(CNN) Are you dreaming of a white Christmas, but the weather outside usually isn't that frightful? You may yet be walking in a winter wonderland , now that the forecast is saying, "Let it snow!" in some unexpected places. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door . (You can also get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here .)

1. Tax overhaul

The next million-dollar question is, of course, what does this mean for you? Well, first of all, the House needs to vote on the measure again because of an arcane Senate rule . But after that, it's all a matter of numbers. Here's our tax calculator , which shows how the bill could affect your bottom line. In short, it will probably change your tax rate , and families and homeowners will see significant shifts in tax credits and deductions.

2. Amtrak crash

JUST WATCHED Couple climbed onto train to rescue victims Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Couple climbed onto train to rescue victims 02:03

3. Uber

Is Uber an app or a transportation service? Europe's top court has ruled in favor of the latter. The decision by the European Court of Justice is a major setback for Uber , which had said it should not be subjected to the same regulations as traditional taxi companies. Uber argued it should instead be treated as a technology platform that connects drivers and riders, which, let's be honest, is just a fancy way of describing a taxi company. Uber says the rule actually won't change that much about the way the company operates in Europe, but in the grand scheme of things, the increased regulation could be a sign of things to come for other areas of the "gig economy."

JUST WATCHED Arianna Huffington on Uber: 'No brilliant jerks allowed' Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Arianna Huffington on Uber: 'No brilliant jerks allowed' 02:54

4. Cardinal Law

Cardinal Bernard Law, the former Boston archbishop who resigned in disgrace during the church sex abuse scandal , has died. Law and the Catholic Church were plunged into scandal in 2002, when it was revealed that Law and other bishops had covered for pedophile priests in the Boston Archdiocese. Law never faced criminal sanctions for his role in allowing abusive priests to remain in parishes and, in fact, went on to serve as archpriest of the Papal Liberian Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, a position he held until his death. His detractors found his second career at the Vatican to be a revealing referendum on the church's legitimacy and its consideration of the scandal's young victims.

JUST WATCHED Former Archbishop Bernard Law dies at 86 Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Former Archbishop Bernard Law dies at 86 02:21

5. Virginia House race

Oh, you think your vote doesn't count? Then explain how a Virginia Democrat just won a seat in the state's House of Delegates by one ... ONE measly vote. Because of that single vote, the House is now split 50-50 between Republicans and Democrats. Virginia Republicans conceded the election yesterday after a "close recount" showed Democrat Shelly Simonds, who was 10 votes behind in the initial count, had actually defeated Republican Del. David Yancey by the absolute eensiest of margins.

JUST WATCHED Why voting in the US is so hard Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Why voting in the US is so hard 01:33

BREAKFAST BROWSE

People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.

Disney's new Trump robot will most definitely scare small children

JUST WATCHED Robot Trump debuts at Disney World Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Robot Trump debuts at Disney World 02:01

Here's the year in political GIFs

Belgium could send a female ambassador to Saudi Arabia

McDonald's will offer a McVegan burger in Europe

Facebook will alert you to photos you're in, but aren't tagged in, because it knows everything about you now

NUMBER OF THE DAY

5 million

The approximate number of Americans who have applied for FEMA aid since Labor Day . Huge wildfires and a disastrous hurricane season have caused serious headaches for the agency.

JUST WATCHED US cities struggle to recover after hurricanes Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH US cities struggle to recover after hurricanes 07:41

AND FINALLY ...

You can almost feel it getting stuck in your teeth