don't get it. they don't get what miss america is on what it can be. >> echoing that call to action, miss newark 1989 gretchen carlson. she released a statement that reads in part, harassment and shaming of women is never acceptable and should never be tolerated. every mao executive and board member who engaged in such crude behavior or signed off on it as if it were no big deal should resign immediately. nbc news reached out to the miss america organization and sam haskell for comment. but so far, no response. >> shanell, thank you so much. we go back to al because the holiday weekend forecast is so important. gotta know. >> let's start off with christmas eve. so we start off christmas eve travel sunday during the day. snow around st. louis. also for chicago, cleveland, i-70 looks pretty clear. i-65, as well. st. louis may have some problems. then we get into the evening of christmas eve and we see cleveland involved. i-70 has snow. so does i-81 from pennsylvania up into new york. rain moves off into the atlantic. we move into christmas day. morning travel disruptions because a lot of folks now traveling on christmas day. some snow from boston, wind for jfk, snow along i-90. but travel will improve during the afternoon hours. so that's good news. rest of the country, we are looking at an elevated fire danger today out west. snow back to the rockies. and a flood threat through the lower mississippi and good morning, i'm meteorologist, kari hall. such a beautiful sunrise, but a very chilly morning getting started. no wood burning today, it's a spare the air alert day. air quality will be unhealthy in the north bay. the high temperatures today, heading to the mid to upper 50s and a mix of sun and clouds. the next several days, more on the same weather, but there will be a slight chance of rain on christmas. the rest of the forecast dry with highs reaching the mid to upper 50s. >> watch live local and prime time games with nfl mobile only on verizon. >> that's right. we're getting the weekend started early. this game is so good, it ain't gonna be on sunday. we're doing it saturday! that's right, the packers and the vikings, the vikings coming into the frozen tundra of lambeau field and it's going to be frozen. that's right. and we're not talking elsa. let it go, baby. bitterly cold in green bay, 10 degrees. a windchill of 2 below saturday night. sunday night. it's a whole weekend right here on nbc. coverage begins at 7:00, 6:00 central. football night in america. >> so good. >> sunday night football on saturday. love it. >> yes. >> still ahead this morning, choir of one. wait until you see what a youtube star did with just his voice to the "home alone" sound track. >> and cue the smile and the tears. our rossen reports team is at it again surprising some families with the year's most popular and hard to get toys. speaking of gifts, the last-minute ideas you can still have delivered in time for monday. but first, we're going to take you to jerusalem and have a firsthand look at the massive search now under way for evidence backing the bible, right after this. i want a rabbit! (train whistle blowing) hey, thomas. that's not how you get a rabbit. if you want a rabbit, you ask for a pony and then let them work you back down. mm-hmm. you're up! what if aunt joy wants the new iphone? you make this your final offer: ask for it on verizon. it's the most awarded network ever. that's why more people count on it. i'd like a giant singing rabbit in a rocket ship, please. she's a shrewd businesswoman. (vo) give the gift of iphone 8 and get one on us with verizon unlimited. only on the best network. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ afi sure had a lot on my mind. my 30-year marriage... ...my 3-month old business... plus...what if this happened again? i was given warfarin in the hospital, but wondered, was this the best treatment for me? so i made a point to talk to my doctor. he told me about eliquis. eliquis treats dvt and pe blood clots and reduces the risk of them happening again. not only does eliquis treat dvt and pe blood clots. eliquis also had significantly less major bleeding than the standard treatment. eliquis had both... ...and that turned around my thinking. don't stop eliquis unless your doctor tells you to. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. don't take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. if you had a spinal injection while on eliquis call your doctor right away if you have tingling, numbness, or muscle weakness. while taking eliquis, you may bruise more easily... and it may take longer than usual for bleeding to stop. seek immediate medical care for sudden signs of bleeding, like unusual bruising. eliquis may increase your bleeding risk if you take certain medicines. tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures. eliquis treats dvt and pe blood clots. plus had less major bleeding. both made eliquis right for me. ask your doctor if switching to eliquis is right for you. take guinea pigs. they're not pigs at all, nor are they from guinea. or take this haircut. i may look all business, but look out... . but there's a party going on back here. kinda misleading, isn't it? well, at carmax, you don't have to worry about being misled. the price online is the same price in the store, which is the same for everyone. even guinea pigs. it's only fair mr. biscuits. only fair. ♪ carmax music sting in this home we make breakfast. sometimes messes! but always masterpieces ...together. what matters most is made at home. and roomba from irobot gets to work using two multi-surface brushes and power-lifting suction to grab and remove everything from fine dust to large debris. daily dirt doesn't stand a chance. you and roomba from irobot. better together. people would stare. psoriasis does that. it was tough getting out there on stage. i wanted to be clear. i wanted it to last. so i kept on fighting. i found something that worked. and keeps on working. now? they see me. see me. see if cosentyx could make a difference for you- cosentyx is proven to help people with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis... ...find clear skin that can last. don't use if you're allergic to cosentyx. before starting cosentyx, you should be checked for tuberculosis. an increased risk of infections and lowered ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms. or if you have received a vaccine or plan to. if you have inflammatory bowel disease, tell your doctor if symptoms develop or worsen. serious allergic reactions may occur. never give up. see me. see me. clear skin can last. don't hold back... ...ask your dermatologist if cosentyx can help you find clear skin that lasts. give joy with 25% off nikejoy! and get joy with kohl's cash for you! take 25% off select nike hoodies, shoes and more! short on time? buy online and pick up free in store! give joy, get joy - with nike at kohl's. ♪ we're back, now, 7:43, with more of our special series, "holidays in the holy land." >> this morning, a journey to jerusalem where people are celebrating christmas and hunting for evidence that supports the bible. keir simmons is there. good morning, again. >> reporter: millions come here every year just to try to get a little closer to their faith. what they don't know is that while they are here, intense work is happening to try to find evidence of some of the characters, particularly in the old testament of king david, of solomon, intense work asking the question, is the bible true? archaeologists in jerusalem search with the scripture in one hand and a trowel in the other, hoping to unearth crucial evidence supporting the bible. we went under the city to see the world's biggest dig. >> you can imagine, this was open to the fun. it was a beautiful pilgrimage road here. >> reporter: in the time of king david, people walked this road. >> there was music. there was incense. there was people singing. all this is written about in jewish texts. and i'm reading chapter three. and he built the wall of the shiloh pool, next to the king's garden, as far as the steps that go down from the city of david. i have something to show you here. look at that. >> wow. what's down there? >> that's an access route into the sewer of the city. >> reporter: ancient tunnels built around the time of king harod. >> it's talking about the robe worn by the high priest of israel. they would attach the bells all around the hem of the robe. the high priest is walking over here. and he goes through this drain and 2,000 years later we pull it out of the ground. >> reporter: this has not found evidence of the illustrious kings, david and solomon. while some look for evidence in these cliffs, scientists are unable to agree. >> the question is whether jerusalem was this golden age city in the 10th century b.c. we're dealing with memories, tales, myths. >> the bible never intended to speak history. it has its own purposes. but not telling you history. >> reporter: king david, solomon. >> nothing is here. >> reporter: we leave the city andho head for this remote hill top, where scientists have found a kernel of evidence. we're entering a city in the kingdom of king david? >> yes. this is the biblical city of shiram. >> reporter: your big discovery was through something quite small. >> olive pits. >> reporter: olive pits helped you figure this out. >> they gave us the dating. the dating is 1,000 b.c. olives leaved here 3,000 years ago. >> reporter: it's amazing that little olives can lead to a discovery so big. the fortress town overlooked a famous battle. this is where david fought goliath. >> this is exactly the location, yes. >> reporter: if we had been standing here 3,000 years ago, from here, we would have been able to watch david battle goliath. >> sure. >> reporter: historians in the land of the bible, still doing battle. while for others, faith is enough. of course, this is a city with many religions, many faiths. maybe that's the way god intended it. maybe one day people around the world will come to terms with that. certainly, at christmastime, that is a good message. back to you guys. >> certainly is. what a great series. >> we have loved this the whole week. it's been fascinating. why don't we head over to carson. are you teasing something coming up in "pop start"? >> that's right. coming up, we have a holiday scam warning from none other than oprah. when you've crossed fruit of the loom off your list, you know your holiday shopping is complete. it's time to celebrate. [♪ ] [♪ ] 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. . this year, start a new holiday tradition. delicious recipes made with nutella! the holidays never tasted this good. discover holiday recipes at nutella.com. ♪ ho ho... [pillsbury doughboy] hmm hmm... ho ho... [pillsbury doughboy] hmm hmm... ho ho ho ho... [pillsbury doughboy] hmm hmm hmm... in this home... we believe. ♪ at zales, we believe a diamond kind of love is all about that look right there. shop the zales season to sparkle sale to save on dazzling holiday gifts. zales, the diamond store. nick is a logistical mastermind. when it comes to moving packages on a global scale, nobody does it better. he's also an avid cookie connoisseur. dig in, big guy. but when it comes to mortgages, he's... less confident. fortunately for nick, there's rocket mortgage by quicken loans. it's simple, so he can understand the details and get approved in as few as eight minutes. apply simply. understand fully. mortgage confidently. rocket mortgage by quicken loans. as our ocean spray cranberries, which is why we're declaring it "the unofficial official fruit of the holidays." -the fig's gonna be so bummed. -[ chuckles ] for holiday tips and recipes, go to oceanspray.com. ...studying to be a dentist -thand she gave me advice. ed. -[ chuckles ] she said dad... ...go pro with crest pro-health. 4 out of 5 dentists confirm these crest pro-health products... ...help maintain a professional clean. and it's the only toothpaste with the ada seal of acceptance for protection against acid erosion. coming up, we're going to put our love of christmas music to the test, you guys. >> okay. and then, santa rossen. jeff is standing by to surprise jeff is standing by to surprise so i just finished months of chemo. jeff is standing by to surprise so but i don't want to talk about months. i want to talk about years. treatments have gotten better, so... i'm hoping for good years ahead. that's thanks to research funded by the american cancer society. the same folks giving me free rides to treatments, insurance advice, and a place to stay during chemo. i need that stuff like you don't know. and now that you do, please give at cancer.org. a dog's big life, is measured in wags. ♪ and when you feed your dog nature's recipe, you fuel the wag with our premium recipes like chicken, sweet potato and pumpkin. nature's recipe. fuel the wag. the unique formula with nourishing almond oil leaves skin smoother moisturized for 24 hours. enjoy smoother skin and now try new oil infused lotions moisturize with indulging scents in this home... we count our blessings. uh, this one. both when there's a little and a lot. there you go. what matters most is made at home. now with more icing. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ daddy!! did you get my surprise? ♪ it's the little things that make life rich. ritz. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ make the holidays a treat with kellogg's rice krispies. fortified.tored. replenished. emerge everyday with emergen-c packed with b vitamins, antioxidants, electrolytes plus more vitamin c than 10 oranges. why not feel this good everyday? emerge and see. ♪ ready? lets do it. ♪ with the taste of your lips i'm on a ride ♪ ♪ your toxic [ screaming ] freedom! they look like idiots. it couldn't be better. all right ladies, we are going to show them that we are not a joke. listening. we are different and better than all those other bands. i love you awesome nerds. [ screaming ] they really do need to join the workforce. yes. pitch perfect 3. rated pg-13. ♪ good friday morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. this is a live look from the emeryville camera. it is beautiful. our temperatures have been so cold, in the upper 20s and low 30z. below freezing in livermore and morgan hill and much of the north bay. oakland now 37 degrees. we will start to have a milder day. temperatures warming up late morning, making it up to 59 degrees later today. 57 in palo alto. 57 in santa rosa, san francisco, a high of 54 degrees. more clouds will move in. that's what we can expect throughout the weekend. highs in the mid-50s. a mix of sun and clouds and a milder morning. a slight chance of rain in the forecast for christmas earlier in the day. let's get a look at the commute from vianey. >> we have managed to keep the traffic light all morning long. there is a crash on 880. still looks like good drive time for the bridges. westbound 80 toward the bay bridge, eight minutes. westbound 92 to san mateo, about 13 minutes. you can see how good it looks out there. it's all smooth. back to you. >> it is pretty smooth. thank you very much. happening now, a string of late night fires damage or destroyed several homes in antioch. they were intentionally set. authorities believe it may be the work of an arsonist. you can link to more details and video on our twitter feed. sports fans mourning the deci of legendary sports caster. you can look at dick enberg's lasting legacy. a vigil holiday treat with one home simply lighting up the night. actually, a string of homes. it's cool. check it out on our facebook page chlgt it brings visitors from near and far. holiday weekend is here! on christmas morning, join us as we bring you stories of inspiration from across the bay. plus- we )ll be tracking any breaking news from overnight and any changes to your forecast. ...monday morning from ♪ it's 8:00 on "today." . it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, get out of town. one of the busiest weekends of the year is upon us. but icy wintry weather sweeping across the country could have the latest upon us. plus, mama mia mystery. the new framer for the sequel has people wondering, where is meryl? >> your mother is the greatest person we ever met. >> y why some fans are suddenly worried about the oscar winner's role. and christmas comes erarly. >> what do you think of this? >> it's awesome. >> jeff rossen delivers some some of the season's hardest-to-find toys right to their doors. >> i lover it. >> you love it? >> today is friday, december 22nd, 2017. >> i want to say hi to amy. >> hi so karen, maryland. merry christmas. >> we can't do that, month. >> happy. >> first time in new york. >> it's your first time in new york? what's your name? >> camden. >> have a merry christmas. >> what do you say? >> okay. >> thank you. >> happy birthday, shawn cook. i love you so much. >> what are you getting you for her birthday present? >> this. >> when you're too cheap to send the very best. good morning, everybody. welcome back to "today." great crowd out there. can't wait to get out and say hi. al is into this festivus thing. he keeps saying happy festivus. >> that's right. festivus for the rest of us. >> we're going to get right to it because the weather is going to top our news. millions of americans are keeping an eye on the weather. al, i think a lot of people will have some grievances about the this as they try to get from here to there. but they're going to be in the spirit and it will be all okay. we are looking at 9 million people under flash flood watches from lexington down to shreveport. we're looking at weather watches into new england. rain gets going today. we're looking at rain from texas to kentucky. along i-20, some problems. dallas, houston, into nashville, atlanta, rainfall cause something major problems at the airports later today. then we get snow into tomorrow with rain, fog, low ceilings to the south. atlanta, charlotte, d.c., laguardia and boston along the coast. buffalo's airport looking at snow from cleveland all the way up into northern new england. and then as we looked at the rainfall amounts, we're talking about rainfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour down through the south into the lower mississippi river valley. 7 inches possible. we've got snow to talk about from buffalo all the way up into northern maine and on top of of that, ice is a possibility, as well. we are looking at upwards of .5 an inch of ice throughout much of new england and that could cause major, major problems as we go forward into saturday, sunday, even into monday. guys. >> al, thank you very much. to matter how you're traveling, you can usually expect added stress during this time of year. nbc's ron mott is at o'hare international airport in chicago. hey, ron. >> hey, hoda, good morning to you. expect some long lines, as well. we want to uptake you on the situation in dallas at love field. things are back to formal there. there was a fire alarm triggered by an air-conditioning unit that overheated and they had some smoke. here at o'hare, they're expecting this to be the heaviest travel day in the air for folks leaving or going through chicago, expecting 225,000 passengers here at o'hare. to our south at midway, another 70,000 people or so going through that airport. most of the action is going to be on the highways and the bywayses, as we like to call them. the worst of the traffic congestion is over possibly. don't expect clear and smooth sailing as you go forward between now and christmas and beyond. let's take a look at some of the numbers. this is expected to be a record year in travel season. aaa says more than 107 million americans venturing out 50 miles or more from home. this is the way they're going to get there. most of you are getting on the road and driving, 9 out of 10 of you. 60% or so flying. i'm looking at the board here at the american terminal. you can see there's a -- well, it's opened up. there was only one cancellation i see on the board here. that's about news. once the delays start to stack up, we see them cascade throughout the day. pack patience if you're flying today. >> thanks so much spp. overseas now, south korea is in mourning after an overnight fire at a fitness center killed at least 29 people. it happened southeast of the capital of seoul and most of the victim hes were women who had been found in a sauna overcome by toxic smoke. fire officials say the locker rooms inside that facility were like the maze and made it very the difficult to escape. investigators believe the fire may have started in a car parked in the ground floor garage. now to fallout of a ru bueb over president trump. security forces are braced for clashes throughout the palestinian areas. the general assembly voted 128-9 to reject president trump's recognition of jerusalem as reality's capital. the u.n. resolution, which is not finding calls to move null and void. before the vote, president trump warned the countries siding against the u.s. could face diplomatic retaliation and lose american financial aid. >> we're up to date on the news. let's do the morning boost. >> let's do it. so a little boy in chicago is proving that big blessings can come in small packages. 10-year-old jakiel jacks kwon was moved when his aunt took him along to help feed homeless people. that's when he got an idea for what he calls his blessings bag. he collects toog brushes and socks and soap and other toiletries. his family sorts them out in plastic bags and then hen hands them out wherever he finds people in need. he says in a perfect world, he would buy every single homeless person a house. but since he can't do that, he's going to try and help any way he can. >> somebody with a good heart like that. love it. thank you. there's much more ahead this morning including oprah with a warning about a holiday scam in her name. and do you still have some shopping to do? we're going to have your guide to hassle free last-minute gifts. >> hold on to them. >> but first, let's see what me he gyn is working on. >> today, a woman who died for 37 seconds. she predicted it would happen and it did. she can tell you everything that happened while she was gone and even her doctors say they have no explanation for how she knows. she's here, alive and well top of the hour. >> glad to hear that, megyn. plus, it's rossen to the rescue. good morning. i'm jeff rossen. back by popular demand, a popular toy give away for thousands of families in needs. we're back in neighborhoods making some surprising deliveries. results, coming up. deliveries. it's almost christmas dad. ♪ "it's raining men" - the weather girls ♪ ♪ hi. hi. ♪ delicious recipes made holidwith nutella! the holidays never tasted this good. discover holiday recipes at nutella.com. from the moment you met you wantecomfort and protection that's why pampers swaddlers is the #1 choice of hospitals to wrap your baby in blanket-like softness so all they feel is love pampers swaddlers gstores are now open 24 hours. take an extra 20% off when you spend $100 or more! and get kohl's cash for you! short on time? buy online and pick up free in store! give joy, get joy - right now at kohl's. [ various sound effects ] it only takes 15 minutes, to bring holiday cheer. get the party started with delicious chex party mix. ♪ ♪ >> whoa! ♪ i'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain ♪ ♪ what glorious feeling i'm happy again, ♪ ♪ just singing, singing in the rain. ♪ so this is the all-new chevy equinox. it's gorgeous. it offers rear seat reminder, built-in 4g lte wifi... apple car play compatibility... wow... ...and teen driver technology. that's crazy... now to get all of these features, you'd need all six of those crossovers. that's insane! yep, and you still wouldn't get everything that's in this equinox. wowww... six cars in one. use your employee discount for everyone to get forty -five hundred dollars below msrp on this 2018 chevy equinox. find new roads at your local chevy dealer. ♪ this morning on "rosse this morning onn rossen to the rescue, back by popular demand, we are giving away more of the year's hardest to fine toys. >> we had talked about grinchbots that had been buying them up and selling them for high prices online. but our rossen reports team managed to track down some of the most popular toys and now is going to surprise some families who really deserve them. jeff, good morning. >> best part of my job. no grinches here. it's an early christmas and .we are here in the denver area right now. it's been such an amazing week. these kids you see behind me have lived really tough lives. we're at a great charity here called the precious child and many of these children are foster children. we wanted to do something special for them. we've woken them up really early here. you guys have no idea why you're here, right? >> no. >> their parents told them to come here. you just know you're here for a surprise, right? >> yeah. >> excuse me, honey, i want to tell america about it real quick before i tell you. here is what we're doing. we got them so many toys, toys you can't even find in the stores. we have them all laid out over here. a big, live surprise for these kids who deserve it in if just a moment. but first, we're going door to door for more surprises. >> i'm back at it traveling all over the country. delivering this year's hardest to find toys. fingerlings, the lol surprise big surprise and the classic super anyone the tendo nes. our rossen reports contest receiving a massive response. we couldn't believe this girl's story. her aunt writing, my niece has asked for the lol big surprise this year. included with that list was money she earned for santa to buy gifts for children in need. she is caring, loving and smart. we are just looking to make her one wish come true this year. >> jeff rossen from nbc news. >> hi. >> tell me how you're feeling right now. >> very excited and happy. >> this is ariah. >> yes. >> i heard you wanted an lol big surprise. >> yes. >> but i also heard on your list was money for other kids who couldn't afford presents. >> yes. >> even though your parents couldn't afford presents for you, either. you still wanted to give back to other kids? >> yes. >> you're a good girl. >> thank you. >> that's why i got you an lol surprise. >> i think it just teaches her that, you know, to have a good heart. good things happen to good people. >> and you're a good person, too. >> we received so many tweets from families dealing with loss this holiday season. here in new jersey, ed got this tweet from jen and in this really touched us. on may 31st, 2017, our house burned down. we lost everything and have three girls, 10, 7 and 3 all of which would love the lol and finger toys. thank you for considering us. happy holidays. >> hi. i'm looking for jen. >> oh, my god. >> jen? >> yes. >> we wanted to give you guys some toys. what do you think of that? do you want this? it's yours. boom! >> whoa. >> whoa. >> look at all those cool lols in there. >> and we read touching stories of kids helping their parents. jennifer writing, my 12-year-old would love the nintendo. i'm a single mom who can't work because of spine issues. he helps me out a lot. he carries things for me, helps with chores and was so understanding when i told him it wasn't going to be a big christmas this year. >> this is my favorite part. i'm jeff. nice to meet you. >> what's up? >> i heard that you take care of your mom. >> yes. >> and what did you want this year? >> like a 90s video game. >> like a nintendo? >> yeah. boom. >> thank you. >> oh! >> what do you think of this? >> it's awesome. >> what does this mean? >> oh, my gosh. i just -- it means so much. things were really tight this year and he has been helping out around here since he's been 5. >> and we were so inspired by tweets of people opening their homes to or fans. one woman writing, i am a foster parent and have adopted four children. one of my little girls, she's 9, she has cerebral palsy. she wanted a finger monkey. we ordered one back in october. the company took our money and never the sent her the item. >> hi, teresa. >> hi. >> jeff rossen from nbc. >> how are you? >> how are you? >> i'm stunned. >> you're stunning. you do such wonderful things. we heard that you take in children with developmental issues because you want to keep siblings together. you want to keep families together. >> yes. >> and i also heard that you thought you could only ask for one fingerling. >> yes. >> we brought five. one for each of your kids. look at the face on her. look at her face. are you surprised? boom. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. >> here is one for you. do you want one? >> yes. >> here you go, right there. >> i love it. >> you love it? >> uh-huh. >> well, open it up. what does this mean to you to see this? >> i can't explain it because, you know, god is good. >> paying it forward this holiday season. >> i'm speechless. >> so many inspirational people in this country. great to meet them. are you guys ready for the live surprise? >> yeah! >> come on in. come and get them. they're flowing in and, remember, that these kids -- one little toy as we have learned all week. one little toy. wow. i'm getting knocked all over the place here. i love it. it's not about the toy itself. i've been told over and over again by parents and the kids, too. guys, it's about somebody caring, somebody showing up to do something for them, kids who are often forgot.en about. do you guys love it? >> yeah. >> we're going to start opening up the toys on the ground, guys. it has been so inspirational and i love doing this around the holidays. >> this is so much fun. i hope we've started a tradition here, jeff, because this has been beautiful. >> who needs the holidays? let's do it all the time. all right. >> you are darn right about that. thank you, jeff. give some hugs from us, okay? >> it is about the toys to the kids, though. >> it is. >> well deserved. >> check of the weather? >> let's see what we've got going on. basically, we are looking at a flood threat in the mid section of the country. also down through the lower portions of the mississippi and ohio river valleys. we have some elevated fire danger on out west. we're going to continue to watch ta. more snow making its way through the cascades, pacific northwest. icy conditions in upstate new york. ice and noi snowy asou that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. it's been such a cold start, we will have a very mild afternoon, with highs in the mid-50s in san francisco, a mix of sun and clouds and expect more of the same weather as we head throughout the weekend. christmas day, a slight chance of rain. right now, doesn't look like a whole lot. we continue on with some mostly clear skies heading into the middle of next week. for the inland areas, up to 60 degrees this weekend. once again, we'll be watching for that chance of rain early on monday. and that is your latest weather. hoda. >> you know what it's time to do? >> trending. >> to trend. we've got christmas three days away. what's trending this morning? christmas music. so why don't we play a game, you guys. we play a teenie bit of a christmas song. we're going to play two seconds of the song. and i don't know it, either. >> name that tune. let's have the first one. ♪ >> run, run rudolf. >> is he right? you are right. ♪ >> al is so good at this stuff. >> next one. >> all i want for christmas is you. >> mariah carey. all i want for christmas is you. >> we're getting them on two -- you're getting them. ready? let's go again. go. carson. >> santa baby. >> gwen. >> santa tell me. >> ariana grande. >> oh, okay. sorry. >> i only know the classics. >> let's go one more. ♪ >> paul mccartney. >> is it? >> simply having a wonderful christmastime. >> nation king cole's christmas song, highways my jam. >> let's hearing it. they won't have it -- >> agagwen stefani and blake shelton. >> you make it feel like christmas. >> how did you know that? >> i love that song. >> okay. one more. . >> rocking around the christmas tree. >> wow. >> really? >> al r on oker is no fun to play with because you get every single one right. >> i thought that was "o holy night." sfoo ♪ . >> wham. >> last christmas. >> i know my wham jam. >> yes. >> wake me up before you go-go. >> what? all right. we're going to start popstart with "mama mia 2," the hit movie sequel. trailer has just been released. have you seen it? >> no. >> take a look. >> i am so glad you're here. i'm pregnant, but i don't know how to do this by myself. >> your mother is the bravest person i ever met. >> look at my baby. >> let me tell you how she did it. >> did you say the bravest person we ever met? it's past tense, right? so social media now wondering if meryl streep's character was killed off. there are some new scenes with meryl streep. we're trying to figure out how it's going to work. you know who else joined the star-studded cast. cher. >> whoa! >> let's get the party started. >> grandma? you weren't invited. >> that's the best kind of party, little girl. >> "mama mia 2" hits theaters on july 20th. now to oprah winfrey, known to showering her fans with gifts. but maybe due to online information, it appears she's asking people for cash. no. >> hi, everybody. i just wanted you to know that somebody out there is trying to scam you using my name and my avatar on social media asking for money. if you sign up for an own account on instagram. it's a fraud, it's a fraud, it's a fraud. don't believe it. don't give up any of your bank accounts or personal information to anybody posing as me or anyone else for that matter. >> that's a good -- have a merry christmas. >> that's a good psa for this time of year, regardless of whether it's the oprah ra scam or others. finally, end things with "home alone," a beloved christmas classic. now a music producer sang the entire sound track in a way you've never heard before. he sings it a capella and he combines over 50 versions of his own voice in one choir and it's going to bring you some holiday cheer. take a look. ♪ ♪ >> unbelievable. >> someone has some time on his hands. >> that's unbelievable. >> i mean, the edit alone, that's impressive, though. >> take that pen ttatonix. >> keep the change, you felty animal. >> you know that all-too familiar move when you think you don't have another play and the whole thing on jenga is about to come tumbling down? watch this guy get on out of that moment. >> check that out. >> are you loving it? >> oh, wow. >> no! >> no. >> oh! >> oh, my god! >> that's unbelievable. >> i don't believe you. >> he is a ninja. >> how about that? he pulled off the amazing feat without dropping a single block of his tower. the family celebrated with a party trick. they were stunned that the thing didn't fall down. >> those are giant jenga. >> is that fun? yeah, it is. >> i'm going to have to get that. >> and the flowers are still standing. >> that is so cool. >> cars kwon, thank you. straight head, let's go shopping. we still have time to order them or you can take them straight from cassie, which is what we're going to do. then dive into some italian comfort food. it is time to celebrate. football food for the holiday. those recipes, a lot more after the check off your local thus, your weather and these mess theages. news, weather and these messages. i )m ... in the last few moments - we )ve learned president trump has signed into law the massive tax cut bill approved by congress. in the last few moments, we've learned president trump has signed into law the massive tax cut bill approved by congress. the president initially said he would wait until after the new year to sign it but later changed his mind. the signing ceremony took place in the oval office. and two people are in the hospital after an early morning fire in hayward. this happened a little after 2 a.m. on menova street. the investigators say the fire started in the kitchen of that home when someone forgot to turn off the stove. a woman who lives there in the home tell us that her 8 an-year-old mother and stepfather, 85-year-old mother and stepfather are being treated for smoke inhalation. right now, tracking a minor crash in the east bay. >> definitely has been quiet on the roads. let's get to that minor crash along the southbound 880 south before whipple road. you can see, there goes that crash right there, but not really causing any major delays. i haven't seen a lot of folks. are either already at home for the holidays or maybe they're heading out later tonight. we're also seeing this other road hazard among minnesota avenue, northbound side of highway 87. doesn't look to be too serious. westbound 80, bay bridge, about 30 minutes. all is good, it's beautiful. san jose also looking equally nice, back to you. >> i'll have another local news update for you in half an hour. ♪ [vo] the season of audi sales event is here. audi will cover your first month's lease payment on select models during the season of audi sales event. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> beautiful. how was that? let's call that the crowd moment. what do you think, hoda? >> i think we'll call that our proud moment. those beautiful voices are from the new york city children's chorus. they are a talented group of students. they're ages 10 to 16. we always scour the crowd for a crowd moment, but that has the to be it. they gave a moment to our crowd. thank you so much. the clock is ticking to cross everybody off your list. luckily, we have chassie who has found the best last-minute gifts you can find at the 11th hour. >> and then if you're like me and you have company coming over, great game. we have packers, vikings. we're going to have some recipes to scene you stuffed into the new year. >> siri must be a vikingings fan. >> she is. >> you know siri, your wife. but she went to college in wisconsin, so it gets complicated. this woman went in the to deliver her baby. she had a premonition she would die. no one believed her. she insisted that they take her seriously. they brought a crash cart in. she died for 37 seconds. she came back. she's fine. she remembers the whole thing and she will tell us all about it even the doctors are saying it's a miracle. >> wow. >> no, you have to see this story. >> that is amazing, megyn. i don't think you can top that, but -- >> is the month or merry over? >> oh, this is the last chance. megyn's month of merry. >> how could you forget that? >> and guess what? guess who might be driving the train today? >> i'm just saying. >> uh-oh. >> let's make sure the insurance waivers are signed. >> look out. let's see what's happening as far as your weather is concerned. unfortunately we still have some fire danger out west. that thomas fire, they are still working on it and we've got 30 and 50-mile-per-hour wind gusts this morning. dry conditions. rapid fire spread is possible. rest of the country, icy conditions is in the northeast and snow into new england. snowy weather through the pacific northwest. plenty of sunshine southeast down into the gulf coast. and some clouds and sun through that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we do still have some freezing temperatures wide spread in the valleys in the north bay as well as the trivalley, all the way down to the santa clara valley. mostly some 30s around the bay area. it's going to warm up into the mid-50s. as we get a look at our weekend forecast, a mix of sun and clouds. by christmas, there will be a slight chance of rain, especially early in the day. doesn't look like a whole lot. we continue on with some dry weather and our temperatures, a little bit warmer for the inland areas, up to 60. and that is your latest weather. time to go roll the horn. i want to make sure everybody gets on and we've got to tell you, we want to make sure all your weather needs are met. check out our friends at the weather channel on cable. now let's head back inside. >> all right, al, thank you. now to today's hassle free holiday. this is it. we're t-minus three days until christmas. if you have shopping to do, we don't want you to stress. we have chassie post here. can these ideas get here before christmas? >> yes, they can. some shopping you can even cofrom your couch. >> we've got some elves on the plaza rolling in our xwifts. gifts. here is sara. first up, the flip belt. this is great for the sporty person on your list and it's like a running belt. you can fit everything from your phone, your keys, your id, everything into the pockets here. then you just flip it. it sits low on your waist and it won't bounce around. this is available on amazon prime -- you flip it up? >> so it's all snug, yes, and it's $24.98. this is a genius invention. it is called the smart buckle and this device, you attach it to any wrist band of a watch. it turns into a smartwatch. now your beautiful watch, keep your style, make sure it has a buckle and it can track your fitness, your steps, your sleep. some people don't want to wear the fitness tracker. now you have a great option and it's $129..99, including shipping. it will get there tomorrow from vogue strap.com. >> thank you, sara. next elves. >> we have camden and sharon and first up from e.d. by ellen degeneres, we have these adorable little slippers with dogs and hearts, cute overload, right? >> cute. >> and these mad for plaid totes. this says joy. so much fun. these are from nordstrom. a lot of ways to shop there. you can go online, go to select stores and you can e-gift so send someone a personalized gift by e-mail. >> these i have. these are amazing. >> these are warm muffs. so cool, they're 100% vegan and they attach to any handle. >> i use it for the stroller. >> it's so amazing. so look, sharon, if you take your hand off, you will never lose a glove again. >> it's perfect. >> you can get it from bye-bye baby, bed, bath & beyond. >> i didn't know they came in those cute prints. thank you so much. next elves. >> so this is for the beauty obsessed. and this is the mini contour kit. it's all about contour and you can get these at sephora stores. also, steela makes these amazing liquid eye shadows with glitter. so festive and lipsticks that last hours. so perfect for the new year's eve party. you guys are going to be so on obsessed with this. pace loves this, he told me backstage. these are the home sit candles. you know when you have a smell and it takes you back to some place immediately? >> yes. >> these are designed to do just that. so this is the france candle. smells of butter croissants, latte, tobacco and lavender. >> i'm back at the cafe in my beret. >> so you've got your hometowns. >> l.a. >> ooh. >> doesn't it? >> i like that. >> i don't want to smell new york, though. >> right. well -- just kidding, new york. i love you. >> boston smells great. these are available, amazonprime, $29..95. >> miami. >> i love miami. >> very cute. >> thanks, twice. >> okay. last but fought least, you guys will not believe the food we have for you here today. these are called du's doughnuts. kaitlyn and is cara, great elves are bringing these out. free shipping. you can get it tomorrow. yes. and let me tell you about these. the super duper famous chef has a michellin star, he's turned his sights on the new england cake doughnut. and these are unbelievable. you've got round butter, key lime, cherry pie, caramel apple. >> yummy. >> you've got doughnut holes. >> can i take a bite or are these show doughnuts? >> oh, please. they are made for taking a bite. >> no, we want those. >> hoda and carson are so jealous. >> they're so, so yummy. >> really good. >> free ship on for tomorrow. >> we've got some for you guys. and last but not least, this is for the royal lover. who is not a royal lover? >> no one around this show. we all love them. >> it is called royal bingo. >> no. >> yes. and there's 64 royals, including famous ones like kate and william. but there's also some the not so famous like prince wenaslas of likt liktenstene. you don't like him? not your favorite? >> and there's a book with fun facts. who is going to win bingo? and amazon, $29. >> guys, come on in here. look, a couple of vultures circling around the doughnuts. get involved in this doughnut. i tried the caramel apple and it was delicious. >> key lime. tape everything down here. oh, my gosh. >> it's like a piece of cake wrapped into i don't know what. >> i don't want to ruin my italian meal coming up. >> thanks, cassie. now we've got a hero sandwich, guys, large enough to really cover a whole football field, okay? it's coming up. but first, this is "today the" on nbc. "today" on nbc. how good are those, right? my wish was a clubhouse, but we call it "the wish house." people visit national parks from all over the world. food tastes better when you don't have to cook it. he was just supposed to be my dog. i don't know why. (vo) we're proud that, on behalf of our owners, the subaru share the love event will have donated over one hundred fifteen million dollars in just ten years. get 0% financing for 63 months on select models. plus we'll donate $250 to charity. we're back with "today food loves football." the rival green bay packers and minnesota vikings are set to tangle in a special saturday night game tomorrow on nbc. with some dishes to go with the match-up or any holiday gathering, anthony and elaine. we love when you come. people are starving. just a quick cutaway at the tasting table. they're almost finished. >> that's great lunch for the staff today. >> tell us what we're doing. >> a little rollitini. we think italian is the way to go for football. i thinly sliced it. i want to put grill marks on it and soften it up. >> you want to get the water out of it. >> you want to be pliable because you want to roll it. i have cheese,recot to and egg. when you're baking it, you want it to stay thick and you put the egg in. this is what the mixture is going to be. >> simple as that? >> simple as this. we're going to take this. >> and you roll that baby right up. >> that's all it is. simple as that. >> and you bake that for how long? >> 15, 20 minutes. you see it melt a little bit and get gooey and delicious. this is what it looks like. and let's look at the zucchini and melted gorgonzola cheese. >> touchdown. >> go for the two-point conversion. >> can we live here for one second? these are famous at your restaurant. and the secret recipe, you're giving that away? >> it has been. potato, zune kecchini chips and melted gorgonzola cheese. >> everybody dies for that at the restaurant. elena? >> save some room. >> we have room for you, girl. >> we have the italian stallion of sandwiches. i mean, this is a show-stopper. six-foot-long italian hero. >> they make that? >> of course they do. it's very old-school but it's new again, hoda. >> let's talk about things you need. >> provolone, capicola, salami and peppers. here's the important part. it's the dressing. an italian oregano dressing. olive oil and red wine vinaigrette. we started to put our peppers on. we're going to layer the mortadella. >> we love italian style. but the truth is, you can do it american hero. you can do however you want. we're going to layer this all the way down. >> shake that up. >> this is the best part. >> where do you put it? >> right on the top. this is nice, thick, crusty bread. >> look how much she is putting on there. >> you need to be thick with it. >> it soaks into the bread. >> it's really tomatoes. and then, some nice, shredded lettuce. >> tell us about the hero. what's happening over there? >> i thought anthony was the italian stallion. >> can't get past the rigatoni. >> tell us about the rigatoni. >> oh, rigatoni bolenaise. this portion is not acceptable. that's a portion for one. >> oh, my gosh. >> that's football. >> veal chicken bolognese. a little rigatoni warms the soul. >> anthony -- >> carson keeps going momma mia. >> the prequel, the sequel. >> spike the ball. >> you can head to today.com/food. catch the vikings and packers tomorrow night, saturday, right here on nbc. coverage starts at 7:00, 6:00 central. just ahead, a special holiday performance from rising stars why don't we. first, this is "today" on nbc. first, this is "today" on nbc. for mild-to-moderate eczema? it can be used almost everywhere on almost everybody. the face of a fisherman? the hand of a ranch hand? the knee of a needle pointer? prescription eucrisa is a nose to toes eczema ointment. it blocks overactive pde4 enzymes within your skin. and it's steroid-free. do not use if you are allergic to eucrisa or its ingredients. allergic reactions may occur at or near the application site. the most common side effect is application site pain. ask your doctor about eucrisa. the citi concert series on "today" is proudly presented to you by citi. >> welcome back to "today." the guys from why don't we are riding high as 2017 comes to a close. >> they released four e.p.s this year. two of them reaching number one on itunes. and they will kick off the new year with a headlining tour. >> one of the four e.p.s is "why don't we this christmas." and they're going to do one of the singles this christmas, "kiss you this christmas." now, ladies and gentlemen, why don't we. ♪ ♪ ♪ joyful, joyful when you're near ♪ ♪ shining like a star, my dear ♪ winter wonder land is here all i need to bring me cheer ♪ ♪ wrapped up in your presents, girl ♪ ♪ you know you keep me guessing nothing's sweeter ♪ ♪ than the sight of you this christmas ♪ ♪ it's cold outside but you melt my heart away ♪ ♪ it feels so right it's a perfect holiday ♪ ♪ waited for this moment the whole yearlong ♪ ♪ so, let me know let me know ♪ ♪ can i kiss you this christmas ♪ ♪ joyful, joyful, tis the season ♪ ♪ show you how i feel, my dear ♪ angels singing up in here ♪ all i need to bring me cheer ♪ wrapped up in your presents, girl ♪ ♪ you know you keep me guessing ♪ ♪ nothing's sweeter than the sight of you this christmas ♪ ♪ it's cold outside but you melt my heart away ♪ ♪ it feels so right it's a perfect holiday ♪ ♪ waited for this moment the whole year long ♪ ♪ so, let me know let me know ♪ ♪ can i kiss you this christmas ♪ ♪ oh, yeah can i kiss you this christmas ♪ ♪ ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ so, let me know let me know ♪ ♪ can i kiss you this christmas ♪ >> yeah. >> this has been such an awesome christmasy show. why don't we. thank you. >> rigatoni. >> this is "today" on nbc. so, sheinelle and willie are going to get us through this weekend. what's going on? >> a lot of us are wrapping holiday gifts this weekend. but if you're too busy with everything else you have to do and can't make it to the mall, have no fear. we have creative ideas. these are good. people will be happy. >> they're good. >> stop. >> then, on the christmas eve edition of "sunday today," my guest is the star of one of the hottest shows in 2017, "the handmaid's tale." elisabeth moss is with me. she's won the emmy for best actress. now, nominated for the golden globe in that same category. she will be my guest on sunday. >> you get great interviews. >> and he eats pizza while he interviews them. >> always at a pizza joint for the beer. >> and on our fourth hour coming up, the stars of "the greatest showman" coming up. and recipes of things you will enjoy and other things you want to buy, not that other stuff. >> that sounds fantastic. i'm going to get out of here. megyn kelly coming up next. she has a crazy story to tell us. i'm going to go over to the i )m - -... firefighters are investigating a good morning. it is 8:56. i'm marcus washington. firefighters are investigating the stripping ng of late-night in antioch all within a few blocks that appear to be intentionally set. the first of those fires started around 10:00 last night in the area around "a" street in madil. firefighters say one of the fires damaged a commercial building. the others were set at homes, none of which were occupied. the fires destroyed one structure and damaged several others. injuries were reported. the firefighters are trying to determine if it is the work of an arsonist. happening now, nbc bay area is talking to authorities who are still on this case. they'll have a live report for this in our midday newscast. look for updates any time on our twitter feed. in the last hour, president trump signed into law a massive tax cut bill approved by congress. the president initially said he would wait until after the new year to sign it. but later changed his mind. that signing ceremony took place in the oval office. links to details on our homepage. sports fans and nbc mourning the death of a legendary sportscaster, dick enberg covered eight super bowls along with many other events in the world of sports. at our homepage, a look at his lasting legacy. really? really? really? really? really? really? see zero in a whole new way. get zero down, zero deposit, zero first month's payment, and zero due at signing on select volkswagen models. now with the people first warranty. on christmas morning, join us as we bring you stories of inspiration from across the bay. plus- we )ll be tracking any breaking news from overnight and any changes to your forecast. ...monday morning from this morning on "megyn kelly today," a medical miracle. a woman dies for 37 seconds, then lives to tell about it. then, the couple who took their fight to get a wedding cake all the way to the supreme court. and two months left in our month of merry with a gift that will help you trim the tree all year round. what could it be? all that and more on "megyn kelly today" right now. [ applause ] hi, everybody. good morning. hi. happy friday. happy friday. the friday before christmas, very exciting. good morning, everyone.