christmas comes early Today This year, the trio will return to host the 99th edition of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as the show’s co-hosts Al Roker and Savannah Guthrie reunite with former co-host Hoda Kotb.
“Santa granted our wish,” Roker said. travel+vacation The last week of his excitement. Guthrie said, “It’s exactly what we wanted – she’s completely wrapped in a bow.”
And the love is mutual. “After I leave Today show, I was thinking, ‘Boy, I wish there were some things I could do again’—and this is at the top of that list,” Kotb exclaimed. “I’m lucky to be with them!”
But the real lucky ones will be viewers who will be able to experience the tradition through their coverage on NBC and Peacock beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, November 27, as the New York City parade travels from 77th Street and Central Park West to 34th Street and Sixth Avenue, right in front of the Macy’s flagship store.
Despite the everyday camaraderie that has developed between them after years of working together, there is a special magic of the holiday when they come together on Thanksgiving morning. “Al starts downtown, so we don’t really get to see him before the parade,” Guthrie said. “So when he comes to the set – other than the arrival of Santa Claus – there’s a lot of excitement.”
Ralph Bavaro/NBC
In recent years, Guthrie has started a new tradition in which he enjoys a cup of “delicious hot chocolate” as soon as Roker arrives. “We really love each other, and there’s just an electricity in the air,” she said.
And it really is a family affair. Roker, a father of three and grandfather of one, most enjoys seeing Kotb with his girls, Hope and Haley, and Guthrie with his children, Charlie and Vale. “I’ve known both of these women since before they had kids,” he said. “Now they’re amazing moms, sharing this great moment, and it’s really special.”
With Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker
Quote: I just drink water and play head games. I feel like I’m absolutely fine. Try not to think about how much sleep you missed. You’ve had nights at home where your child stayed up all night. It’s like jet lag. The more you talk about it, the worse it gets.
Roker: As soon as I get on the plane, I set my watch to the new time and it doesn’t matter. Our daughter lives in Paris, so we go there a fair amount of the time, and I can’t take a nap when I land. I swallowed it, and that was that. And drink lots of water.
Guthrie: As they say, hydrate or dehydrate! I always have to take a nap, but I don’t let it be too long, maybe 90 minutes. Then I drink a big cup of coffee and spend the afternoon looking around and try to be awake by eight or nine that night, so you’ll be good to go. Unless it’s Asia, I can’t help you.
Most unusual thing you always pack?
Quote: A candle and a nice shower cap. Domes are not held up well in hotels. So I bring my own because I know it keeps it tidy.
Roker: For Savannah’s 50th birthday, they had a great party and (her husband) Mike (Feldman) put together this little survival bag. There was a shower steamer, and I stuck to it. And I always pack a bag of shower steamers that are a combination of eucalyptus and peppermint.
Guthrie: It’s like a spa! I like to bring a travel speaker so you can always set the mood and have a dance party. You’ll use it more than you think.
Favorite item to gift to travelers?
Guthrie: This one is for the girls because I think we all get a little cold on airplanes, and I love a cozy, soft scarf or wrap. Airlines don’t give you that many blankets anymore, so you might want to have something that looks nice, but can also serve as a blanket on a cold flight.
Roker: I’m a big believer in ABC: Always Be Charging. Over the years, I’ve created a small, but complete charging kit, so I give that to people.
Favorite spot in Rockefeller Center?
Quote: skating rink. You never know what you’re going to find—maybe you’ll see a proposal, maybe someone’s skating for the first time. Maybe you’re standing in the glow of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree wearing a hat, eating hot chocolate. It’s like a magnet for everyone.
Guthrie: There are a lot of great restaurants around Rockefeller, and I think it’s really had a resurgence. There’s Le Roc and my personal favorite, Pebble Bar.
Roker: Then you can go down and have Magnolia (Bakery) cupcakes!
Time is passing quickly, especially notable on the eve of the parade’s centennial, as Kotb returns for his eighth parade, Guthrie for his 14th, and Roker for his historic 30th (he debuted in 1995, but missed the 2022 edition due to health issues). Yet after all these years, the importance of what they are doing has not diminished for the parade veterans.
“Growing up in New York City, we’d always ask my dad, who was a New York City bus driver and worked long hours, if we could go see the parade, and he’d say, ‘Have they stopped showing it on TV?'” Roker remembered. “So when I stepped up to my mentor Willard (Scott), it was one of those ‘Is this really happening?’ moment. That was my first time to experience it in person, and let me tell you, 30 years later, it still thrills. We all become kids when we watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade.”
Peter Kramer/NBC
Guthrie also reflected on his days hosting Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric. “I couldn’t believe that I—a girl from Tucson, Arizona—was going to do this, knowing it was a part of our history,” she said, marveling that a record 31.3 million viewers watched it last year, making it the most-watched entertainment telecast of the year. “The parade is the star, and it always has been. So we feel lucky to have the opportunity to be associated with it.”
For the 99th parade, organizers have pulled out all the stops with performances of the Broadway hits “Just in Time,” “Ragtime,” and “Buena Vista Social Club,” along with Buzz Lightyear, Mario, Shrek and the new balloon of Pac-Man, the Netflix sensation. ,kpop demon hunter” ,Balloonicle,” a PopCity LaBubu Friendsgiving float, and appearances by stars including Busta Rhymes, Ciara, Debbie Gibson, Jewel, and Kool & the Gang.
But it’s not just about star-studded pomp and circumstance. “All the guys on the route are balloon operators waiting for their moment in the sun, and we cheer them on,” Kotb said. “Seeing them and having fun conversations with them, screaming and yelling, is probably my favorite part.”
Of course, it all leads up to Santa’s arrival, which Guthrie called an “iconic moment”, adding that this “never disappoints” atmosphere is always “loud” as far as the ears can hear.
Peter Kramer/NBC
The moment when the holiday season officially begins, turning New York City into a holiday wonderland, especially around Today Studios at Rockefeller Center. “Everyone is there, crowded around to see the tree,” Guthrie said. “Open your eyes and take everything in. It’s just a moment, and it’s beautiful.”
Roker said take time to walk around the neighborhood, whether it’s visiting Radio City Music Hall with the Rockettes, who are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, or enjoying the decorations along Sixth Avenue. But the savvy native New Yorker also has a pro tip: “If you’ve seen all you need to see above ground, go to the Concourse below ground, and you can travel underground through a series of underground tunnels from 52nd Street and Sixth Avenue to Madison Avenue and around 47th Street with very little traffic.”
Other favorite downtown spots for Roker during the holidays include Central Park, with its carousel and outdoor market by Columbus Circle, as well as the Bronx’s New York Botanical Garden, which hosts its holiday train show through January 11. Guthrie loves taking her kids to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and seeing its Lightscape show through January 4.
With New York becoming such a vacation destination, longtime New Yorkers have also offered advice for first-time visitors. “The subway is the best way to get around, no questions asked, especially around the holidays,” Guthrie said, adding the importance of good walking shoes, as well as a good hat and scarf.
Roker also highlighted the abundance of free activities, such as the elevated walkway the High Line and Little Island Park, which hovers above the Hudson River. Additionally, there is the Staten Island Ferry which passes by the Statue of Liberty (“You can’t get a better view than this”).
Peter Kramer/NBC
“There are lots of great places to visit and lots of free days at museums,” he said. He reiterated Guthrie’s point about the Metro, saying that it is a bargain to travel as far as you want at a fixed fare. Guthrie said she took it to Coney Island.
That said, they also know that the fast-paced nature of NYC can be overwhelming. Kotb advises visitors to do all the iconic things, saying, “The city is going at 100 miles an hour – drink it all up.” “No one is trying to crush you, people are just going from place to place. If no one is smiling, don’t worry – everyone is busy. Don’t feel bad. It’s a place that is so special, so magnetic and so incredible, but you have to take it all in. There’s no place on Earth like New York City – don’t miss a second of it.”
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