"Just to have some semblance of normalcy," he said. "We didn't want or skip a year."
It was a sentiment echoed by Rob Terry and his family, visiting from Philadelphia -- a tradition for 13 years.
"It doesn't feel like Christmas without coming," he said. "It makes us feel happy, gives us something to look forward to heading into the new year."
And for the kids, even with so much loss and change, their sense of wonder is still there as they wait for Santa and his team.
As for the jolly big man himself, he urged people not to lose hope and believe in themselves, and that we can always overcome.