“My whole family came here for years,” he said. “It was a local thing. Recently, my mother told me she heard from her friend that Eggbert was back, so I asked my son this morning, ‘Do you want to see a (talking) egg?’ ”
Mr. Gizzarelli and Mr. Fitch said that word had gotten out quickly that Eggbert was back. About 3,000 people showed up on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, he said.
Rita Burns, 34, drove with her 21-month-old son, Patrick, from their home in Westbrookville to see Eggbert. She (met) her friend Lori Dugan, 33, who came from Middletown. They both came as children to see Eggbert and heard from friends about his return.
“It’s a regional thing,” Ms. Burns said. “People here in Orange County know about it, but when I tell my co-workers in Sullivan County, they’re like, ‘An egg — shouldn’t it be a Santa?’ and I say, ‘No, you don’t (understand) — it just fits.’ ”
As children said goodbye to Eggbert, the talking egg told some of them, “Tell your friends I’m back and I’ll be here (every) Christmas from now on.”