occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then get lunesta for $0 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta. ♪ ♪ mommy kissing santa claus last night ♪ i love those stats, when they break down santa's trip. yeah. >> well, it's time for a christmas tradition here at "world news now." we recite the story of santa claus and some extraterrestrial little helpers. >> it's actually a heartwarming story for the whole family on the holiday.

here's robert krulwich with the tale of saint nick and the space nicks. >> 'twas on earth before christmas on a cold winter's night when a bright shimmering object popped into sight. each tiny reindeer had landed and pranced before saint nick at the chimney of york when suddenly in the heavens as quick as a wink a flying saucer shot by in a great burst of pink. electrons and protons measured the sky as the sound of sleigh bells followed it by. saint nick looked up and wondered and saw a pink pie. and when it crash landed he heard extreme sigh. he slid from the chimney to the rain spot below and looked from the roof to the ground full of snow. stuck to its waist with its feet in the was a strange purple creature with long purple hair. it rumbled and jumbled and spun from its lair. it picked up its hat and landed with care. the stranger wore a cap exactly as he and had a merry old face full of laughter and glee. who are you, santa said to this

stranger so weird. but the creature said words that got stuck in his beard. saint nick wrinkled his brow and he shook his head. "i can't understand a word you said." the creature turned a knob that was next to his ear, and the words that came out were perfectly clear. "i'm venick from venus and i lost my way when my hat blew off toward the bright milky way. i jumped to retrieve it and tripped on a star. it looks like i tumbled from near to afar." you're on earth my good friend, santa said with a grin. i'm sorry you went into that awful spin. venick crossed his eyes and pulled on his ear and held in his hand a large purple tear. "i come from a planet of the same magnitude but it takes 11 hours to cover my brood." i'm only half done and have much to do. how can i travel when i've lost my gazoo? >> gazoo? said saint nick much in surprise as laughter filled his merry old eyes. >> gazoo as he drew in the snow the picture of a walrus and eight tiny goes.

gazoo and goes. >> goes, repeated saint nick? what can they be? >> goes are reindeer from space that go around and around at a very quick pace. they each have ten legs that tickle the air, and when you think they are here they're already there. but my goes are gone, and without my gazoo, my, oh my, what will i do? saint nicholas pulled on his beard and adjusted his sash, thought on the problem, and then said in a flash, have no fear, venick, for when i am through i'll fly you to venus by reindeer express and will deliver your toys in much time less. hop into my sleigh and hold on to your hat. away, reindeer, onward and upward. how about that? so on that night they started anew. saint nick, venick and a eight-reindeer crew. santa told venick about his good girls and boys as venick assembled the wonderful toys. saint nick offered candy he

could chew and showed him the cities the old and the new. and when they delivered the last christmas toy saint nick pointed his sled toward the guiding star, joy. more rapid than light they sped through the night and passed sputnik and beatnik and the eagle in flight. saint nick and venick flew into star space and the whole universe smiled like a big happy face. christmas was everywhere that they could see. and when they reached venus, santa laughed, can this be? the stars, they all glistened and sparkled so bright and lit up the heavens with christmas tree light. then in a twinkle the great northern star, all the space nicks came from near and afar. there was unick and munich and plutnik and my, there must have been thousands that popped from the sky. saint nick was amazed and astonished to see so many creatures dressed exactly as he. the colors of these space nicks were grand to behold. some even flashed like sequins of gold. they had sacks of toys, all different and gay and many kinds of games for the children to

play. there were moon dolls and boon dolls and hobos from space and a different kind of candy with an all-around taste. the space nicks worked quickly in venus's short night, and christmas shined wondrously before morning's bright light. venick looked out on moon stars and christmas's grand theme and wondered moreover is this but a dream? with joy in his heart for this gift so dear, venick thanked his new friends, you saved christmas this year. so when they departed and said their good-byes, there were hugs of goodness and tears in their eyes. well, since that time, many christmases went by, and santa claus saw no more pie in the sky. that is, until four score and three years hence, when a part of space fell through our ozone fence. the wind and the sea blew all that night. the raging storm was a terrible fright. the north pole blew over, and the storm blew deep. all the candies and toys were thrown in a heap.

everything was ruined, or blown out of sight. nothing good happened, and nothing was right. when suddenly a good thought sat on saint nick's head that filled him with hope and nothing to dread. look to the sky, to the heavens above, there are billions of stars that sparkle with love. saint nick looked to the sky, to the bright milky way, and saw a red rocket that looked like a sleigh. from out of the heavens and into the night came thousands of space nicks via space flight. they brought all their toys and their candies' delight and delivered the joys of christmas that night. when they had finished, they flew back to space and saint nick couldn't have had a happier face. he stood at the north pole that christmas night and looked to the sky that sparkled star bright when out of the stellar pack there suddenly flew a walrus dressed in tuxedo blue. it was venick from venus in a

whirl of go light and the space nicks together who lit up the night. they sang in the heavens in voices of gold as stardust settled in words to behold, merry christmas, good earth, have faith and good cheer. merry christmas, good earth, and happy new year. >> what a great tradition. >> very cool. >> it is a tradition because the illustrator, bill westerfield, is an abc news -- >> employee. >> -- person. part of the family. >> that's right. very talented guy. go to wnnfans.com for more about the space nicks story. >> and you can go to spacenicks.com as well. coming up, coming up, football, right? >> yes. and another scandalous week. week 16 on taps here. and some internal drama again in our competition. stay tuned, everybody. we'll be right back.

well, welcome back. it's week 16 in the nfl, the "world news now" competition. let's get to it. >> let's get to it. when we left off on monday our old friend tanya ria was in first place with me just a game behind. jack sheehan and fireman bob two games behind. and david roberts bringing up the rear. >> now, we teased this segment saying it would be controversial. and you're going to see why in a moment. but first the games being picked by some at least. >> oh. it all starts this week with the raiders in kansas city face the chiefs. and then there are the buccaneers taking on carolina. >> a big battle out in new jersey between two new york teams, the giants and the jets, and the cardinals visit the cincinnati bengals. >> now, here is the controversial part. we never received the picks from competition leader tanya rivero. where are you hiding? >> at this point she's being given an 0-4 record for the week. sorry, tanya. good luck in week 17. >> we've been working the whole

season the same way. we get the e-mail. we all pick. and we have not heard. there's even a voice mail left on her cell phone. no response. >> and as the general counsel for the "world news now" picks competition, i have ruled that tanya gets the 0-4 because she was supposed to at least phone in her picks. >> and did not. and the commissioner agreed. so by the way, i'm going with the chiefs, carolina, the jets, and cincinnati. >> picks competition commissioner jack sheehan takes the raiders, carolina, his father's new york giants and the bengals. >> and it looks like the ballot at the bottom will go to the final week because broadcast producer david myers is is also taking oakland, carolina, the giants, and the bengals. >> it looks like the ballot at the bottom will go to david myers who is also taking oakland, carolina, the giants and the bengals. >> joining us here is the commissioner. what is going on, commish? >> we've got a bit of a mess here. >> it is. our no-show. >> thanks to tanya. >> i'm devastated. >> no show rivero. >> i don't know. i don't know what the deal is. like you guys said, we have e-mail confirmation right here.

we sent an emergency e-mail to tanya. >> and cell phone message. >> left a cell phone message. so it is what it is. >> 0-4. >> that's the deal. >> there it is. >> hey, you know what? break up the colts. roll the highlights. here we go. the colts, thursday night football. home against the texans. looking like a real team. they actually scored with 19 seconds to go. and the colts are now -- >> they won. second win in a row. >> second win in a row. they are now 2-13. rob, sunny, they've won two games in five days. >> that's impressive. >> something has changed. >> late-season rally. >> they are actually putting in jeopardy their chances to have the number one draft choice. >> wow. >> figure it out in indianapolis. who can do that? so you know, i don't know. >> interesting week. should be good. are we getting close? we're getting to the end of this thing, and we have to decide whether we're going to include the playoffs in this competition. >> that is a point of

discussion. the committee will get together. and tanya, we'll see what the response is. but you take the goose egg, 0-4. sorry, t-vo. >> announcer: "world news now" delivers your "morning papers." s from around the world. he called it vicks vaporub. today, the vicks journey continues. introducing new vicks nature fusion cold & flu syrup. powerful multi-symptom medicine flavored with natural honey instead of artificial flavors and dyes. so you can feel good about what you take to feel better.

>> announcer: "world news now" delivers your "morning papers." well, i love this because i always get those christmas cards with the pictures on it. i don't necessarily send them because i never have time. but we found these awkward christmas family photos on a website, actually, called awkwardfamilyphotos.com. this is the first one. okay. >> everyone either has an eye problem or they're so high. >> that's an interesting one. but the next one, it just -- it's just inappropriate. >> okay. the monkey's fine, but the no pants. >> i don't understand the monkey and the shorts. i don't like that. >> monkeys in the mist. god bless. >> the kid -- i mean, she's a cute kid but she looks a little like the addams family kid. and i don't like santa in the background. he's scaring me. >> lay off the heroin, sweetheart.

not good. >> i don't get this. i'm buff so let me be in front of a snowman? >> a little cold for that. >> she's afraid of santa. that happens. >> that does happen. and of course we should also point out the other picture here. >> yeah, it's the mayor of puerto rico, san juan, which is where, you know, i spend my holidays. and i don't understand the animal killing the other animal. how is that christmas? >> take some normal holiday photos this year. try to be -- >> please. >> don't go too crazy. don't go too wacky. >> they should be nice and festive. >> and from all of us here to you guys have a wonderful holiday. what better way to celebrate the holiday? polka! ♪ who suspended his campaign ♪ ladies call me candy cain ♪ that's the christmas polka bachmann, perry, newt and mitt, when they speak they're full of it ♪ ♪ that's the christmas polka ♪ i am firmly on the right

♪ the far right is my place ♪ because on the left side of the screen the credits block my face ♪ ♪ everywhere i look i see greed and incivility ♪ ♪ that's the christmas polka ♪ all right, wealthy 1 percenters only ♪ ♪ very good ♪ let's hear from the other 99% ♪ ♪ all you wall street protesters ♪ ♪ what's coming soon your way ♪ close your eyes, a big surprise ♪ i know, it's pepper spray ♪ ♪ you can keep your turtle doves ♪ ♪ angry birds is what we love ♪ that's the christmas polka ♪ may the spirit of the season last much longer than ♪ ♪ the most recent marriage of ms. kim kardashian ♪ ♪ i hope santa soon will start to occupy your home and heart ♪ ♪ with the christmas polka >> our thanks to the house of holidays in ozone park, new york. we'll see you monday.

@@q(r ú

this morning on "world news this morning on "world news now, political surrender. extending payroll tax cuts to 160 million americans. the president's push prevents a major pinch in your paycheck that you would have felt starting january 1st. it's friday, december 23rd. good morning and happy holidays. i'm sunny hostin. >> the christmas weekend is here. >> yes, it is. >> happy friday, everybody. i'm rob nelson. it is a christmas present to wage earnings across america thanks to the gop led by the house speaker after a good swift political kick from the president himself. the deal, while a relief for many, is only a temporary measure, so the debate is far

from over. but the bottom line, your taxes will not go up january 1st. and about $1,000 a week for the average family, that money stays in your pocket at least through february 29th. >> exactly. we were all hoping for this. >> they said it would get done eventually. too much pressure not to, and bam, the house caves and it's done. as many americans plan their holiday getaways this morning, mother nature is just not cooperating. an overnight tornado left damage in georgia and the santa ana winds are relentless in southern california. >> you hate to see that this time of year. people have enough going on without mother nature messing up their plans. >> i know. >> our thoughts with those folks this morning. later this half hour, an indiana couple's bundle of joy was the surprise of the century. this family has not welcomed a baby daughter in 100 years. >> i do not envy any suitors that she may have when she gets older. >> she has a whole clan of uncles and cousins and nephews she's going to have to worry about. they'd better be on the straight

and narrow. to be talking to that young lady. first, a handful of lawmakers meet later today on capitol hill to formally approve the payroll tax deal. >> it is done. but it was an embarrassing setback for house republicans who endured pretty intense criticism even from within their own party. abc's karen travors has been following this ongoing political fight. >> reporter: good morning. house republicans really boxed themselves into a corner on this one, and it was starting to hurt them politically. by yesterday, it became a matter of when, not if, they were going to cave. congress has a holiday gift for 160 million american taxpayers. they won't have to ring in the new year with a tax hike. after digging in their heels for days, house republican leaders agreed to a short-term extension of the payroll tax cut. >> you know, sometimes it's hard to do the right thing. and sometimes it's politically difficult to do the right thing. >> reporter: speaker boehner announced tonight that his party will accept the two-month extension that passed the senate

with overwhelming bipartisan support. but his reluctance came through loud and clear. >> i don't think it's any time for celebration. >> reporter: as part of the deal, the senate will appoint members to negotiate with the house on a one-year extension that house republicans had been pushing for. that lets house republicans save some political face even as they threw in their cards. president obama couldn't hold back his frustrations with congress. >> as this place becomes so dysfunctional that even when people agree to things, we can't do it? >> reporter: all week the white house kept up a steady drumbeat focusing on how the standoff would cost the average american $40 every two weeks. >> we all have bills to pay. we try to make it paycheck to paycheck the way it is. >> reporter: president obama congratulated congress for getting this wrapped up. he said this is real money that will make a real difference in people's lives. rob and sunny? >> thanks, karen. bottom line is they had to get this done. this was becoming a political nightmare. >> even speaker boehner admitted perhaps politically this was not

the smartest thing to do to oppose a tax cut with an election year on the horizon and in an economy still trying to dig itself out. also an interesting point, our congressional reporter made a very interesting point saying so far house republicans have dug in and won most of the time. they won the government shutdown on the spring, essentially with the debt ceiling debate and one over the bush era tax cuts staying in place. this was the first big win. the democrats dug their heels in, and this time they come out on top. >> that's right. >> so politics swings both ways. staying with that theme, mitt romney has picked up the endorsement, kind of, of former president george herbert walker bush. the 41st president told "the houston chronicle" that romney is the best choice. bush says he likes fellow texan rick perry but says perry has lost a little momentum. the former president says he likes romney's stability, experience and his principles. now to iraq where fears of increased sectarian violence are growing following a series of deadly attacks.

16 bombings across baghdad killed at least 69 people and wounded nearly 200 more. yesterday's violence comes during a major government crisis, pitting shiite and sunni politicians against each other. and it was just days after the final withdrawal of u.s. troops. to new zealand now where terrified christmas shoppers were forced into the streets after a powerful earthquake hit the city of christchurch. one person was injured at a mall and was taken to the hospital. four others were rescued after being trapped by falling rocks. the city is still trying from a devastateding quake that killed 182 people back in february. here's a scary one, and this is no fish story. dozens of fishermen in minnesota are safe after being trapped on an ice break. they were fishing wednesday evening when a huge section of ice broke free and started floating toward the middle of one of minnesota's biggest lakes. more than 30 people had to be rescued by authorities and locals who were using boats. no one thankfully was injured in all of this. and winter got off to a wet

and wild start across the south. a tornado or two touchdowns snapping trees, tearing off roofs and damaging cars. georgia was especially hard hit. at least two people were injured by broken glass as powerful winds and heavy rain tore through the northern part of the state. thousands of homes and businesses lost power. severe storms also left a big mess across parts of louisiana. 75-mile-an-hour winds left twisted metal debris scattered everywhere. power also went out there forcing police to spend hours directing traffic. and in southern california, it is the fierce santa ana winds making a mess out of this holiday. the gusts were so powerful there, they actually flipped several big rigs and took down some giant trees as well. more now from kabc's miriam hernandez. >> reporter: thrashing winds in upper glendale, joanna sees the lawn crack open, then the smell of gas. >> i grabbed the video camera because i thought it was coming down. i didn't know it would be as fast as it was. >> reporter: caught on camera. her 40-foot pine is pushed by

gusts and goes down. >> there it goes! bye, baby. bye, honey. you could tell when the wind would blow and the tree would lean and this would go a little bit more, you could tell that it was coming. and the firemen even yelled, "there it goes!" and there was a bit of wind and then a big gust and it gracefully went over and laid itself down to a whole bunch of crackling noise. >> reporter: from the first signs of trouble to its final landing, it took some 40 minutes, enough time to notify the gas company and glendale fire department. they evacuated six homes to be sure no one would get hit. >> neighbors are reporting wind gusts of 50 miles an hour. we just saw the whole thing live in front of us, fell down across the street and lays as it is now. >> reporter: it was a challenging day to be working at a christmas tree lot. >> very high gusts. can't keep the trees standing up. they want to fall down. >> reporter: tree trimmers removed damaged limbs along the freeway. it will all be mulch soon. same with the pine tree in glendale. >> the sound of the wind blowing

through it was always lovely. >> reporter: this is miriam her man dez reporting for adc news. the weather problems don't end there. parts of colorado are buried under three feet of snow. cleanup crews worked over time to clear highways and main roads, and holiday travelers had a tough time getting to their destinations. more than 100 flights were canceled at the denver international airport alone. luckily more travelers are driving this year as opposed to flying. so we could deal with pretty messy road conditions in certain parts of the country this year. the tree in the last piece you saw, you saw how strong those winds are. >> 100 flights canceled? that's a nightmare for so many people. >> if you can stay put, do it. >> yes. >> i know that's hard to say this time of year. here's the rest of your friday holiday forecast. much drier here along the east coast with lingering morning snow showers. in northern new england. some scattered thunderstorms in orlando. snow tapers off by noon from albuquerque to el paso. >> 32 in salt lake city, 40 in colorado springs and 44 in seattle. 29 in fargo.

30s in the middle of the country. 51 here in new york. 61 in atlanta. and a warm 83 in miami. >> don't rub it in. >> miami, miami, miami. >> i'm telling you, i love it. >> i'm going there. >> well, you all know by now how i feel about animal stories, but this one is unreal. it's all about this cat. his name is, you'll see for good reason, is eclipse. >> eclipse because that's the type of car he was found in, a mitsubishi eclipse. the weird part is he was found under the hood after a 200-mile trip along ohio interstates. >> wow, 200 miles. the driver found him after he pulled over and smelled something a little odd. he opened the hood and saw eclipse, scared, mildly burned, but otherwise the cat was okay. he's now doing well at an animal hospital and could use a safe home. after a story like that, i'm sure someone will snatch eclipse right up. >> he's a trouper. >> give that cat a safe home during the holidays. that's a heck of a ride there under the hood. we'll be back with more "world news now" right after this.

news now" right after this. ♪ how can you stay when your heart says no ♪ ♪ how can you stop when your feet say go ♪ ♪ get back, honky cat we know a place where tossing and turning

have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache,

dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then get lunesta for $0 at lunesta.com. there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.

♪ oh, christmas tree ♪ oh, christmas tree ♪ thy leaves are so unchanging welcome back, everybody. if you're scrambling to get your holiday shopping done or traveling for christmas, our friday rewind, our weekly segment here, will help you get caught up on the sights and sounds of the past week. >> that's right. it's our pleasure to bring you the highlights and the lowlights in our "week in review." >> we made it! >> whoo! >> i just had enough of being here. i've seen enough sand. >> going home to see my son. >> [ speaking foreign language ] >> we reiterate our hope for improved relations with the people of north korea.

>> our growth is steady, and not many people switch. >> i'm actually delighted because the "manchester union leader," which is a reliably conservative newspaper, endorsed me. the "des moines register" which is a solidly liberal newspaper did not endorse me. >> he is not a conservative. >> he may be the grandfather of earmarks. >> he has been unreliable in those settings and zany. >> we're proud of the bill that we passed. >> this is not a game. this shouldn't be politics as usual. >> remember the lump of coal in november 2012, folks. they gave it to you. >> we've never seen a country dedicate its resources, its espionage resources, to steal economic information and then use it against us against our economy. >> you throw rubbish into the street, then, you know, i just throw it out there. i wonder how unethical it is if that then appears in the newspaper. i mean, it's rubbish, isn't it? >> at 5:19 pacific time, 11

minutes before we're supposed to come on the air and get started, we had a transformer blow. >> she's going to return -- and the lady's like i want to pay hers off. she just handed the lady a $100 bill. >> true charity isn't -- this isn't about me. it's about the fact that we can help, you know, hard-working honest americans at a time when the economy hasn't been very favorable to us. >> let's focus on the good news this week. all those secret santas doing great work and all those soldiers coming home. >> that's right. >> that's the ultimate christmas. >> it's been quite a week. >> yes indeed. well, coming up our christmas edition of "insomniac theater." >> our all-time favorite holiday movies picked by the "world news now" staff. that's coming up next. stay with us. movies picked by the "world h@ns now" staff. that's coming up next. stay with us.

♪ this morning we're going to do something a little different, rather than do our usual friday

"insomniac theater reviews." >> that's right. we've reached out to some of our staff who get us on the air every day and asked them to share their favorite holiday films with you. ♪ >> as a child i just grew up watching this movie all the time at my house. and i remember my family and my mom would always be decorating the house, and we would always have that movie playing. snoopy and linus both sort of helped charlie brown and everyone understand the true meaning of christmas. >> merry christmas, charlie brown! >> the holiday's about believing. and i and my son love "polar express." >> to the north pole, of course. this is the polar express. >> we love trains. my son loves trains. i love my son. and just every year he comes back and we watch it together. >> buddy the elf travels from the north pole, comes here looking for his dad.

♪ so i'm here now ♪ i found you daddy ♪ and guess what ♪ i love you ♪ i love you ♪ i love you >> it's so good. and it's so, so funny. always puts me in the christmas spirit. >> i am such a hopeless romantic. i love "love, actually." i love those movies where all of the people somehow get connected to each other. and this one's so sweet because it's christmassy. >> it has rosemary clooney and bing crosby and the best songs and the best music and the best story. and it just warms your heart. ♪ i'm dreaming of a white christmas ♪ >> it's a great holiday movie. it really brings out the spirit of christmastime. it's kind of a fantasy, but it's really got this hometown feel to it. and i just like it. always like it very much. >> my favorite christmas movie is jim henson's "emmett otter's jug band christmas."

♪ slipping and sliding in the mud ♪ >> what? it's big in canada. >> it's a very authentic telling of a christmas experience that many of us had. not just with the red rider bb gun but a number of the other things in the movie. just get it right. >> merry christmas. ho, ho, ho. >> it just reminds me of a good time, being with family, and memories. being 3,000 miles away from home kind of is a great way to feel like you're back home. >> that little kid is triple dog dared to lick the flagpole. >> dad! >> it reminds me of the three times i did it when i was a child. >> "christmas vacation" makes me feel like no matter what life throws at you, you always have the ability to overcome things and for things to always work out in your life.

>> when he has all the lights on the house and he's trying to put all the lights on and he doesn't understand what's going on -- ♪ hallelujah ♪ hallelujah -- i think it's hilarious because my dad put a lot of lights on our house. >> my favorite holiday movie is "home alone" with macaulay culkin because i used to have such a huge crush on him and every time i watch it i'm reminded of being a little kid and it's christmas, and i just love the movie. >> my favorite christmas movie is "home alone"! >> aaahhhhh! >> classic. [ jingle bells ] >> if you want to know why this show is so crazy, because those are the folks that work behind the scenes. we're all nuts. >> this team is so fantastic. >> they really are. >> so fantastic. best team on television. >> i always say in tv the folks up here have the easiest job in the building and those folks back there and up there are working hard to make everything come together. so happy holidays, everyone on staff.

thank you for that piece. well done, guys. enjoy it. >> well done. no one picked my movie, though, "a miracle on 34th street." but it's okay. >> it's all right. maybe next year. stay with us. stay with us. let me tell you about a very important phone call i made.

when i got my medicare card, i realized i needed an aarp... medicare supplement nsurance card, too. medicare is one of the great things about turning 65, but it doesn't cover everything. in fact, it only pays up to " 80% of your part b expenses. if you're already on or eligible for medicare, call now to find out how an aarp... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company, not paid by medicare part b. that can save you from paying .up to thousands of dollars... out of your own pocket. these are the only medicare supplement insurance plans... exclusively endorsed by aarp. when you call now, you'll get this free information kit... with all you need to enroll. put their trust in aarp p medicare supplement insuranc. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. the prices are competitive.

i can keep my own doctor. and i don't need a referral o see a specialist. call now to get a free information kit. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. and the advantages don't end there. choose from a range of medicare r supplement plans... that are all competitively priced. we have a plan for almost everyone, so you can find one that fits r your needs and budget. with all medicare supplement plans, there are virtually p no claim forms to fill out. plus you can keep that accepts medicare. p your own doctor and hospital and best of all, these plans are... when they told me these plans were endorsed by aarp... i had only one thing to say... sign me up. and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan. you'll get this free information kit... as with all medicare supplement plans, you can keep your own doctor and hospital that accepts # medicare,

call this toll-free number now. ♪ baby, what a big surprise ♪ right before my very eyes she's singing today. yeah. >> holidays. >> in the spirit. welcome back to the quiet storm. >> well, finally this half hour our favorite story of the day.

>> boom. there it is. >> involving a surprise for an indiana family, where baby girls are very rare. >> a couple in indiana gave birth to a girl, which you wouldn't think was so rare until you hear about the family's incredible lineage. here's the story now from patrick fazio. >> reporter: babies are born numerous times every day, but they're still always special. especially this baby. >> i don't know what to do. of course we thought, you know, this is going to be a boy. >> ashlynn mary ward was born on saturday to chris and megan ward, who already have a son and expected this one would also be a boy. >> one of my older brothers, because i have three brothers, he said he had called the girl, that i was going to break the streak, in his words that i was going to choke. >> ashlynn is the first female born in the ward family in about a century. it's been five generations since the last ward girl back in the early 1900s. >> i think probably the most common comment is this girl's going to be spoiled like no other girl in history.

>> and they're already starting to notice with all the gifts they've received. >> pink. lots of pink. >> never had so much pink in our house before. >> i told megan she's going to need to set out clothes for me because i'm going to have no idea how to dress a girl. >> it will be good practice for all the males in the ward family. >> i told my oldest nephew now he has to start the streak of girls for the next 100 years. >> reporter: the end of the boys' streak in the ward family already has the approval of ashlynn's brother, owen. >> hey, owen, ashlynn is? >> a girl. >> five generations without a baby girl. isn't that incredible? >> wow! and the girls love their daddies. you know i have a boy and a girl. and wow. >> that's going to be great. and with all of those dudes, they need a little female touch in there. they need a little pink in their life. >> they need a little something something. you know, we bring something special. >> there you are. yes, yes. decked out. >> always need a lady around. >> a pretty little lady too.

congratulations to thaababababa medicare. it doesn't cover everything. and what it doesn't cover can cost you some money. that's why you should consider an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. all medicare supplement insurance plans can help pay... some of what medicare doesn't, so you could save... thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses. call now for this free information kit and medicare guide. if you're turning 65 or you're already on medicare... you should know about this card -- it's the only one of its kind endorsed by aarp; see if it's right for you. all medicare supplement plans let you keep your own doctor, or hospital that accepts medicare. there are no networks and no referrals needed. help protect yourself from some of what medicare doesn't pay... and save up to thousands of dollars in potential... out-of-pocket expenses with an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. call this toll-free number on your screen now... for this free information kit, including this... medicare guide and customized rate quote.

this morning on "world n this morning on "world news now" -- christmas chaos. as millions of travelers hit the road for the holidays, mother nature gets in the way. >> from tornadoes and wind storms in the south and southwest to blizzard-like conditions in the west, it could be dangerous and miserable for holiday travelers. it's friday, december 23rd. good friday morning, everybody. christmas eve eve. >> yes. >> happy holidays. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm sunny hostin. well, mother nature interrupted the holiday spirit last night near atlanta, where a tornado touched down, leaving behind damage and power outages. in the los angeles area the nasty santa ana winds are extra powerful, putting everyone on edge.

look at that. >> trees that size coming down. that gives you an indication just how strong those winds are. look at that. >> unbelievable. >> oh, good luck, guys, with all of that. also this morning, as congress finally approves that payroll tax cut extension, there is some economic optimism out there as well. the unemployment rate has improved. holiday shoppers are spending in record numbers. but analysts are not convinced the hard times are exactly behind us just yet. >> but perhaps things are getting better. >> let's hope. fingers crossed. >> and later this half hour, what's your christmas obsession? we've got a woman in michigan who loves nativity scenes so much, get this, she has 350 of them. and she can't wait to show off her collection. >> she's devoted. >> yeah. >> she is devoted. and consistent. we begin with the latest wave of nasty weather to blow in just before christmas. we have drenching rain, mounds of snow, even some rare winter twisters. >> yes, a tornado is being blamed for injuring two people in northern georgia. homes were damaged, and thousands lost power. that's after a long list of storms that came at such an

inconvenient time. abc's t.j. winick has the coast-to-coast details. good morning, t.j. >> reporter: good morning, rob and sunny. as the boy scouts say, be prepared. whether you are driving or flying this holiday season, because the weather might just force you to rearrange your plans. fewer travelers are flying this holiday season than in the past, which means more are hitting the road. what awaits millions of drivers is a fast-moving winter storm. out west snow arrived on cue for the first day of winter. a strong low-pressure system swept in from wyoming across colorado into the southwest, burying some areas in more than a foot of the white stuff. >> it's going to be pretty nasty the rest of the week. so might as well get it done now. >> reporter: for residents around denver it was reason to finish up their holiday shopping. for travelers like bruce marlowe it was an excuse to start vacation a little early. >> it's a good thing. we like the idea of being on the ground somewhere else when the snow comes. >> reporter: despite air travel being down this year, 43.3 million americans are still flying over this three-week holiday period.

at denver international they're ready for the passengers and the weather. >> we have over 250 pieces of snow removal equipment, and we are fully staffed. >> reporter: in southern california santa ana winds are kicking up again, flipping two tractor-trailers. and while the weather outside may be frightful, these fast-moving storms should be cleared out by christmas day. even with fewer passengers this holiday season, flyers will not have more room. that's because airlines have cut back on the number of flights this holiday season. rob and sunny. >> thanks, t.j. >> some video, too, out from glendale, california. the santa ana winds we've been talking about this morgan. you can see this tree. wait for it. wait for it. because this bad boy is coming down. powerful winds there. boom. there it goes. all caught on camera. you see massive trees coming down. just gives you an idea what those folks in southern california are going through. those santa ana winds are nothing to joke about. >> and that tree's been around for a long time. >> uprooted just like that. >> can you imagine that? >> look at the roots on that thing. unbelievable.

>> unbelievable. let's take a look across the country on this christmas eve eve. i like saying that. another windy day from l.a. to san diego. and the snow finally stops this morning across new mexico and the texas panhandle. some scattered showers in the northern half of florida. and leftover snow showers in northern vermont and maine. >> 44 in boston. 52 in baltimore. 60 in new orleans. 30s from kansas city to minneapolis and detroit. a mild 61 in phoenix. sacramento 56. and boise 33. now we turn to an amazing survival story. one family caught in a snowstorm and then buried alive. they're fine now, but it was, as you can imagine, an extremely frightening ordeal. ktrk's andy saroto reports. >> reporter: for yvonne david and 5-year-old hannah higgins of league city the trip through new mexico for a prechristmas skiing getaway started out like any other, until they got caught in a blinding blizzard outside the town of clayton. >> we got to about 30 miles down

this road, and all of a sudden you quit seeing the road and you quit seeing in front of you. >> reporter: they didn't just get stuck. the higgins became prisoners in their suv, trapped and eventually buried under four feet of snow with no way out. for almost two days the higgins would survive on sandwiches and bottled water. and when nature called, they improvised. >> when you had to go, you went. you know? you used water bottles. >> reporter: now encased in what higgins described as a tomb of snow, they were desperate for someone to find them. they knew it was a race against time. >> we were short of breath. and we didn't realize it at the time but we were actually running out of air. >> reporter: nearly 40 hours after their ordeal began help finally arrived. a team of rescuers dug their way down and pulled the higgins to safety. >> it wasn't just straight out the window. it was out the window and up like out of a rabbit hole.

>> reporter: back in houston yvonne higgins' mother was relieved to hear they'd been saved. >> god answered prayer. he answered prayer. and i just -- i am just so grateful. i'm so grateful. >> reporter: yvonne higgins is still recovering in the hospital. her husband and daughter have been released. they hope to make it home to the houston area as soon as they can. perhaps in time for christmas. in houston, texas, andy sarota, abc news. >> i think i would panic if -- >> oh, yeah. >> -- if my car looked like that. you saw that with all the snow around the car. >> but all that snow in your car kind of acts, as you heard, like insulation. so the best advice, they say stay in that car, don't try to get out and search for help, then you put yourself at risk for getting wet, which could make you that much colder, hypothermia, and shivering's actually a good thing because it sends blood throughout the body -- >> that's true. >> and that helps you, too. >> i think some people would be inclined to get out of the car and find help. >> they say stay there and wait to be found.

>> everyone just stay there. that's a good tip. >> always have some snacks in the car, some bottle of water under the seat, something, traveling in rough weather. you never know. be careful. like a boy scout. be prepared. >> be prepared. there is going to be a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut after all. under intense pressure top republican leaders in the house agreed to go along with the senate's short-term solution. house speaker john boehner says it was not the smartest move politically and it was not a reason to celebrate. >> more money's always a reason to celebrate. >> i think so. that tax cut agreement is just one of several pieces of good economic news right now. retail is rebounding, and the unemployment rate may be improving as well. with more on the good news here's abc's jim avila. >> reporter: it's the busiest shipping day of the year, and now those 160 million working americans who dodged a january 1st tax increase will have from $35 to $100 more a week to pay for all those gifts. >> just have that one for you today, hon. >> reporter: giving the american

economy a jump start to a 2012 turnaround. vinnie ponorati, a u.p.s. driver for 25 years, crisscrossing northern new jersey as his company delivers 300 packages every season. >> 35% to 40% more volume in stops in some of the residential areas. >> reporter: a positive sign that holiday business is better this year. >> consumers, i think, have shown a lot of fatigue when it comes to being so frugal. they have cut back on spending over the last three years. and that has really created this enormous pent-up demand for cars and home appliances and home electronics. >> reporter: holiday consumer spending is expected to be up nearly 4%. consumer confidence rose nearly 6%. the number of people filing for unemployment dropped to the lowest rate since spring of 2008. economists now expect december to be the sixth straight month america will add at least 100,000 new jobs. plus, houses are holding their

value better, and builders are back at work, encouraged by record low interest rates. but even with all that optimism, economists worry that the hard times are not over. the biggest threat, more washington brinksmanship that shakes consumer confidence. jim avila, abc news, new york. >> so many good -- so much good news. >> yes. >> we're not out of the woods just yet, obviously, long way to go, and europe is still kind of a mess with that debt crisis. but unemployment good numbers, home sales are good numbers. >> people are shopping. >> holiday shopping's been astronomical. >> millions. >> millions of dollars. >> online and in stores. so it's something to look forward to. it's a good stage for 2012. >> it has to help. >> yes. amen. well, something of a christmas mystery here on "world news now" this morning. it's a story out of michigan. the case of some lost gifts. >> yes, they were found in a ditch along the side of a road in the eastern part of the state. a dozen gift bags containing homemade gifts in a larger plastic bag. and they were from someone named sierra. >> a police officer said it appears they are meant for students in a christian school

but so far no one has come forward to claim them. let's hope someone does. get them back to the rightful, you know, person. >> hope that's going to have a happy ending. >> good samaritans kind of tend to emerge this time of year. let's hope in this case as well. more "world news" coming up right after the break. ♪ do they know it's christmas time at all ♪ ♪ ♪ here's to you ♪ raise a glass for everyone ♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] light up your season with a brighter, whiter smile. with crest 3d white professional effects whitestrips. it penetrates below the enamel surface to whiten as well as a $500 dentist treatment. the secret's in the strip. for a smile that's sure to stand out. crest 3d white professional effects whitestrips.

use these products together for a whiter smile in 1 day. life opens up when you do. have given way to sleeping. where sleepless nights yield to restful sleep. and lunesta can help you get there, like it has for so many people before. when taking lunesta, don't drive or operate machinery until you feel fully awake. walking, eating, driving, or engaging in other activities while asleep, without remembering it the next day, have been reported. abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations or confusion. in depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. alcohol may increase these risks. allergic reactions, such as tongue or throat swelling, occur rarely and may be fatal. side effects may include unpleasant taste, headache, dizziness and morning drowsiness. ask your doctor if lunesta is right for you. then get lunesta for $0 at lunesta.com.

there's a land of restful sleep. we can help you go there on the wings of lunesta.

[ mom ] my husband -- he thinks it's a 3-sheeter. i say 1-sheeter. [ female announcer ] in this lab demo, 1 sheet of bounty leaves this surface as clean as 2 sheets of the bargain brand. super absorbent. super clean. bounty. ♪ it's beginning to look a lo ♪ it's beginning to look a lot like christmas ♪ ♪ everywhere you go so glad i finished. i wrapped up. i'm done. for once i won't be out on christmas eve. for the first time in a while. well, holiday travelers have

been heating up the web search engines this week with millions, of course, hitting the road for christmas. >> and so have inquiries about a fallen dictator and a major illness. yahoo web editor heather cabot fills in the blanks for us. good morning, heather. >> good morning, guys. the promise of a new drug to fight alzheimer's is taking the web by storm this week. researchers from the salk institute tested the compound known as j-147 on mice with the genetic disease and observed improved memory and the prevention of brain damage. look-ups for the drug are off the charts right now on yahoo. also spiking this week, the death of north korea's reclusive leader, kim jong-il. he died of a massive heart attack. and searches for the medical term myocardial infarction surged 23,000% as people around the globe researched the funeral ceremony and succession plans. we're seeing lots of queries for kim jong-il's youngest son, kim jong-un, believed to be in his late 20s, who's reportedly been groomed to take his father's place. also in the news this week,

buzzing online, the weather. holiday travelers want to know how icy the road to grandma's house may be this weekend, on the heels of blizzards pummeling the plains and the southwest. searches for road conditions are up 77% right now. and of course with christmas just about here, kids are keeping tabs on santa. searches for norad's santa tracker are up more than 7,500%. also big this year is the new reindeer cam. reindeercam.com, where you can watch rudolph and the gang fuel up for the journey ahead. and finally, now that the year is nearly over, people are looking ahead to a fresh start on their diet and exercise plans. a new yahoo, omg, and fitness magazine survey finds 44% of women say jennifer aniston is the star who inspires them most to meet their fitness goals, followed by halle berry. 32% of both men and women would like to have aniston as a workout partner. and those polled think jillian michaels is the best celebrity

trainer to whip them into shape. happy holidays, guys. see you in the new year. back to you. >> i always start my workout regimen in january as well because -- >> after all the holiday grub. >> it's got to be guilt-free around the holidays. nothing has calories around the holidays. >> i am into that. >> and jennifer aniston. she is -- >> she is fit. oh, yeah. see? >> she is fit. >> don't worry about brad, girl. >> she's a mature woman. she's over 40. i like that. actually, a lot of people say kelly ripa's too thin, but she inspires me as well because she has three children and looks like that. >> she is fit. quintessential cougar. jennifer, i'll be home soon. wait up, please. >> quite a performance by adam lambert and his boyfriend. and this was no concert. >> a messy story there. and from capitol hill to the nursery, a new role for a disgraced lawmaker. coming up next in "the skinny." n "the skinny." n

♪ skinny ♪ so skinny welcome back, everybody. time for "the skinny." here we go. you guys remember adam lambert from "american idol" fame. runner-up. popular guy way back, 1400 seasons ago.

he apparently had a little brush with the law. he and his boyfriend were at a bar in helsinki. apparently, there was some kind of dispute and they started tussling there and got kicked out of the bar. the fracas then spilled onto the street. they both ended up getting arrested. and because of the incident inside the bar. his boyfriend there is apparently a reality star out there in finland. they had some kind of spat, and then adam ends up tweeting later, "fame is not easy. celebrities are only human. love is not easy either. but it is forever." they were at a bar called don't tell mama and things got a little rough and he was taken out and arrested in a gay bar brawl. adam, come on, dude. keep it together. >> fighting in public? fighting in public. uh-uh. >> chris rock says you've never been in love unless you've considered murdering somebody. >> i guess. >> things get heated in love. >> fighting in public as a celebrity. not a good idea. >> not good. not good. well, anthony weiner, remember? >> ah, yes. who could forget?

>> his junk being sent around on twitter. well, apparently, he and his wife just had their baby boy. his name is jordan zain weiner. he arrived ten days before his december 31st due date, weighing just over seven pounds. and so i will say, i think this baby saved their marriage. because remember, this whole scandal exploded around the time when she just announced her pregnancy. had she not been pregnant, i wonder if the marriage would have survived. >> i hope -- if that marriage can survive all of his lies and scandal and his fall from grace -- >> it's so embarrassing. >> well, i'm sure he'll be texting out a picture of his baby weiner sometime soon. so we'll get a chance to look at that. >> that was a good one. >> just the baby. you know what i mean. no joke, no double entendre. a serious story here, too. apparently there was an editor of a dutch magazine who's been fired now because she kind of wrote an article about rihanna using a racial slur. not funny because in this article was the phrase n word followed by b word. caused a big uproar. she lost her job after eight

years in the magazine. rihanna was not pleased. she ended up tweeting "your magazine is a poor representation of the evolution of human rights. i find you disrespectful and rather desperate." and eva hope, the editor, the magazine is called "jackie." don't publish bad jokes in a magazine, don't pretend bad jokes to be funny, sorry, guys, my bad. which is a lukewarm apology. >> and i don't know why that was a joke. i still don't get it. i like funny things. >> and that wasn't funny. people sometimes forget not to be too serious here in "the skinny," but the n word is not about black folks. it's actually a word that means an ignorant person. so to that editor, you're the only n word in this story, sweetheart. and i'll leave it at that. let's move on to something lighter. well, taylor armstrong from "the real housewives of beverly hills" apparently filed for divorce from her husband. we know that he subsequently killed himself. filed for divorce so she could stay on the show. >> that's scandalous, too. more reality news, joe giudice

has been indicted on fraud and impersonation. they've had money troubles for a while. and old joey could be headed to the slammer indicted. happy holidays, jersey. ys. >> a mess. ha ys, jersey. >> a mess. aarp... medicare supplement nsurance card, too. medicare is one of the great things about turning 65, but it doesn't cover everything. in fact, it only pays up to " 80% of your part b expenses. if you're already on or eligible for medicare, call now to find out how an aarp... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company, not paid by medicare part b. that can save you from paying .up to thousands of dollars... out of your own pocket. these are the only medicare supplement insurance plans... exclusively endorsed by aarp. when you call now, you'll get this free information kit... with all you need to enroll. put their trust in aarp p medicare supplement insuranc. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. the prices are competitive.

i can keep my own doctor. and i don't need a referral o see a specialist. call now to get a free information kit. plus you'll get this free guide to understanding medicare. and the advantages don't end there. choose from a range of medicare r supplement plans... that are all competitively priced. we have a plan for almost everyone, so you can find one that fits r your needs and budget. with all medicare supplement plans, there are virtually p no claim forms to fill out. plus you can keep that accepts medicare. p your own doctor and hospital and best of all, these plans are... when they told me these plans were endorsed by aarp... i had only one thing to say... sign me up. and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan. you'll get this free information kit... as with all medicare supplement plans, you can keep your own doctor and hospital that accepts # medicare,

call this toll-free number now. there's a battery that's relied on to help bring children holiday joy. of course, children don't really think about which battery makes their toy run, but, still, you'd never want to disappoint. duracell. trusted everywhere.

♪ ♪ bocelli. you know that voice. >> we are on tonight with the music. >> yes, they're good. they're good. >> good choices. well, finally, this half hour at this point in the holiday season most people have their christmas trees up, they have their lights on, their wreaths hanging, i hope. >> oh, yes. decoration. but this woman, she's from michigan. she gets so into the holiday spirit, she has 350 nativity scenes. 350. candice burns from flint's wjrt shows us this big christmas collection. >> reporter: on just about every shelf, table, and almost every

corner of rachel mccarty's house sits a display of baby jesus, mary, joseph, wise men, and angels. >> i do like them all because every single one of them has a different story. >> she has been collecting nativity scenes since 1975. majority of them were purchased during mission trips around the world. >> indonesia. after 13 years of working there went to bangkok, thailand. able to go to vietnam and philippines. and my latest trip was to south africa. >> other displays were picked up from rummage sales. some were gifts from friends. in all, rachel owns more than 350 pieces. >> it's just a beautiful expression to me of how christ is for the world. >> reporter: most of them decorate her house for christmas. others stay packed away because there simply isn't enough space. >> i told my husband that after christmas i was going to see if i could find a nativity half price. and he said, you don't need another nativity. >> reporter: but rachel plans to keep collecting for future

december 25ths because to her the decorations artistically display the true meaning of christmas. >> i'm a christian. i've been a member of the true church of nazarene. and now i'm a preacher's wife. so christ is very much part of my life. in durand candice burns, abc news. >> got to respect her commitment. what is your favorite holiday obsession? let us know on our facebook page, wnnfans.com. what is yours? >> i like to cook. i go crazy with the holiday cooking and puerto rican traditions. >> i've learned that about you in these two months. see, i like to eat. then i like to go sit by the fireplace, put my feet up, just relax, have a good old time, fall asleep. >> who doesn't love a fireplace? >> take a nap. you've got to love the fireplace, man. put your feet up, relax. is there anything better in the world? >> he's got it right. he's got it so right. >> singe off all my bunions, just relax for the holiday. >> i love that.

it's nice.