Recognized as a character in German Christmas mythology, Kris Kringle is a figure equivalent to Santa Claus who was responsible for giving gifts to children during the holiday season.
Origin of Kris Kringle
He emerged as a character tasked with dethroning the popularity of Santa Claus around the 16th century, when Martin Luther, believing that saints should not be assigned attributes that made people express devotion to them, created the figure of Kris Kringle to be responsible for delivering gifts to children at Christmas. This act became known as Protestantism, known for not exactly practicing Christianity but rather modifying and maintaining only some of the Christian traditions.
What does Kris Kringle look like?
He is depicted as a 5-year-old boy dressed in white and gold with wings, curly blond hair, and a beard.
However, as these features have never been seen by people, his appearance has been modified to fit the characteristics of Germans.
Fun facts
- He is responsible for bringing gifts to all the children in the city, but also to adults, which is why he is characterized by his big heart.
- His original name is “Christkind,” “Christkindchen,” or “Christkindl,” but the English translation led to Kris Jringle.
- There is a similar version in North American culture, but in this case he is called “Weihnachtsmann,” who represents Santa Claus.
Where is this Christmas character recognized?
This character is recognized in the traditional cultures of countries such as Germany, Austria, Croatia, Slovakia, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland.
For Germans, Kris Kringle represents kindness and peace, and it is common for people to gather in their homes on December 24 in silence at the end of the night, waiting to hear the sound of bells, which is the noise that indicates the arrival of this mythical being. This has become a typical tradition in these countries since 1830.
