The ttoy. Were happy because right now, were spending the day with our families. We taped this special Christmas Show for you. And so in our way, were getting to share it with all of you. Mechristmas. A fun c little baby. Baby. It makes it extra special, doesnt it . Its ag. M is home from exactly. We want to start with a check of the top Morgan Radford is on duty with those. Good morning and Merry Christmas to you. Christians ss around the world today are observing the Christmas Holiday. A time of joy and of hope. In the holy land there are fewer mg the pilgrimage birthplace of jesus. Officials say recent clashes with palestinians and Israeli Security forces are now keeping religious tourism down. But thankfully so far, no reports of violence today. And at the vatican, pope francis used his Christmas Eve mass to defend the rights of immigrants. He compared displaced families to mary and joseph, saying they, too, could find no place to stay. The pope told 10,000 worshipers that today we are seeing families being driven from their own lands. The plea for no feel the family areolidayresort in florida. But the president hasnt exactly left politics behind in washington. Nbcsarrett haake j from West Palm Beach with the latest. Garrett, good morning. O this president. Last night, the first lady attendedhurch service where they were married. Earlier in the day, they spoke to children by phone, conveying the wishes for santa, talking about the tracking program that norad teleconference for troops stationed overseas. The is being active on twitter on this break, includeing a stn mas itself. People are proud to be saying Merry Christmas again. Im proud to have led the charge on the assault of our beautiful phrase Merry Christmas. The president taking aim at a senior fbi official who he accused of a conflict of interest investigating the clinton case back in 2016. Finally, the president will wake up with a Christmas Gift under his tree from guatemala who announced they will be moving their embassy in israel to jerusalem, the first such country to follow the u. S. s lead since our announce garrett, thank you so much. I see youre enjoying a nice warm christmas in West Palm Beach this morning. Thanks for joining us. Arctic air is dominating the north with some of the bitter cold and w in. Then snow is expected to fall across parts of the pacific northwest, all the way up to the northern rockies. Finally, widespread snow and gusty winds from the great lakes. Thats stretching to new england, where up to a foot of snow is expected to make for a White Christmas in im Morgan Radford. Thanks so much for joining us this morning. All of us at today show wishing you a very Merry Christmas. Hoda and savannah back to you. On Christmas Morning, we turn to a man who spends a lot of his time thinking about the meaning of this day, timothy dolan, the archbishop of new york. He talks about goodwill that walks through the door when you do. A blessed christmas. The red. And savannah a blessed christmas. Wheres my head. Its an important tradition for me to be with you. Thanks for the invite. We love it. You have a powerful message on Christmas Morning. Its a powerful season. Its a powerful feast day. If this is the holiday of joy. A lot of people wake up and joy isnt what theyre feeling, what hope can you provide . Look at it this way. This is the dark naturally, this is the darkest time of the year. We just had the darkest day of the year a couple days ago, naturally. The sun is at its rep nt i think youre right, savannah im afraid you are maybe the discouragement the somberness the darkness that many people feel. Were in the mood now, of surveying last year. You two journalists are in the business of looking back over what has happened. And we cant deny theres been a lot thats happened the last year thats caused us darkness right . But heres the meaning, heres what we need you know that song we need a Little Christmas do we ever just as the sun gets to the lowest eatit begins to go back up. The sun is always going up. Light is conquering darkness good evil, lifedeath hflife death. And as the sun goes up in the sky, god sends his son, son, a confirmation of his love. Everything is decent and right in the world. A lot of people could be sad this morning. But christmas is that time i think for all of us, if only for a few moments, things gel. Things work out. We say, this is the way things should be. Families together, sharing forgiveness, generosity faith and prayer. Just for a moment things seem right. I think because you talk about this a lot, when you are feeling the way we were just talking about, you take the focus off of yourself and put it somewhere else. Yep. You know if its st. Patricks o baby jesus. Everybodys eyes arerist child, the baby jesus, the infant. For a moment, we get our eyes off of ourself. Were not naval gazing this narcissistic feeling sorry for ourselves like we tend to do and we raise our eyes up we see the newborn savior of the world and things click. You say, i might give up on life but god isnt. God is affirming life. Thats what christmas i about. Theres pple of drent faiths that might be involving this. And the message is god is involved and god is plunging into Human History in a real way. Everybody, even if theyre not christmas, as they cel birthday of the messiah, of our lord and savior jesus christ it is a season and a time when you might call the more noble uplifting characteristics of the human person s to rise to the surface. Everybody seems to appreciate it. We know it from the excitement in new york. You cant, in Christmas Season you cant walk the sidewalks without getting excited. It seems to affirm and put a gods Good Housekeeping approval on everything that is good in the human person. Im looking at you and im picturing you as a little boy. I see you on Christmas Morning and you have that light. I havent been called little in a long time. What was it like for you as a little boy on Christmas Morning . I had a great family. Im the oldest of five. We didnt we were far from wealthy. We had a simple house. My dad worked hard. My mom stayed home. But christmas was a joy and we always got these nice little gifts. The grandparents came. We had a great meal. We were at mass at the parish. When i got older, i served in mass. Christmas is one of the highlights. We have little kids. I think its important demeanor little kids want to open up the presents and that stuff. I want to ground my children in the real meaning of this holiday and what it means. Savannah you would know better than anybody, the insight that hoda had about getting our eyes on somebody else instead of ourselves. Nobody does that better than a baby. When you have a baby and you had one this time last year a brandnew one. When you have a baby that baby becomes the center of your attention. Everything you do and dream and dare and attempt is for that baby baby. Thats the way we feel about the baby jesus. He becomes the center of our life. And for you, what do you do . I know you do a lot of things obviously, for the church. What else do you yourself its forf work. But still, its refreshing work. Just to see people because this isnt an easy time for religion. To see people this time of year who are eager and open to religion, thats a gift in itself. I have good friends come up i have great friends from home in st. Louis, two good priest buddies that come up to be with me a couple ive known for 50 years. We have a good time and we relax. I wont get to relax until a little later on christmas afternoon. Then i get a few down days. You earned them. And this eggnog is helping. Its a strong pour. Im going to use this instead of wine. Merry christmas. This marks the trump familys first christmas in the white house. While the west wing keeps busy other areas are decked out with personal touches from the first lady. Heres Kristen Welker with the story. Reporter president trumps first year in office has been jampacked. But during the holidays its all about the hostess in chief, like the first ladies who have come before her, Melania Trump is leaving her mark on christmas at 1600 pennsylvania avenue. The first lady and oldest son, baron, greeting the tree from wisconsin. She personally selected every detail of this years holiday decorations. Anita mcbride served as chief of staff to former first lady laura bush. I think every first lady feels the pressure how they will be remembered or viewed for how they used the white house. So i think she cares about details. Reporter this years theme, timehonored traditions. The white house says it was designed by mrs. Trump to pay respect to 200 years of Holiday Cheer inside these walls. The grand foyer, a nod to former first Lady Jackie Kennedy and her 1961 firstthemed christmas, the nutcracker suite. This year the family dinner display featuring reagans china, a silhouette of jfk. The first lady taking special interest in the decisions, like her signature christmas breathes 71 to be exact, including the ones decking the 300pound gingerbread house. K the halls, admiring the work of volunteers who spent 1,600 hours preparing the peoples house for the holidays. How important is this time of year for the staff . They as much as its hard work it really is a lot of fun. Reporter outside the white house, the whole family in full force, with first daughter ivanka and jared kushner, joining in the annual lights of the Christmas Tree. Melania and i are full of joy at the start of this blessed season. Reporter a season in which the trump family will make new memories whileing tribute to pass traditions. Kristen welker nbc newshe white house. Thank you, kristen. The white house is so beautiful over the holidays. So much tradition and yeah. It looks lovelier than ever. A beautiful time of year. As you spend time with family this morning, it is important to remember the thousands of u. S. Servicemen and women serving overseas. While many are far from their loved ones they are finding ways to celebrate. Kelly cobiella has more on all that. Good morning. Reporter hoda good morning. On this Christmas Day, nearly 200,000 americans are spending their holiday away from their families and loved ones deployed to 177 countries, iraq afghanistan, somalia, and beyond serving their country. Its americas longest war. For the 16th year troops are carving up a christmas feast in afghanistan. This captain, a doctor has been here for two months. Her husband and 18monthold son, home in austin texas. I think it helps to feel like theres a sense of purpose here. And i fit into that and i have an Important Role to play. That helps me deal with the fact that im away from my small child and husband that i miss very much. Reporter 11,000 are stationed here. And this year the pentagon announced more are being deployed. Part of an openended war against the taliban and isis. Around the world, americas military touches nearly every country on earth. In all seven continents an on every sea. In hot spots like syria, the baltics, the korean as the white house puts it threats dont take a holiday. As north korea speeds ahead with its Nuclear Programs more than 28,000 troops stand guard in the south, where a lump of coal in the stocking is a good thing. Soldiers handed out the fuel spreading goodwill. The soldiers are excited to give back to the people to provide heat during these cold winter months. Reporter in europe they are also working through the holiday, with reports the pentagon plans to Bolster Forces in the baltic to push back against putin. Nearly 40,000 are already deployed in germany alone, like private first class crystal arena. It is her first year abroad. Overseas it gets overwhelming sometimes. The Culture Shock is there but i wouldnt have it any other way. Reporter in afghanistan, troops follow traditions, carols golf cart races and ugly sweater contests. Americans keep as they serve. Thousands of cards, decorations some Christmas Trees were sent to farflung bases this year spreading Holiday Cheer for all of those troops who cant be hopeme for christmas. Guys . Kelly cobiella thank you so much for that. Coming up it is the worlds most famous Christmas Tree. It happens to be in our backyard here. Were going to have the story of this years special spruce. Then the Holiday Season is all about coming and took their talents all the way to one of the biggest stages in the world. But first,s Christmas Morning this, is today on nbc. What do you think . Hey, think ben will like it . Yeah, was i the only one hearing the angelic music . Im serious, i never know what to get him. Just tell me you got him fios too. Sigh. Mrs. Layne, fios is a 100 fiberoptic network. That, plus this sick console hell be like whaaaaaattt. Your new tech is best on the 100 fiber optic network. So get fios. Now just 79. 99 per month with a 2year price guarantee with a 2year agreement. Coming up were going to share some of our favorite things about the Holiday Season. And then candy canes are a holiday staple but why . Were visiting one of the few places in the country where they are still being made by hand. Well get the unstop right there im about to pop a cap of mmm fresh in that washer. With unstopables inwash scent boosters by downy. And if you want, pour a little more. Ah, its so fresh. And its going to last from wash to. Wear for up to 12 weeks. T, freshness for weeks unstopables by downy. For a fresh too feisty to quit. Ws the time to spend your kohls cash at kohls after christmas sale featuring up to 70 off clearance take up to 70 off family sleepwear outerwear, sweaters and fleece plus shop our white sale for big savings on bed and bath and take an extra 15 off kohls. R thas it colors. Excellence haircolor by loreal. With prokeratine complex rich, radiant color and it cares for my hair. No color protects better. Or covers gray better. 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He best plug for the christ the christmas t nooooo [crash] well, heres an idea. Hey google, turn on my Christmas Tree. Brilliant google home and Google Home Mini now starting at 29. Im a migraine sufferer and im an emt. When i get a migraine at work, its debilitating. If i call out with a migraine, thats one less ambulance to serve a community. I just dont want to let these people down. Relief that works as hard as you do. Theyre getting ready for2 for 5. Icy, and cris its goo choose mcpick 2 for 5 dollinup toshd fleece sale for big savings. Michl hankful that im alive and have a second chance. And the opportunity that i received. Darlene im thankful to be able to help people in crisis. Vanessa im thankful that addiction p experiencing a heroin epidemic fueled by opioid painkillers. Truggling with addiction fo choose call 844 reach nj or visit reachnj. Gov. Yep. 7 30 now, monday morning, Christmas Morning. A few nuns skating on ice. Our Christmas Present to you. More than a few. This is almost like madeline. Were lucky that our camera captured this. I want to see them break out in a routine. Above the rink is the beau of twinkling lights the were going to tell you the story behind this years tree in a moment. Also ahead, the heroes among us. We met an incredible choir. They touched our hearts. They went from practicing in a shelter to a historic performance on the big stage at Carnegie Hall. Were going to have their stories. Wait until you hear them sing. Well hear about a few of your holiday traditions. And were going to share some of our own. First, back to that gorgeous tree right outside. Being here in new york its easy to take it for granted. But it is one of the true icons of the season. Heres a look at how it all comes together. Im looking for a perfect tree that has a nice shape, thats nice and full you cant see through it too much. Three, two, one. Reporter for 85 seasons, the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center has been the highlight of the holidays, a tradition that dates back to 1931. Its something that take all year to do. Reporter he does it all. I saw this tree in 2010. It was perfect. Reporter he spotted it on a road trip to penn state. He was smitten. When eric first knocked on my door i didnt believe him. Reporter an educator scott b