OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Chocolate, ornaments, last minute gifts and for some just out grabbing a bite to eat.
"I bought chocolate and candy," said Asanti Payne, an Old Market shopper.
"Just out and about, Christmas shopping is done, now I am just looking for myself," said Rusty Goulette, another Old Market shopper.
But with the weather, did they hesitate to come out in the cold at all?
"I fell outside, so I was paused on the ground for a little bit," said Norman Grayson, an Omaha shopper. "I fell on the ice."
After a fall, he made it to lunch and was quickly headed to his next spot.
"A lot of clothes and running quick to where I got to get to," Grayson said.
And for one shopper, he wasn't fazed by the weather.
"Oh, this is nothing, it's cold, it could be worse," said Fred Lowry.
For Tannenbaum, the Christmas shop in the Old Market, it is typically busy this time of year.
"I think you two are the only people in here, except for the employees today," said Jeff Jorgensen, owner of Tannenbaum.
But Jorgensen was expecting more people to come in as the day went on.
"We are busy for a number of weeks, before Christmas comes along, every year there is some little weather hiccup and people generally find a way to come out when they need to," Jorgensen said.
For Ted and Wallys, a popular destination in the Old Market, they've only had a handful of customers because of the weather. But for one family, the temperature outside doesn't matter.
"So, whose idea was it to come get ice cream when it's negative 40 with windchill," 3 News Now reporter Molly Hudson asked the Hammans family. "Mine," Margo Hammans said.
"Why did you want to come get ice cream?" Molly asked. "Because I wanted ice cream," Margo said.
For the Hammans, getting out of the house Thursday involved more than just ice cream.
"We headed over to Council Bluffs to take a picture with Santa, we figured everyone would be staying in today because it's freezing outside, and we had some coupons, actually, and so we came to the ice cream place," Jodi Hammans said.
They thought it was the perfect time to come and avoid the crowds.
"Do you prefer eating ice cream in the summer or the winter?" asked Molly. The Hammans' kids said it's best in both the winter and the summer.
Although it was much quieter around the Old Market, it seems shoppers still found a way to get what they needed.
"Be prepared, it's Nebraska, tomorrow it could be 90 degrees," Goulette said.
Due to the cold temperatures, the Friday and Saturday nightly multimedia light shows at the Riverfront have been canceled for this weekend.
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