BIRMINGHAM, Mich. (WXYZ) — It's the 11th hour for holiday shopping with Christmas just two days away. The weather is deterring many but not all from braving the elements.
The downtown Birmingham shopping scene was bustling Friday as snow and wind stayed steady.
"Did I think it was going to mess up business? Yes," said Lennon Lalonde, a manager at Caruso Caruso in Birmingham.
They posted a video on Instagram with a caption reading, "We never close," which is a nod to the weather and their business model.
"It's Pure Michigan, you know what I mean," Lalonde said. "Snow, this is nothing. We always keep the same hours, and we don't have seasonal hours."
Snow isn't so much the problem. It's the bone-chilling temperatures and wind that'll get you.
"We're used to this weather. We grew up with it and we prepare for it," Kathy Muir said.
Muir has the right idea. If you are going to be out in this weather, think it through.
"Dress in layers. Make sure you understand the weather before going out," said Dr. Justin Skrzynski, who practices internal medicine at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital.
Skrzynski says the cold temperatures could have painful consequences if you aren't careful.
"You could have frostbite within minutes actually, so one of the important things to look out for is initial sign of frostbite," he said. "If you have pain, if you have numbness, if you have whiteness or blueness, especially fingertips, toes, nose, ears, things that stick out."
While the weather outside is frightful, Muir says it won't get in the way of spending time with the people that matter.
"Part of holiday celebration is shopping, so no. For our family, the weather doesn't stop us from doing anything that we want to do," Muir said.
