DURING A ROAD TRIP TO PENN

STATE.

HE WAS SUBMITEN.

>> I HAVE TO BE HONEST.

WHEN ERIC FIRST KNOCKED ON MY

DOOR I DIDN'T BELIEVE THEM.

>> THE THEN 33-YEAR-OLD BOUGHT

THIS PENNSYLVANIA HOME SHORTLY

AFTER TAKING A PRINCIPLE

POSITION AT A NEARBY MIDDLE

SCHOOL.

>> THE TREE HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN

THE CORNER OF THE PROPERTY, BUT

I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF IT AS A

REALLY LARGE SPRUCE.

>> WEIGHING IN AT 12.5 TONS, THE

NORWAY SPRUCE WILL GET MADE

OVER.

WRAPPED WITH FIVE MILES OF

L.E.D. AND TOPPED WITH A CRYSTAL

STAR.

>> CLOSE TO A MILLION PEOPLE ARE

GOING TO SEE IT ON A DAILY

BASIS.

>> WOW.

WHAT AN ENTRANCE, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S THE ONLY WORD THERE IS

FOR THIS MOMENT.

WELL, I HAVE TO SAY, I HAVE

STARTED OUT AT NBC AS AN INTERN

FOR "THE TODAY SHOW."

TO ACTUALLY SEE THE TREE COMING

IN PERSON, THIS IS A FIRST.

IT IS MASSIVE.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

>> WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE IT WHEN

IT'S ACTUALLY STANDING.

IT WILL BE COVERED IN 50,000

LOOI

LIGHTS.

THE CRYSTAL AT THE TOP OF THE

TREE.

THE LIGHTING WILL BE A HUGE

EVENT.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29th, AT

7:00 P.M. EASTERN.

NOT EASTER.

IT'S ACTUALLY CHRISTMAS.

>> I DIDN'T BRING ANY ORNAMENTS.

>> I HAVE TO SAY, ONE OF THE

BEST THINGS WE DO HERE AT NBC IS

THAT MOMENT WHEN WE LIGHT THIS

TREE.

IT'S ONE OF THE SORT OF --

>> IT'S A VERY SPECIAL SEASON.

>> THEN YOU DON'T WANT TO BE

AROUND 30 ROCK BECAUSE IT IS SO

CROWDED TRYING TO LEAVE WORK.

>> YOU ACTUALLY CAN'T MOVE.

YOU CAN'T GET AROUND.

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE

HOLIDAYS ARE HERE.

BUT NOW I THINK WE CAN SAY IT'S

OFFICIAL.

>> WE'VE GOT THE WEATHER.

WE'VE GOT THE TREE.

IT'S THE SEASON.

>> I CAN'T FEEL MY FINGERS.

>> THERE'S THAT TOO.

>> AND WE'RE ALL WEARING HAND

WARMERS.

WE'VE GOT A LOT COMING UP

INCLUDING SOME COMFORT FOOD THAT

WILL GET YOU READY FOR

THANKSGIVING.

>> AND HOW ABOUT THIS?

A BEER THAT IS SO STRONG IT IS

BANNED IN A DOZEN STATES BUT NOT

FORTUNATELY NEW YORK.

AND SO WHAT ELSE DO WE DO ON A

SATURDAY MORNING BUT DRINK IT?

>> HOPEFULLY IT WILL WARM IT UP

A LITTLE BIT.

IT'S FRIGID OUT HERE.

LET'S GET ONE MORE CHECK OF THE

FORECAST.

>> IT IS VERY CHILLY IN THE

NORTHEAST.

RECORD BREAKING LOW TEMPERATURES

ALL ACROSS THE NORTHEAST DOWN

INTO PARTS OF THE MID ATLANTIC.

ONLY WARMING INTO THE 30s LATER

THIS AFTERNOON.

SOME CLOUDS, A LITTLE BIT OF

RAIN, LITTLE BIT OF SNOW.

WE'RE WAITING FOR THE STORM TO

MAKE ITS WAY INTO THE PA TICIFIC

NORTHWEST.

WE'LL SEE SNOW UP IN THE HIGHER

ELEVATIONS.

IT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT MESSY

ESPECIALLY THROUGH SOUTHERN

MICHIGAN WHERE ICING IS

POSSIBLE.

AND TEMPERATURES IN THE

NORTHEAST WILL START TO REBOUND.

LITTLE MORE RAIN DOWN ACROSS

FLORIDA.

THAT'S A LOOK AT THE WEATHER

ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

HERE'S A PEEK OUT YOUR WINDOW.

>>> AND THAT'S YOUR LATEST

FORECAST.

>> WELL, NOW THAT THE EARLY

CHRISTMAS SURPRISE FOR A GROUP

OF KIDS LEFT HOMELESS AFTER

HURRICANE IRMA.

>> IT'S BEEN TWO MONTHS SINCE

IRMA TORE THROUGH THE CARIBBEAN

VIRTUAL LIE WIPING OUT THE

ISLAND OF BARBUDA.

>> THAT'S WHY A GROUP OF

VOLUNTEERS HEADED DOWN TO BRING

A SMILE TO SOME OF THE YOUNGEST

VICTIMS.

>> AN ENTIRE ISLAND NEARLY WIPED

OFF THE MAP.

SERGEANT GEORGE WAS THERE AS

HURRICANE IRMA BARRELED THROUGH

BARBUDA AT 150 MILES PER HOUR

LEAVING COMPLETE DESTRUCTION IN

ITS WAKE.

>> IS THIS THE TYPE OF DAMAGE

THAT WE'RE SEEING ALL AROUND?

>> YES, BASICALLY.

YOU CANNOT COME HERE BECAUSE

THERE'S NOTHING.

>> THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO.