Santa

We've beaten Santa Claus int to dirt, but what is the Folklore behind Kris Kringle?

This is one of the true Mythology & Folklore questions I will post this day. I will give best answers, but I will ignore urls except as Sources. I verified this question in a dictionary and my American Words book. Hint If you've seen "Miracle on 34th Street" you'll know. All the kids knew after seeing that movie.

Public Comments

1. Kris kringle is a term used to mean Santa in the eyes of the untrained but its truest meaning is bringer of the light(information), one whom is highly enlightened and can guide you to the light no matter how dark and cold life's circumstances my be. He is the presenter of the gift of enlightenment (information) which is the ultimate present. This name was chosen so that a certain brotherhood could continue their teachings without additional fear of church retributions.
2. Santa Claus and Xmas are both Pagan originally.. Saint Nicholas' Day When the old Gods ruled the world, Odinn the All-father rode the skies of Germania and Scandinavia in winter with a crowd of elves and spirits; those mortals who offered him reverence were rewarded with gifts.. In later years, Odinn's horse, elves and gifts became the accouterments of a Christian saint named Nicholas.. Nicholas lived in Asia Minor..Because he calmed the storms at sea during his life, he became the patron of sailors; and because he restored to life three murdered youths, he became the patron for boys..But the most famous tale concerning him was that of three maidens whose imppoverished father planned to sell them into slavery.. Nicholas redeemed them with three bags of dowry gold, which he flung through their windows one night and which landed on their shoes, set to warm before the fire..For this deed, he became the patron of maidens, and Frenchwomen prayed to him for husbands.. He also became the patron of pawnbrokers, and his bags of gold are remembered in the three golden balls that are the sign of the trade.. But gift-giving was his most important act..In Germany and Holland, children set out their shoes on the eve of his feast day, filling them with hay and carrots for his white horse, just as provender had been left for Odinn's horse by their ancestors.. Nicholas, they knew, would ride over the rooftops in the night with his elvish companion Knecht Ruprecht.. Ruprecht carried a switch for use on naughty young ones.. But Nicholas carried baskets of toys and sweets, to be left in the shoes of all good children... That is the origin of Santa, and the red suit he wears has been around for a while, but a huge Coca-Cola advertisment in the 1930s has basically given us the depictment of the Santa we know today.. Also Santa Clause is derived from the Dutch Sinterklaas (the name is a contraction of Sint Nikolaas)... In Light...)O( Edit :- I should also add this, as you did say Kris Kringle and not Santa Clause...Santa Clause is sometimes referred to as Kriss Kringle, a name most likely derived from Christ Kindl (Christ-child)... The German name of the Christ Child is Christkind, commonly used in its diminutive form Christkindel... The Dutch-German protestant reform movement brought in the idea that the Christchild should be the standard bearer for Christmas... Traditionally an image used for his messenger was a young child with a golden crown who holds a tiny "Tree of Light", and brings the gifts of the Christ Child...
3. Kris Kringle was an actual person. He was orphaned at a very young age and went to live with his uncle who was a monk in a monastery. Since monks were not allowed any worldly possessions. And because Kris's parents left him a large sum of money after their deaths, Kris decided to give his money away to the poor. About this same time there was a poor family that had three daughters. In that day in age, girls were married at a young age, but in order to be married, they must have had a dowry, or a gift of money from the bride's parents to the husband. If girls did not have a dowry, they were required to be sold as slaves. Kris Kringle heard of this family's misfortune and decided that he'd help them out. One night, after the family was all asleep, Kris snuck to the window of the oldest girl and tossed a sock full of money into her bedroom window. Now after waking up in the morning and finding a sock full of money, that daughter was happily married. A few months later, it came time for the next daughter to be married so Kris once again snuck to the window and threw a sock full of money into the middle daughter's bedroom. She too woke to find the sock and was also shortly married. When it came time for the third daughter to be married, Kris once again snuck to the house to throw a sock full of money into the house. The night was very cold, however, so all of the windows and doors were locked! Kris Kringle, in his genius, then decided to make the treacherous climb to the roof of the house so he could drop the stocking full of money down the chimney. The third daughter awoke the next morning to find the sock resting gently in her shoe, which had been drying beside the hearth. Kris Kringle's generosity was soon known all over. Throughout his life, never did he once pass up the opportunity to give a little help to those in need.