♪ rockin' around the christmas tree at the christmas party hop ♪ we're back now with more of "today" on a tuesday morning. it's the 13th day of december 2011. a little christmas music to get us in the mood. the rockefeller center christmas tree in the background and nice, chilly shopping weather. this is as good as it gets during the holiday season. i'm matt lauer, as we do some sort of a musical weird dance here. i'm matt lauer along with ann curry, al roker -- universe! >> and savannah guthrie as well. hello, folks. good to have you here. what do we have coming up in this half hour? oh, we have big news, actually. we had expected this morning we'd be talking about that preliminary hearing involving jerry sandusky, the former assistant football coach at penn state. he was expected to actually get

to face his accusers in a courtroom, but right before the hearing began, he waived his right to that preliminary hearing. we're going to get the latest on that coming up. >> it really begs the question why wait until this morning to make that announcement, because he could have done this, obviously, earlier. and certainly, for all those young kids who are now grown men who are now accusing him, you know, a very emotional morning for them as well as for sandusky and his family. >> we'll learn more. >> we'll get to that. also, there's another story we'll be talking about which we've been telling you all about, this beautiful, young woman, a blogger, an aspiring model, who walked accidentally into the propeller of a plane and she was hurt. the news about her recovery keeps getting better and better, and her father is here to talk about that this morning. >> okay, then a little bit later on, how do you survive the holidays with your diet, your waistline intact? >> i don't know! >> it's something we all worry about. >> i've failed repeatedly. >> well, joy bauer is here, have no fear. "diet s.o.s." is covering that.

>> and how do you survive the holidays and keep your budget intact? jill martin is here with "steals and deals." great deals for our "today" show viewers. dressy ties. [ everyone talking at once ] >> that's for fun. i don't think that's for sale. the backpack -- >> she's been showing up -- >> difference places, exactly. let's go inside. natalie's at the news desk. hi, natalie. >> good morning once again. good morning, everyone. we begin with the breaking news they just mentioned. former penn state assistant football coach jerry sandusky waiving his right to a preliminary hearing. it now clears the way for him to go to trial on charges of him sexually abusing young boys. sandusky spoke briefly outside of the courthouse after the decision. >> to stay the course to fight. we await the opportunity to present our side, and we couldn't do that today. >> for more on this story, i want to turn to nbc's national investigative correspondent michael isikoff, who was in the

courtroom. michael, this is a surprise decision, wasn't it? >> reporter: quite a surprise, natalie. you know, as recently as last night, joe amendola, sandusky's defense lawyer, was assuring reporters he was going to go ahead with this hearing. he had been giving every indication in recent days he was preparing for his defense, preparing to question these witnesses who were going to testify, try and poke holes in their story, and then no sooner did the proceeding begin this morning, judge robert scott asks if anybody has anything to say. joe amendola pops up, there's a sidebar, and the next thing we know, there's a continuous, he's waived his right to the preliminary hearing. now, first thing that should be pointed out is, for the prosecution, this is a good thing. they get to preserve their case. they don't have to lay any of their]m;xñ cards on the table. they had 11 witnesses prepared to testify today. now none of themqó have to do and the prosecution says they're ready to go. what it means is hard to say. there's already talk this could

be the precursor to a plea bargain, although certainly, jerry sandusky's comments there that we played at the start don't seem to indicate that. it could mean that just in the court of public opinion, to have all these victims tell their stories in what promised to be a very emotional hearing was not something jerry sandusky wanted to have happen today. >> all right. very interesting developments there. ìáhp &h& pennsylvania. much. military investigators are accident at a base in washington state. two u.s. army helicopters crashed last night, killing four soldiers. it's not clear whether the+9 choppers collided or crashed separately. a warning for parents now. a new study out today from the government reports that many safety violations were found at head start centers around the country. according to that report, some instructors also never underwent a criminal background check. head start provides early education to nearly 1 million low-income kids nationwide. and now, to an update on

lauren scruggs, the 23-year-old texas woman who walked into the spinning propeller of an airplane. well, a little over a week after that accident, it's still touch-and-go for the aspiring model's recovery, but new details are emerging that suggest lauren is on the road to recovery.éngz >> wanted to let you know that we are starting a pumpkin carving contest on "lolo" magazine. >> reporter: just ten days after the propeller accident that left her critically injured, aspiring model and fashionista lauren scruggs is showing remarkable signs of recovery. on monday, her family posted a new blog entry online with hopeful news, saying "praise the lord, lauren's pain is much more manageable today. she has been eating some of her favorite foods today, sweet potatoes and hard boiled eggs." and probably the most encouraging news yet, her deeply religious parents write, "lauren was able to walk on her own today, such a miracle!" >> i am lauren scruggs with "lolo" mag, and -- >> reporter: the 23-year-old fashion blogger has a passion

for flying. a week ago saturday, she flew over dallas in a single-engine plane with a friend to see christmas lights around the city, but as she exited the plane, she accidentally walked into the still spiihízg lauren suffered a number of critical injuries. her left hand was severed. she has a skull fracture, a brain injury, a broken collar bone, and she may still lose her left eye. >> she's got her spunk back, her personality. >> yeah, her personality. >> she's smiling. her face, you know, she's able to raise both eyebrows. that doesn't sound likeí5ue a b deal, but they were worried about the nerve on one side. >> reporter: friends and neighbors have rallied around lauren. over the weekend, they raised nearly $15,000 to help pay her extensive medical bills. >> most are just our regular customers, would come in and they have thrown money in the bucket. >> reporter: lauren's facebook page and blog are full of well wishes from friends and strangers around the world, praying for her recovery. >> we're just seeing an outpouring from across the

country and also across the world. we're getting e-mails from everywhere, and we just really appreciate all that everyone's doing for us, from prayers and donations. >> reporter: and while lauren is making progress, she has a long road ahead. she continues to work with a physical therapist to improve her strength and doctors are still not sure if she will regain the use of her left eye. but still, she is recovering. it is now seven minutes past the hour. let's go upstairs to al for a check of your weather. >> that is the good news, she is recovering. thanks so much, natalie. let's see what's happening. we've got snow where we're normally not seeing it, from flagstaff, arizona, into albuquerque, durango. we aret[6yñ talking about anywh from 3 to 6 inches of snow and some of the upper elevations, as much as a foot and a half. then as we move to the east, icy conditions stretching from parts of oklahoma and texas, all the way up into parts of the midwest, goodland, grand island, duluth, marquette all under winter weather advisories or

freeze advisories because we're talking about anywhere from a tenth of an inch of freezing rain to a little bit less. not enough to bring down trees or power lines, but enough to make for some=0'÷ hazardous dri conditions. >> good morning. there is some frost. it will be a touch warmer this afternoon. this afternoon, 51 degrees. ♪ sending out an s.o.s. time now for "joy's diet s.o.s.," the answers to your daily diet dilemmas. "today" nutritionist joy bauer is here to discuss everything holiday, from low-calorie desserts to the best natural

sweeteners to use in your holiday baking. joy, good to see you. >> good morning, al! >> all right, we're going to get right to it. missy is on the phone. hello, missy! little missy, what's your question from waynesboro, virginia? >> caller: my question is, i'm a mother of four and i have a very busy schedule, and many times, i find myself running errands or doing holiday shopping around mealtime. what's better, skip the meal and go hungry for a few hours or pick up a quick meal at a fast food place? and if i go to fast food, i'm not going to order a salad, because really, who does? >> i appreciate your honesty,53 and if you're going to wind up ordering a burger and fries or a slice or two of pepperoni pizza, i say skip the food court. you definitely don't want to get caught up in one of the fast food chains if you're not going to be ordering something clean. but i also don't want you to be ravenous, so i think a perfect solution is to keep an emergency snack stash, either in your purse or in the glove compartment of your car. this way, you can have something to eat and it's going to tie you over until you get home and you have access to a full, healthy

meal. and in fact, i always have in my bag either some nuts or roasted edamame or a granola bar, so this way you're not left high and dry when you're starving. and continually check the stash, because as you eat things, you want to replace [úfhñthem. happy holidays. >> all right. >> caller: thank you! that's perfect. >> we've got another e-mail question, this one is from gail in plantation, florida. "which is the best natural sweetener for holiday baking and stirring in our oatmeal maple syrup, honey or agave? are there specific health benefits to either one of them?" >> no, there's not. when it comes to the natural sweeteners she mentioned, they're about 20 calories per teaspoon and they're all basically refined sugar. now, i have to say that when you use agave, because it's sweeter, you could get away with a little less. but for me, personally, i say go after the sweetener that you like the taste of the best and that works best for a particular recipe. and i think the biggest health impact is going to come when you minimize the amount of that

sweetener. that's the bottom line. >> now, we're going to go to skype. this is a great question. i know this weekend we're getting ready to make holiday cookies. kayla from cookeville, tennessee, good morning. what's your question? >> good morning. i'm looking for assorted cookies and box-sized desserts for christmas and i was wondering if you have any tasty or lower calorie and possibly nutritious recipes for this? >> i love this question. and please put al and i on your gift recipient list. so, there are four simple things that you can do to pretty much any recipe to give your cookies a health twist. the first thing is make them smaller. when you shrink the size, you're going to automatically cut back on the calories. but make sure that you then lessen the bake time to adjust for the smaller size. the next thing is take a look at how much sugar the recipe calls for and then pull it back by a quarter. you are not going to miss the difference. and when it comes to the flour, you're going to swap whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour for 50% of the total flour

that it calls for. so in other words, if it says to put in two cups of all-purpose flour, make one cup whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour. >> does that change the texture? >> no, it's not going to change the texture. and this tip particularly works well for chocolate and for gingerbread cookies because they have strong flavors that beautifully mask the wheat flavor. and the last thing i would tell you to do is add in healthy mix. fruits, nuts, seeds, even dark 5h!ecause then you deliver a shot of nutritious along with the sugar, so it's a perfect compromise. >> thank you, kayla. >> i love that question. and put us on that list! i like those cookies. >> thanks, al. still coming up, we've got "jill's steals and deals," holiday gift ideas up to 80% off. everything from moisturizers and more. and don't watch anybody else's, because they have inferior products. and later, the more affordable class of toys any kid would love to find under the

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♪ back now with a special holiday edition of "jill's steals and deals." this morning, we have great gift ideas at deeply discounted prices from stocking stuffers to jewelry and much more. "today" and "us weekly" contributor jill martin is here once again to walk us through these great offers. jill, good morning. >> good morning. >> you know the instructions, get on the computers now.

a lot of questions people will have is are these going to be delivered by christmas? >> all of these by 12/23, but you have to get on today.com right now. we have so much inventory on this, but we've been selling?,xñ out. so if you want it, get it now. >> let's get right to it. for guys, boxer briefs bya/q nautica. >> okay, i'm going to be direct with this because i know director joe michaels is going to try toc!t get me in troublel here we go -- >> he'd never do that! >> nautica boxer briefs, retail cotton knit boxer "ybriefs, co in white. nautica sells to top retailers like macy's andvm,ñ lord & tayl will arrive by 12/23. the deal is $10. that's 70% off. >> that's amazing! okay, excellent. okay. q offering"2ñ/ñ these beautiful macrome bracelet collection. you're showing us how to stack them together. >> layer them. ten colors, all with  íwhite, black or hand-dyed -4freshwate9 st bead.

/f(& the retail $50, the deal is $13.50. that's 73% off. >> that's for one? >> that's for one. y>d a couple, you'll have to layer them up, right? okay, now, let's move on over these come as a collection, a set. you get 15 pieces in a set, right? >> retail $175. f1 o can take a set and break them in two and give them as two gifts so, it's a 15-piece antique gold-plated beninglbangle set, colors available. retail is $175. that's 75% off. >> that's great. amazing. you said break them intoede% tw gifts. even better! okay. next, this is great for those of you with little ones, a set of nine dvds by my talking toddler, and the company describes it as a learning system to teach your

child speech, language ßi reading. >> right, and retail for the nine dvdp>jk, $189.99. and teaches children from 6 months to 3 years. and the system was built along academy of pediatrics. and you see a little video right here. >> teaches sign language. age-appropriate speech and language concepts, sign language and sounds. you see right here. á$189.99. the deal is $49 -- love the sound effects. the deal is $49. that's 74% off. >> you need that horn every time you announce your deal price. okay, next over here, gear bags and backpacks by urban packs. kids. >> these are great. retail $118 to $138. the brand is big with the to name-drop a few. lightweight, quilted fabric and water-resistant, so good for snowy or rainy weather. >> great. >> four styles, six colors.

ipad. the slicng pack for all your gear, and the backpacks, small and large. retail is $118 to $138, the deal is $37 for whatever style, up to 73% off. >> very hip and cool. okay, next, these great ties by peter blair. >> aren't these great? the retail is $80. these are conservative with a twist. all are 100% silk and hand-sewn in the u.s. known for novelty designs and geometric prints. 170 designs to choose from on the website. >> very cool. >> retail $80. the deal $16. that's 80% off. >> that' amazing. >> it's a great gift. >> i love with a twist, literally. there's a little olive on the tie. >> very literal. >> okay, over here, we've got something by the body shop, which is fantastic! >> yeah, this is a great deal. retail $126. body care collection featuring companies fave three best-selling body butter flavors, shower gel, body lotion, body polish, hand wash, all in a beautiful tin.

retail $126. that's [v72% off. here. >> that is amazing. and you're not going to find that price at their body shop store, so -- >> just for "today" show+é viewers. >> logon. great steals and [ódejt(sáy jill, you did it once again. let's remind our viewers of the products. they are the men's boxer briefs by nautica, the pearl macrome bracelets by anthony dreyer, bangles by amrita singh, yu>3 peter-blair and the body shop products. if you have any questions about these products, tweet jill @todayshow and look for "steals and deals." thank you, jill. >> thank you. coming up, from the royal wedding to the kardashian biggest conversation starters of the year. but first, these messages

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we want to take a moment to thank all of the nice people who have been helping us in this year's toy drive, our 18th annual one. we've received a batch of new donations this morning collected by the a capella group pentatonics, winner of nbc's "the sing-off." they'll be performing for us later on. >> already we've raised $25,000 in gifts for needy children around the country. here to talk about avon's gift

is hazel mcintyre, an avon lady herself. good morning, hazel. >> good morning to you. >> tell us about your donations. >> avon is proud to be donating and representing our avon representatives, over $180,000 in products. >> wow. >> and you're not only an avon lady, but you're finishing up a masters in social work. >> that's correct. >> what does something like this mean? >> in terms of donating? this is something i love about avon is that they have a long-standing history of philanthropics, so it means a lot for me to be here to represent that. >> thank you so much. everybody loves the avon products and something for kids to be able to give to mom. >> absolutely. >> hazel mcintire, thank you so much and to everybody at avon. >> thank you. >> we would like to remind you, if you would like to donate and you can't be here in person, you can go to our website, today.com. and just ahead, we have a look at some of the classic toys and games at affordable prices that will brighten your kids' holiday season. that's all ahead. but first, your local news and weather. hey, you made your own lunch.

yep! (mom) i'm so proud of you. the bus is here, gotta go mom. okay hunny, have a great day. look in your bag, made you something. (announcer) it's more than just that great peanut taste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone how much you care. choosey moms, choose jif. ♪ [ female announcer ] just for these hectic holidays, mcdonald's introduces new peppermint mocha and peppermint hot chocolate from mccafe. the simple joy of unwinding. mmm... pillsbury crescent wrapped brie just unroll, wrap the brie and bake. it's so easy. now this might even impress aunt martha. pillsbury crescent wrapped brie. holiday ideas made easy.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is a wbal tv 11 news update. >> it is going to be another quiet but chilly day. the afternoon will be a touch warmer than yesterday. if you high, thin clouds possible in the afternoon seven- day forecast will make it up to 51 tomorrow. chance for a few showers on

this place is perfect! why didn't you mention it earlier? >> well, it's a bit complicated. >> complicated's okay. what's so complicated about this place? >> well, you see, it's a -- [ growling ] >> it's a zoo. >> a zoo? >> yay! [ laughter ] >> oh, matt damon -- >> can't wait to see that. >> i know. talking to his kids about starting a new life in the new family drama "we bought a zoo." we'll talk to him about his new movie tomorrow on "today." >> there's a lot of buzz about this movie. a lot of buzz already. >> everybody says it's good. meanwhile, coming up, what did americans talk about the most in 2011? the royal wedding, casey anthony's trial and acquittal, the economy? just ahead, the new list of the top conversation-starters of the

year. all right, plus, do you still need to find gifts for the kids on your holiday list? maybe you should consider just going back to the basics. coming up, the old-school toys that are reasonably priced that your kids are sure to love, and some older kids, too, very older kids. >> extra emphasis on old school there. >> emphasis on old. >> exactly. >> and we'll talk to famous author al roker about his latest novel. >> first, you have a check of the weather for us. >> i do, indeedy. let's show you what's happening for today. sunshine up and down the east coast, flurries in the eastern great lakes and wet weather making its way through the mid-mississippi river valley with some icy conditions. air stagnation alerts continue in the pacific northwest. raining tomorrow in the pacific northwest with heavier rain making its way into the upper mississippi river valley. slight risk of strong storms texas on into parts of arkansas. we're also looking at sunny but cool conditions alongng >> good morning. it will be warmer than yes slick

in the afternoon. mostly sunny is our forecast. and that's your latest weather. >> all right, thank you, al. coming up next, the stories that had all of us talking in 2011, from the kardashians to the royals. the new list of the top conversation-starters of the year, right after this 's new baked pasta romanas. these warm hearty creations are only here for a limited time. ruffled lasagnette pasta, layered with creamy fontina and asiago cheeses with roasted garlic and oven baked just for you. try it topped with pan-seared chicken and toscano tomatoes. or with slow-cooked beef braised in a chianti wine sauce. both served with our unlimited fresh salad or homemade soup and warm breadsticks.

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interesting. well, the editors at ivillage.com are here to help you. >> sure are. >> they conducted an online poll to find the top conversation-starters. kelly wallace is chief correspondent at ivillage. kelly, good morning. >> good morning. >> so, you polled your readers to find out what everyone's talking about. >> we put out a ton of stories, ton of conversations and said what were the top conversations, what were you talking most about with your friends? and we have the list here. >> number eight -- we'll go up to number one -- number eight, the kardashians. >> i don't get it, but women were talking about it. they were talking about the wedding, and yes, right, the 72-day marriage, savannah. but this i'm comforted by -- 84% of the women in our poll said this is a story the media covered too much, so maybe it won't be on the list next year. >> and yet, they were talking about it. >> i know. >> so, whose fault is it? number seven on the list, we have the high-profile infidelity, so whether it's congressman wiener or arnold schwarzenegger or herman cain's accusations, a lot of people were talking about that. >> exactly. sadly, cheating in the news, for sure. herman cain, the most recent occasion. interestingly, a lot of women in

the community were talking about herman cain and were critical of him, but also critical of the woman coming forward, saying she shouldn't be portrayed as a victim. then in the case of arnold schwarzenegg schwarzenegger, a lot of conversations, women saying what would you do if you were in maria's shoes? and wienergate, a whole new word was created. it created the question is sexting cheating? what would you do? >> that's a great conversation going into a party. next up, the royal wedding. this is a happy one. >> this is a happy one, right? we all got up early, had tea and crumpets, i guess some people had champagne. the dress, the double kiss on buckingham palace. and we're all about girl power, right? girl power. but we all enjoy this modern-day fairy tale, 30 years after princess diana. pretty much everyone was saying lady di would have been so proud of kate. >> there were a lot of high-profile court cases this year. i am not surprised to see the amanda knox case being one that people talked about and debated. >> they did, and they talked

about it for years, right was this a sex game gone bad or an innocent girl found guilty based on circumstantial evidence? then when the verdict came out, the debate continued, right? and a majority of the commenters in the poll still suspicious, thinking she might have had something to do with it. >> now, the death of steve jobs really resonated with a lot of people, unless you think it's only the men who were techies and were interested. this was huge. >> 65% of the women said they were talking about this with their friends, and guess what? they were talking about it on their ipads, iphones, ipads. one person in the ivillage community saying this is the albert einstein of our generation is gone. so, he really affected women's lives, mothers' lives. >> we've got about a minute to do our last three. casey anthony, not a shocker that this is on the list. >> not a shocker, right? not a shocker. women were there and their jaws dropped, right, when the innocent verdict was read. 55% of the women in ivillage community pretty much felt that the jury got it wrong. >> and as for the penn state abuse scandal, i'm actually surprised to see that was higher on your list than the casey

verdict. >> i know, and you think of this as sort of a football story, but no. women and moms especially, these are people that they think you should be trusting, trusting them with your children. what more do you need to do? so, they had a lot of questions about the institution, how to keep our kids safe. a lot of outrage about this story. >> and you might be asking what's left? well, of course, the number one kitchen table issue for so many families, the economy. >> the economy. so sad that it's number one on the list. high unemployment, dismal jobs market. so many people talking in the community about losing jobs, not having jobs. so, hope, right? savannah, we kick it into high gear and we're not talking about this on the list in 2012. >> or we're talking about how great it is or how it's turned all. i'd love that. kelly wallace, thank you so much. >> thank you. coming up next, we'll chat with al about his new book. plus, can't decide what to get the kids on your holiday list? we'll check out the hottest classic toys of the year, and they're all under 100 bucks. but first, these messages. hi, cutie! feeling this radiating ache everywhere. the pain was so frustrating. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves

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a born storyteller. the stories he tells and tells and tells! but over the last two years, he's released two murder mysteries turned chef turned talk show host billy breasting. >> and now he's out with "the talk show murders." al, congratulations again. >> well, thank you. >> can we just get one thing off the table? when do you have time to write novels? >> we can't figure this out. >> you're making us feel like losers. we're slackers. >> what you really want to know is why aren't you in the book? >> where's the co-anchor? >> yeah. where's the savvy, smart, female? >> i know. maybe the next one. but in this one, he happens to be bald, african-american, a little stocky. >> hmm. a little eddie murphy-like. what's the show, called "wake up america" on from 7:00 to 9:00 in the morning. something tells me this has no resemblance to your personal life. >> no resemblance whatsoever. exactly. he's got a bit of a shady past. >> oh, you, huh? >> he does. >> it's the character. >> he's in chicago and somebody

from his past turns up toes up, and he has to help solve the crime. >> and he's the suspect, isn't he? >> yeah. >> yeah, yeah. somebody always turns up toes up wherever billy blessing is. >> well, they are called murder mysteries. >> why did you want to write murder mysteries? >> well, my mom was a big murder mystery fan. rex stout. i kind of grew up reading those, whenever she finished, i would read. so i always thought it would be fun to write a murder mystery. and i didn't think about it until i got teamed up with dick lotke, who is a fantastic mystery writer. and i came up with these ideas, but he hept me get the characters from point a to point b. again, he's not to be confused with potato lotke. >> and you actually wrote this on your ipad. >> i did, i did. because i try to find time -- you know, you're trying to find time to squeeze it in, so i always have it with me, so i literally wrote this book on

planes, trains and automobiles. >> that's awesome. and this is in chicago, this one. so i'm guessing there's going to be more. the hot co-anchor. >> the sassy, savvy, smart -- >> i'm seeing a trend here. >> you can kill us off. >> i was going to say, which one wants to die? >> we don't care. >> well -- >> put me in the book, i'll just be happy to be there. >> oh, there's a bus to be thrown over! very nice. >> you turned to look. >> but anyway, it's a lot of fun. the idea is these aren't gruesome murders. they're gentle, fun murders. but you know, it's kind of like, almost like "murder she wrote," you know. there's nothing gruesome, nothing grim, just kind of fun. >> can i say, your peers, huge reviews. janet ivanovic said full of adventure. and if you like crackling dialogue, a dash of celebrity and plenty of suspense, then "the morning show murders" is an absolute must-read. roker rocks! >> and natalie morales and savannah guthrie said --

>> where are we? >> are we in the next book? yes. >> the great thing is, it's not about you guys and i love that you completely forget about yourselves and concentrate on me. >> we're very proud of you. >> thank you. >> have you always wanted to be a writer, you always loved writing? >> i have. reading has always been a part of my life so it's just an honor to be on the same book shelves as some of these other writers. >> a best-seller. you're multitalented. >> roker rocks. >> again, the book is called "the talk show murders." coming up next, classic toys at affordable prices that your kids would love to find under the tree. but first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪

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>> announcer: "today's holiday gift guide" is brought to you by target. this holiday, santa has elves, you have target. >> this morning on "today's holiday gift guide," classic toys for kids of any age.

stephanie from trendportfolio.com is here with some great suggestions at affordable prices. and as you can see, we've got a lot of exciting kids here with us this morning. >> hello, natalie. >> come on over here! >> they love to play with it. >> this is like playing with our studio. >> there you go. >> it's the classic toy. okay, nothing, i think when it comes to babies, nothing beats the balls, right? >> yes, because balls is something that's going to grow with them as they develop. so, a crawling baby that you can encourage them to crawl with these balls. they're from sassy. three sets, under $10. and that's the other good news. people spend so much money on toys this time of year, but they don't have to spend a lot. >> yeah. >> especially for older toddlers, this is a softer ball from kids preferred. it's $16, great for roly-poly, peek-a-boo, and it's not going to hurt them. >> right. with all these little things hanging, kids love to play with the tags and textures. >> textures. so much to explore together. and we have ella tasting one right now. people always ask for

2-year-olds and -- >> toddlers. >> hard-to-find toys for toddlers. ball runs are always a safe bet. this is from early years. the pieces are just fun. and you know toddlers love to play things over and over again. it's a toy they'll go back to for a long time. >> exactly. now, blocks are something all preschoolers enjoy. it's a retro toy, but this really goes back. >> basic toy for preschoolers. >> basic. >> you talk about educational toys, this is it, because they're learning about spatial relations, problem-solving, creativity. it will be a building one day, a rocket ship the next. this is a lovely set from pbs kids, the exploration series. but if you're going old-school, we have uniblocks, and this is the one time i would say more is more. start with a basic set for $40, but during the course of the year, you can add interesting shapes. you can also bring home some of these wonderful props. >> these are adorable. >> this is a new line called a i

animalz, sets as well. >> blocks are great -- i mean, part of my son's curriculum is block-building, so -- >> that's because it is so educational. it becomes part of their writing program and building is great. >> now, a classic toy that never goes out of style. this one is huge in my house, trains. >> trains. and now we have chuggington from learning conserve giving tom the tanker a run for his money. you can get trains for about $30. our tip, don't glue it down. it's an open-ended puzzle. boys and girls should be playing with it. they can lift it with the blocks. >> create whatever they want, exactly. now, art supplies. can never have enough of them. >> make a basket. it doesn't matter how old your kids are, finger paints. girls are working with a textured paint set with interesting pieces. but for older kids, there's water colors from ebu. a great set from crayola, 150. >> great to see the colors out like that. >> they can make holiday

decorations, write thank-you notes all year long. >> something to go back to. dolls offer so much in terms of variety out there, especially with the accessories and the way we love to dress them up. >> this is a classic baby doll. this is for under $40. we love the fact that it's a multicultural collection, very sweet and they have lovely accessories. they're not very expensive as well. but i have to show you this. this is from toys "r" us. these are the journey dolls. they're $29.99 each. >> wow! >> what's really notable about this collection and what we love, they're on our special needs toy list this year because it comes with the wheelchair set. >> that's great. >> because kids with special needs should be able to play with the same toys as their neighbors and siblings and should be represented in doll land as well. >> exactly. okay, we love that. now, let's do the reverse cher aides, right? >> are you ready to play? >> let's play. >> you're not going to look. you guys are going to play. reverse chir aides is great for families. can you see it? >> go ahead. we can't see it. >> what do you think they're

doing? >> sleeping. >> ding, ding, ding. >> next? >> jumping jacks, exercising, jumping jacks. okay. taking it very seriously. >> very seriously. >> i was like -- >> looking at the clue. >> great family. >> the camera can't see -- >> amazing what your 5-year-old can do. let's get another 5-year-old in here. nice. >> challenging. >> excellent. >> stephanie oppenheim, thank you so much. still ahead, kathie lee and hoda are going to help you save on holiday meals and find out what to wear for your next holiday party. >> we're goingg% >> have a wonderful day. first, your local news and weather. >> coughing!