Kris Kringle
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˌkɹɪs ˈkɹɪŋɡ(ə)l/
rhymes: -ɪŋɡəl
Forms: form: Kris Kringles
Etymology: Borrowed in a modified form from Pennsylvania German Christ-kinkle, from German Christkindl (“(dialectal diminutive) Christ Child”), Christkind (“Christ Child”), from Christ (“Christ”) + Kindl (dialectal diminutive), Kind (“child”).
Senses: examples: text: [A] time is usually set aside for the Kris Kringles to be performed, such as by the end of the week or the month, or by Christmas or Easter. [...] Kris Kringles are kind deeds or little gifts or surprises done for the person whose name was drawn without that person knowing the source of the Kris Kringle.
ref: 1978, Judy Fletcher, Games: Activities for Your Christian Family (A Nice Place to Live), St. Louis, Mo.: Concordia Publishing House, →ISBN, page 51:
text: A Filipino woman looks forward as others raise their gifts during an attempt to break a Guinness world record for the biggest, simultaneous exchange of gifts, or kris kringle, in Manila, Philippines, Dec. 18, 2011.
ref: 2011 December 20, Tiffany Hagler-Geard, “Today in Pictures: Dec. 20, 2011”, in ABC News, archived from the original on 30 Dec 2015:
text: We host a yearly After Christmas party for close friends. We always do a Kris Kringle, where everyone brings one present and randomly picks a gift. Everyone agreed on a $20.00 cap.
ref: 2014 January 10, Caity Weaver, “Thatz Not Okay: Can an Adult Bring a Potato Gun to a Party?”, in Gawker, archived from the original on 04 Nov 2018:
text: The first month of the year is typically a boon time for dating websites, as singletons people who are single look to start afresh after a month of socialising and family get-togethers in December (who has time to find a soul-mate when there's office Kris Kringle presents to buy?).
ref: 2014 January 19, “It’s January, and Ireland’s singles are looking for love – so what are the options?”, in TheJournal.ie, archived from the original on 18 Apr 2019:
text: Christmas is a hard time of year. And what makes it harder is Kris Kringle. As if you didn’t have enough on, now you have to buy a gift under $10 for someone at work who you don't know very well. [...] In an office Kris Kringle, people often don't care, or don't care enough. And it shows. For example, in last year's Kris Kringle, I mistakenly bought some very nice beer for a young guy in the office who turned out not to drink. I had no idea. Sorry again.
ref: 2015 December 14, Jason Murphy, “Ho Ho, Oh No: Why Kris Kringles are so Terrible”, in News.com.au, archived from the original on 20 Dec 2016:
text: Bill Gates does it again! After completely KILLING the Secret Santa game last year by fulfilling gaming-lover Aerrix's wildest console dreams, he's back at it for 2017, playing Kris Kringle to a cat enthusiast named Megan Cummings.
ref: 2017 December 23, Nicole Briese, “Bill Gates Upheld His Title as the Best Secret Santa Ever with this Sweet Charitable Gift”, in Brit + Co, archived from the original on 06 Sep 2019:
glosses: Synonym of secret Santa (“a Christmas tradition where a group of people give anonymous gifts to each other, with each person randomly selected to give a gift to one other person; a person who anonymously gives a present to another in such a gift exchange”).
synonyms: word: secret Santa
extra: a Christmas tradition where a group of people give anonymous gifts to each other, with each person randomly selected to give a gift to one other person; a person who anonymously gives a present to another in such a gift exchange
examples: text: If you're working on a budget, finding a thoughtful Kris Kringle can bring on a headache … or two.
ref: 2016 December 5, Victoria Ticha, “Top ideas for your 2016 Christmas Kris Kringle gifts”, in The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, N.S.W.: Nine Publishing, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Sep 2019:
text: This news, delivered just after my colleagues had exchanged Kris Kringle and departed for the Christmas break was as unexpected and disorienting as the mid-December rain [in Australia].
ref: 2019 August 8, Brigid Delaney, “I was poor while all of my friends were rich – the hardest part was the lack of freedom”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 Aug 2019:
glosses: A gift given in a Kris Kringle or secret Santa gift exchange.