Applause resonated through the mall's parking lot -- and dozens of others huddled around mobile devices to watch social media livestreams -- as the icon was welcomed back during a Tuesday evening ceremony, following a nearly 30-year hiatus.
"My childhood restored!" Charles Freericks said on social media.
"So happy to see him again!" Dee Bannion-Day added. "A dream come true."
The massive icon signaled the unofficial start of the holiday season for generations. And now, he's back.
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