Road. Where will there be a White Christmas . In their honor. Signs of the season from coast to coast paying tribute to some genuine american heroes. Good evening. Those post christmas credit card bills may not be the only shock to the wallet come the new year. With just ten days left to act to avoid a plunge over the fiscal cliff, the president and congress have left washington for the holidays leaving the clock ticking down to an acrosstheboard tax increase for most americans. Ten days is enough time to make a deal if republicans and democrats each decide to give some more ground. But tonight there are no such signs. That leaves millions of Holiday Shoppers tonight spending money against a paycheck that may soon get noticeably smaller. Well dig down on how this could affect your bottom line. But first, lets find out where negotiations stand. Nbcs Kristen Welker is traveling with the president in honolulu. Hello, kristen. Reporter lester, good evening. President obama played a round of golf this afternoon but white house Officials Say this is also a working vacation for him and for his staffers. That is little comfort for the millions of americans wondering what the uncertainty in washington means for them. President obama arriving in hawaii after leaving a washington in disarray. While the president put politics aside for his weekly address michelle and i want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy holidays. Reporter on friday the focus was on the fiscal cliff. Mr. Obama conceded a large deal may now be impossible but urged congress to at least prevent taxes from going up on middle class americans while extending Unemployment Insurance and laying the groundwork for deficit reduction. I expect democrats and republicans to get back to washington and have it pass both chambers. And i will immediately sign that legislation into law. Reporter House Speaker john boehner also headed home after a bruising week. His own conference refused to back his proposal, which would have allowed taxes to go up on the wealthy, delivering a stinging blow to his leadership. Today he faulted the president and Congressional Democrats for the impasse. Unfortunately, the president and Senate Democrats have vowed to reject and veto all of our proposals while failing to offer responsible solutions of their own. Reporter the prospects for a deal remain grim. On friday Senate Republican leader Mitch Mcconnell said his strategy forward is unclear, but stressed time is running out. The u. S. Economy is at stake here. Millions upon millions of families are counting on us to do something. Reporter while the president expressed measured confidence call me a hopeless optimist but i actually still think we can get it done. Reporter Many Americans say the uncertainty in washington has cast a cloud over their Holiday Season. I think its sad because theres no reason that an agreement cant be reached. My taxes will go up 3,000 a year. Can i afford it . No. Can the country afford it . No. Reporter now, lawmakers are expected to return to washington after the Christmas Holiday to resume negotiations but partisan wrangling will be put aside tomorrow when many members of congress, the president , and first lady attend a Memorial Service for the late senator Daniel Inouye which will be held right here in honolulu. Lester . Kristen welker traveling with the president tonight. Thanks. For more on what going over the socalled fiscal cliff could mean for you and your family come the new year we want to bring in the today show financial editor. A lot of focus has been on the expiring bush era tax cuts. Lets talk about the amount of money that comes out of your weekly or monthly paycheck. How will that change . Reporter the other thing that is expiring is the payroll tax holiday. That is very likely to go whether or not we get a deal. For americans who earn about 30,000 a year, thats going to mean a cut of 50 a month, 500 over the course of the year in their pay checks. For those who earn closer to 50,000 were looking at a thousand dollars over the year and if you earn closer to 100,000 its 2,000 throughout the year. Lets talk about those expiring tax cuts. If congress doesnt act, how much of a bite is that going to take from the average american . Well, as the man said in the piece, on average it is going to take about a 3500 bite for the average american. But it is going to take more from upper earners so if you earn more than a Million Dollars a year youre looking at 11 increase in your taxes. If you earn between 40,000 and 50,000 a year its more like a 4. 5 increase in your taxes. What can folks do now . Weve got ten days left to eliminate some of that. Any action you can take right now . Id check your withholding. If you are one of the 75 of americans who actually gets a refund each year, reducing your withholding could put more money in your pocket and actually temper the effects of the payroll tax holiday expiration. Good to have you on tonight. Thank you. Thanks for having me. As were hearing from a lot of americans worried about the fiscal cliff and its effect on their taxes on this final weekend before christmas, malls are packed across america. Millions of folks, myself among them, doing a lot of lastminute shopping. Nbcs Michelle Franzen is along 5th avenue here in midtown manhattan where the buying seems to be brisk. Michelle, good evening. Reporter well, good evening, lester. Shoppers are out tonight on this last saturday before christmas, typically one of the busiest days of the shopping season. Whether shoppers are wrapping up gift buying or just getting started. But for some, that uncertainty over the fiscal economy is also affecting how much theyll spend. With just three more days to shop before christmas, the crowds are out in full force on this super saturday. I know who i need to buy for but not what im buying yet. Reporter even as uncertainty over the fiscal cliff is on the minds of some shoppers. Its sort of scary. Its concerning. Reporter a poll out this week of 1500 americans showed that 17 are planning to spend less due to money concerns. Still, retail analysts say holiday sales are ontrack to rise 4. 1 to 586 billion the most optimistic forecast since the recession. If we recall black friday did about 11. 2 billion dollars in sales. But they had very strong results compared to last year. Retailers are hoping that the consumers will come back and deliver those same strong results during this last weekend of the year. Lastminute shoppers playing the waiting game are in good company. I havent started yet. A poll released this week by Consumer Reports found 132 Million People hadnt finished their holiday shopping. 26 million had yet to start. 17 million said they planned to be shopping on Christmas Eve. I work better under pressure than if i take a lot of time. Reporter retailers are meeting that demand by offering more discounts and more time to shop. Toys r us, macys, and target just a few stores staying open around the clock until Christmas Eve. For the Record Number of Online Shoppers who shipped ahead, drivers are also out in force, racing against the clock and battling Winter Weather to deliver gifts on time. It was very windy and the packages have to get out. It just has to be done. A push to the finish line and the checkout line as shoppers and retailers count down to christmas. Analysts say if lawmakers are able to strike a fiscal deal it could also give retail sales a boost heading into the new year. Lester . All right. Michelle, thank you. Millions are shopping and millions are traveling this weekend before christmas and a lot of folks are digging out after an illtimed winter storm. Weve got it all covered and go first to Weather Channel meteorologist scott newell. Whats the forecast . Well, ill tell you something. The ski resorts here in western new york are absolutely thrilled that they had a major snowstorm already but that system moved from the midwest eastward and has caused a lot of problems including an accident in western maryland that killed one person, bringing the death toll from the storm to at least eight. The lake effect snow had a lot of people here in new york digging out early. In fact, several areas in western new york reported snowfalls of a foot or more. Heavy snow and ice knocked out power in several cities including parts of maine and michigan. Lake effect snow continues off lake ontario and those areas east and southeast of lake ontario should pick up an additional 3 to 6 inches by tomorrow. The storms will keep on coming, a minor system beginning on Christmas Eve will dump a few inches of snow in ohio through pennsylvania, north jersey, and southern new england. And were tracking another major storm on the west coast which will bring a stripe of snow from Oklahoma City to the midwest by christmas before heading up to the northeast mid week with coastal cities getting mostly rain and those inland either snow or a mix. So after a very mild winter last year, a whole lot of action in the last week. Lester . All right. Scott newell checking in for us. Thanks. Now to the mad rush at airports across the country tonight. Nbcs Gabe Gutierrez is at the worlds Busiest AirportHartsfield Jackson in atlanta. How is it looking . Reporter well, major airports caught a bit of a break today. Nowhere near as many cancellations as we saw thursday and friday. Instead this morning rain slowed down some flights in San Francisco and up in the northeast there were some minor travel headaches as well as winds delayed flights from washington and the new york area. A lot of people were paying attention to weather reports today. Nearly one in four americans will travel this holiday taking advantage of a longer break with both christmas and new years falling on a tuesday. And this is good news for the 84 million americans who will drive. Gas prices have dropped to an average of 3. 24 a gallon. Thats down nearly 20 cents in a month. Here in atlanta, many travelers are just thankful that it isnt more hectic at this point but as you know, lester, with so many connections passing through here, that can always change very quickly. We know that indeed. Gabe gutierrez, thank you. More than two and a half years since the deep water horizon exploded in the gulf of mexico. A federal judge has approved a nearly 8 billion settlement between bp and some 100,000 folks along the gulf coast whose businesses were devastated by the oil spill. That lasted keep in mind nearly three months. Thousands of people have opted out of the settlement choosing to pursue their cases individually. The massachusetts Specialty Pharmacy at the center of the deadly meningitis outbreak earlier this year says it has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The new England Compounding Center shut down after it was linked to the outbreak that killed 39 people and sickened hundreds more. Health Officials Say the fafrm y pharmacy makes tainted vials of steroids and the company is facing 130 lawsuits. There is word from london tonight that prosecutors are weighing whether to press charges against a pair of australian dejays over a radio hoax that happened days before one of Kate Middletons nurses took her own life. The dejays impersonated the queen and prince charles, asking about kates condition. They fooled that nurse who passed them through to a colleague who revealed kates condition. Scotland yard says it submitted the case to prosecutors to consider whether any potential offenses may have been committed. It is not even christmas yet but Pope Benedicts former butler got what he was hoping for, a few days early. The pope met with him today granting him a pardon two months after he was convicted of leaking private papal documents and sentenced to 18 months in jail. He said he was trying to expose alleged corruption he believed was being hidden from the pope. The vatican says it will help him find a new job outside the church. Still ahead as nbc nightly news continues the heated debate over guns in schools. The nra wants armed guards to protect kids but at least one School District is already arming the teachers. Later, Something Else going on in schools. The sound of music. 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Get your first full prescription free and save on refills at advaircopd. Com. Were back with the issue of guns in america following the newtown tragedy, specifically protecting schools with armed guards. Yesterday the executive Vice President of the nra called for just that in every school in america. Its a highly controversial idea but as nbcs Charles Hadlock reports some schools are going a big step further. Reporter in School Districts across the country teachers, administrators, and politicians are debating ways to keep classrooms safer. A Police Officer now walks the halls in an Elementary School in butler, pennsylvania, one of a growing list of School Districts including marlboro, new jersey and orange county, florida hiring armed guards after the deadly newtown shootingins. We have armed officers in all 14 schools in the butler School District and plan to have that on a daily basis from now on. Reporter but soon it may be more than just armed guards patrolling the nations public schools. Lawmakers in at least ten states have said theyll consider laws allowing teachers and administrators to carry firearms. In tiny harrold, texas where the nearest sheriffs deputy is 30 minutes away teachers and administrators sometimes felt unsafe. In harrold all 100 students from kindergarten to 12th grade attend school in one building. In a school this small and remote a Security Guard would be too costly so here teachers are the first responders. Theyre allowed even encouraged to carry concealed hand guns after theyve obtained licenses and extensive training. Were not teaching violence. Were protecting kids. Reporter the superintendent says he believes the program, now in its fifth year, will prevent the unthinkable. I want to be able to call my parents and say, a bad guy came into our school. Your child is coming home safe and sound. The bad guy is leaving in a body bag. Reporter strong words that worry some teachers groups. I just think that we are setting up a scenario where more people are going to get hurt and the wrong people will get hurt in these cases. And i think its just bad policy. Reporter and in michigan this week the governor vetoed a bill that would have allowed teachers to carry guns. Its impractical and ineffective. There was an armed guard at columbine. That didnt help. Typically these episodes, these tragedies are concluded in a matter of seconds or minutes. Reporter still, the idea may be catching on. In oregon one gun shop is offering teachers free hand gun lessons. Back in harrold, superintendent tweet wont say which teachers or how many have guns. Part of the secret, he says, to keeping students safe. Nbc news, harrold, texas. He didnt take any questions after yesterdays announcement but nra chief wayne laperriere will do just that when he sits down with David Gregory for an exclusive interview tomorrow morning on meet the press. Up next here tonight theyre taking the Old School Musical to a whole new level. The financial obstacles military families face, we understand. At usaa, we know military life is different. Weve been there. Thats why every bit of Financial Advice we offer is geared specifically to current and former military members and their families. [ laughs ] dad dad [ applause ] [ male announcer ] life brings obstacles. Usaa brings advice. Call or visit us online. Were ready to help. Without freshlymade pasta. You could also cut corners by making it without 100 real cheddar cheese. But then. It wouldnt be Stouffers Mac cheese. Just one of over 70 satisfying recipes for one from stouffers. Five days later, i had a massive heart attack. Bayer aspirin was the first thing the emts gave me. 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Not if music teacher steven cedarmark has anything to say or sing about it. In an Elementary School in brooklyn, he is taking the fight to keep opera alive to the kids. Reporter hes got their attention. When you think about opera in its purist form what it is is really story and song and children really love both of those. Reporter they dont just watch or listen in mr. Cs class. Students draw, role play, and of course sing. Reporter even through the mustaches. Thats the barber of seville. Then what happens . The actual translation . Yeah. Tell me. Lets be quiet, chatter reporter slow it down. Cedarmark has some formidible support new yorks metropolitan opera. If we dont have audiences in the future, opera will cease to exist. The metropolitan opera is dedicated to making this grand art form accessible. This is awesome. On every possible level and starting with kids. Reporter as part of the mets outreach cedarmarks kids along with more than a thousand others from around the city were invited to the dress rehearsal of the barber of seville. Isabelle leonard is used to enraptured audiences but not quite lake this one. Theyre all there with their eyes wide open and hands on the front of the seats. Its great. Reporter at the end of the show a special treat for the kids and the star soprano. Reporter just in case anyone had any doubts about the future of opera, some proof that even a new generation can get hooked. Stephanie gosk, nbc news, new york. When we come back, signs of the season across america. But there is a powerful message behind these decorations. S the. I have a cold, and i took nyquil, but im still stubbed up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesnt unstuff your nose. What . [ male announcer ] it doesnt have a decongestant. No way. [ male announcer ] sorry. 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[ male announcer ] one pill each morning. 24 hours. Zero heartburn. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back. Finally tonight a ritual this Holiday Season that has special meaning for the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Here is nbcs mike taibbi from fort stewart, georgia. It seems so simple. The human reflex. That time of year you remember those youve lost. But in fort stewart, what takes place in december has become more than a simple reflex. They place wreaths by a marker each by its own tree to remember every third infantry soldier who gave all for the sake of all of us like lieutenant john eades killed in iraq in 2007 leaving his bride laura behind. Having the ceremony does kind of bring you back and sometimes its painful. But i think its important to remember. And major paul voelke who just this past june fell in combat in afghanistan leaving a. J. And benjamin fatherless. Its so hard to live without him. Reporter and wife tracy comforted that this gathering will recur each year. Hopefully my grand kids will come back and see that we can come back and visit and know that he is alive in our hearts. Reporter like all news organizations, nbc news could not have covered the march to baghdad at the start of the iraq war or the surge five years later that turned the tide or the continuing challenges in afghanistan without joining the third i. D. At the point of engagement. Their sacrifices have been immense, 443 warriors lost so far. But here friends and family and total strangers have been coming together for years just before christmas to acknowledge and honor the fallen. This year, after one of the worst domestic shooting massacres in american history. Dont be afraid to reach out to someone who you know suffered a loss. Like one of these people that suffered a loss whether it is in Something Like connecticut or a soldier whos lost their life, let them know, let the family members know youre thinking about them. Reporter for many, for these families, the pain endures. Only eased a little at a time, a year at a time, a day at a time. The lesson . Hold tight. Keep holding tight. Mike taibbi, nbc news, fort stewart, georgia. Our thanks to these american heroes and our thoughts with their families tonight. That is nbc nightly news for this saturday. Im lester holt reporting from new york. Ill see you tomorrow morning on today and right back here tomorrow evening. We leave you with the crowds outside our door step here at rockefeller plaza. Good night, everyone