Word.ws English Dictionary

Kris Kringle

Syllables: Kris Krin·gle/ˌkɹɪs ˈkɹɪŋɡ(ə)l/

Kris Kringle proper noun: 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”).

kris kringle: synonym of Christkind (“a personification of the baby Jesus who, in German-speaking parts of...
Image: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Proper noun

Kris Kringle (plural Kris Kringles)

  1. (US) 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”).
    • 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.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...
    • 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; [...]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
    Synonyms:
    Christkind
  2. (US) Synonym of Santa Claus.
    • 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...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]...
    • 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in the chimney corner for Kriss Kringle to fill with toys, pretty books, bon-bons, &c., for good children, is being superseded by that of placing a Christmas Tree on the table to await the annual visit of the worthy Santa Klaus.1847, “Advertisement”, in Kriss Kringle’s Christmas Tree. A Holiday Present for Boys and Girls, Philadelphia, Pa.: Published by Grigg & Elliot, →OCLC
    Synonyms:
    Santa Claus

Noun

Kris Kringle (plural Kris Kringles)

  1. (US) 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”).
    • [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...1978, Judy Fletcher, Games: Activities for Your Christian Family (A Nice Place to Live), St. Louis, Mo.: Concordia Publishing House, →ISBN, page 51
    • 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, 2011.2011 December 20, Tiffany Hagler-Geard, “Today in Pictures: Dec. 20, 2011”, in ABC News, archived from the original on 30 Dec 2015
    Synonyms:
    secret Santa
  2. (US) A gift given in a Kris Kringle or secret Santa gift exchange.
    • If you're working on a budget, finding a thoughtful Kris Kringle can bring on a headache … or two.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...
    • 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].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...

Examples of Kris Kringle in a sentence

  • Nicholas, or Kris Kringle," he began, "represents a classic expression of the wishful dreaming of all children.1947, Valentine Davies, chapter 10, in Miracle on 34th Street, New York, N.Y.: Harcourt, Brace and Company, →OCLC, page 63:
  • 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.2006, Mike Thaler, “Deck the Mall”, in The Christmas Party from the Black Lagoon (Black Lagoon Adventures; 9), New York, N.Y.: Scholastic...
  • We always do a Kris Kringle, where everyone brings one present and randomly picks a gift.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...
  • And what makes it harder is Kris Kringle.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...

Synonyms of Kris Kringle

Forms of Kris Kringle

Proper noun
pluralKris Kringles
alternative formKris Kringel
alternative formKriss Kringel
alternative formKriss Kingle
alternative formKriss Kringle
Noun
pluralKris Kringles

Origin of Kris Kringle

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”).

Words formed from Kris Kringle

Words that rhyme with Kris Kringle

26 more rhymesFewer rhymes

Questions about Kris Kringle

What does Kris Kringle mean?
Kris Kringle means 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”).
How do you use Kris Kringle in a sentence?
Nicholas, or Kris Kringle," he began, "represents a classic expression of the wishful dreaming of all children.
What part of speech is Kris Kringle?
Kris Kringle can be a proper noun or a noun.
How do you pronounce Kris Kringle?
Kris Kringle is pronounced /ˌkɹɪs ˈkɹɪŋɡ(ə)l/ (UK).

Words near Kris Kringle in the dictionary

  1. Kripkenstein
  2. Kripkensteinian
  3. kris
  4. Kris Kindle
  5. Kris Kringel
  6. Kris Kringle
  7. Kris Kringle Mart
  8. Kris Kringle Marts
  9. Kris Kringles
  10. Krisa
  11. krised

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: Kris Kringle (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Kris Kringle.wav.

Cite this entry: “Kris Kringle.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/kris_kringle. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.