Kris Kringle
Language: English
Part of speech: name
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˌkɹɪs ˈkɹɪŋɡ(ə)l/
rhymes: -ɪŋɡəl
Forms: form: Kris Kringles
form: Kris Kringel
form: Kriss Kringel
form: Kriss Kingle
form: Kriss Kringle
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: The Dutch of New Netherlands called the good giver of gifts, Kriss Kringle, the Christ Child, and the name came into our family vocabulary through our Dutch ancestor, Great-grandfather Wible.
ref: 1937, Emma Hackett Knox, “Holidays”, in The Story of the Old Homestead: (The Smith-Hackett Homestead), [Rahway, N.J.]: Privately printed [by Quinn & Boden Co.], →OCLC, part II (The Owners and the Families that have Lived on the Old Homestead), pages 205–206:
text: The Germans brought to the county not only their skills but customs that we still see followed throughout the area. Some of these were the celebrating of Bels Nichol or Kris Kringel on the eve of St. Nicholas' feast in December; [...]
ref: 1977, Norbert Krapf, editor, Finding the Grain: Pioneer Journals, Franconian Folktales, Ancestral Poems, Jasper, Ind.: Dubois County Historical Society and Herald Printing, →ISBN, page 13:
glosses: Synonym of Christkind (“a personification of the baby Jesus who, in German-speaking parts of Europe, takes the place of Santa Claus in bringing gifts to people at Christmastime”).
synonyms: word: Christkind
extra: a personification of the baby Jesus who, in German-speaking parts of Europe, takes the place of Santa Claus in bringing gifts to people at Christmastime
examples: text: Now is not "Kriss Kingle" a nice, fat, good-humored looking man. See how eagerly those little boys embrace him, hoping that he will give them some nice little present or other. Mr. "Kriss Kingle" loves good little boys and girls, and if they behave and mind what their parents tell them, they may rest assured that he will pay them a visit, and leave them something nice, as a reward for their good behaviour.
ref: 1842, “Introduction”, in Saint Nicholas’s Book for All Good Boys and Girls, Philadelphia, Pa.: Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co., →OCLC; quoted in Alfred L[ewis] Shoemaker, “[Woodstove Christmases] Christ-Kindel to Kriss Kringle”, in Christmas in Pennsylvania, 50th anniversary edition, Lanham, Md.: Globe Pequot Press, 2009, →ISBN, page 60:
text: The practice of hanging up stockings in the chimney corner for Kriss Kringle to fill with toys, pretty books, bon-bons, &c., for good children, is being superseded by that of placing a Christmas Tree on the table to await the annual visit of the worthy Santa Klaus.
ref: 1847, “Advertisement”, in Kriss Kringle’s Christmas Tree. A Holiday Present for Boys and Girls, Philadelphia, Pa.: Published by Grigg & Elliot, →OCLC:
text: In the New-Year's days of "the winters long ago," many was the romp I had with little Fanny. Gay and ringing—clear as bells of silver—was her New-Year laugh, as she peered into her stocking, in the early morning, and found the hundred beloved knickknackeries that the fabled Kris Kringle used to put there—so fond of the dear little creature was this bearded old friend of infancy.
ref: 1853 February, P. L., “Home and Its Recollections”, in D[avis] W[asgatt] Clark, editor, The Ladies’ Repository: A Monthly Periodical, Devoted to Literature and Religion, volume XIII, Cincinnati, Oh.: L. Swormstedt and A. Poe; […], →OCLC, page 74, column 2:
text: What if that other room, also, had its Christmas tree? What if in every room these evidences of Kriss Kringle’s more enterprising handiwork had already been obtruded?
ref: 1878, Leonard Kip, “St. Nicholas and the Gnome”, in Hannibal’s Man and Other Tales. The Argus Christmas Stories, Albany, N.Y.: The Argus Company, printers, →OCLC, chapter III, page 331:
text: "The symbolic figure of Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, or Kris Kringle," he began, "represents a classic expression of the wishful dreaming of all children. He is the omnipotent Giver, the generous Father. Mature adults who seek to perpetrate this myth reveal themselves as incomplete and neurotic personalities. They are clinging to infantile fantasies and show themselves unable to face reality."
ref: 1947, Valentine Davies, chapter 10, in Miracle on 34th Street, New York, N.Y.: Harcourt, Brace and Company, →OCLC, page 63:
text: In Germany, Santa has long been known as "Kriss Kringel" (derived from Christ Child). In America, the name is still used by the Pennsylvania Dutch.
ref: 1976, Good Housekeeping, volume 183, New York, N.Y.: Hearst Magazines, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 76:
text: “I find it appalling that Kriss Kringel’s brother could be so cold-hearted about Christmas,” said Bartoli.
ref: 2000, E[ugene] F[orrest] Shelby, “The Antisanta”, in Gothic Alaskan and Other Stories: Bad Horror from the Dark Subcontinent, Lincoln, Neb.: Writers Club Press, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 198:
text: Standing in the reception was a tall older man with a big bushy white beard that looked exactly like Kris Kringel in Miracle on 42nd Street.^([sic – meaning Miracle on 34th Street])
ref: 2004, Ballooning, volume 37, San Luis Obispo, Calif.: Balloon Federation of America, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 26:
text: The mall is brimming over with Christmas spirit. There are forty Santas—short ones, tall ones, smiling ones, and grouchy ones. [...] It's full of crisp jingles and Kris Kringles—and it's only November. Christmas seems to come earlier and earlier every year.
ref: 2006, Mike Thaler, “Deck the Mall”, in The Christmas Party from the Black Lagoon (Black Lagoon Adventures; 9), New York, N.Y.: Scholastic, →ISBN, page 16:
text: [T]he two fat and jolly voice actors, both with beards and beer bellies, sitting on the edge of the fragile wooden stools, miked up and ready-to-go, looking over the script like a pair of disparaging Kris Kringles; [...]
ref: 2009 June 19, Tony Esposito, chapter 18, in Don’t Ever Leave This Country, Bloomington, Ind.: AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 116:
glosses: Synonym of Santa Claus.
synonyms: word: Santa Claus
Derived terms: Kris Kringle Mart
Related terms: Christingle