Kris Kringlen.

1830 J. F. Watson Ann. Philadelphia 242 Every father in his turn remembers the excitements of his youth in Belsh-nichel and Christ-kinkle nights.

1849 J. Rees Myst. City Life 93 Do you think Kris Kringle will come down the chimney to-night?

1864 Sacramento Union 7 Jan. 5/2 I do not know whether the good Saint Nicholas..answers in those regions to the musical title of Kriss Kringle, as in the Queen City.

1919 H. L. Mencken Amer. Lang. iii. 89 Another example of debased German is offered by the American Kriss Kringle. It is from Christkindlein, or Christkind'l, and properly designates, of course, not the patron saint of Christmas, but the child in the manger. A German friend tells me that the form Kriss Kringle, which is that given in the Standard Dictionary, and the form Krisking'l, which is that most commonly used in the United States, are both quite unknown in Germany.

1928 G. Ade Let. 9 Oct. (1973) 136 We really believed that Kris Kringle could..go down chimneys which were not large enough to take care of a nest of barn swallows in the summer time.

1947 Chicago Tribune 20 July iv. 3/1 It is the story of an old man whose name was Kris Kringle and who believed he really was Santa Claus.