Hardy Bears fans give frosty weather the cold shoulder

An icy-cold stadium seat awaited young Bears fan Chad Thomason.

He couldn't have cared less. This was his first Bears game, after all. Besides, this "Bear weather" is kids stuff, apparently.

"It's not that cold," the 9-year-old from Bartlett said through a knit ski mask, as he waited outside Soldier Field with his dad, Todd, and some of Todd's work customers before Monday night's Bears game against Green Bay.

Chad was wearing five pairs of pants, five shirts and an early Christmas present - a Devin Hester No. 23 jersey.

"His mom knew he was coming so she got him an early gift so he could wear it to the game," Todd Thomason said.

At game time, the wind-chill factor was minus-13 degrees, the second coldest in Bears history.

Chad was just chillin'.

"He loves this," his dad said.

Barbie Kosiek, 18, of Wheaton loves it too. She attended the game with some of her friends from DePaul University.

"I have been a Bears fan my entire life and I would give anything to be here," she said, smiling. "I am so excited."

She was wearing three pairs of pants, six long-sleeve shirts, a sweatshirt, a neck warmer and a Dick Butkus No. 51 jersey, which was concealed by a Bears blanket wrapped around her.

"I don't even care (that it's freezing)," she said. "That's what Chicago is. It's the Bears. It's supposed to be cold like this."

Kelly Callahan of Aurora was at the game with her younger brother Bob.

Bob lives in Mexico, where he teaches.

"Please ask me why my family doesn't go down to visit him," Kelly said.

She got her brother, who was wearing a Brian Urlacher No. 54 jersey over several layers, tickets for Monday night's game as a Christmas present.

"Before I knew how cold it was supposed to be," she said with a laugh. "I'm like, 'Maybe Dad should go with you. Or how about your friends?' "

At least Kelly dressed for the windy, icy conditions. Besides six pairs of pants and multiple layers, including a Kyle Orton No. 18 jersey, she was sporting ski googles.

"I told (my brother), 'I'm wearing them. I don't care what people think,' " she said.