After the coldest and snowiest start to the month in a couple of decades, the last half of December is ending quite mild and begs the question: Can we salvage winter?

It's Christmas week, which means many stores and restaurants will have different hours this week and some services will be closed.

Several chain restaurants will be open on Christmas Day, including Starbucks, Krispy Kreme, Fogo de Chão, and IHOP. Some notable Minnesota restaurants will be open on Christmas Day, but should be contacted to know their specific hours. View those restaurants below:

Warm temperatures on Christmas will lead to a mild weekend, but a light drizzle could create some slick spots for northern Minnesota.

Christmas Eve will be mild with mostly cloudy skies, with afternoon temperatures reaching the upper 30s. Our next chance for precipitation comes Christmas night into Friday, with a low chance of light rain or freezing rain. Small but annoying impacts are possible. Winds will be slightly stronger, with gusts up to 20 mph.

In northern Minnesota, temperatures stay cooler. Christmas Day is expected to also be mild with more cloud cover. Some drizzles are possible later Thursday and into the night. The milder temperatures are set to last through Saturday, and by Sunday the temperatures are expected to drop and stay chilly.

Holiday hours vary by chain, with some grocery stores and pharmacies closed on Christmas Day while others operate with limited hours.

Christmas day will feature mild temperatures with some precipitation possible closer to the evening. High temperatures will remain above average in the 30s. Friday and Saturday temperatures will warm up to the 40s.