First of his kind

On this day in Philly history in 1841, the first department store Santa Claus made his debut at a dry-goods store. James Parkinson, confectioner and merchant, hired a man to dress up as Kris Kringle, and climb down the chimney of his store. Thanks to vigorous promotion around the city, thousands of children visited “Santa” at what became known as “Kris Kringle’s Headquarters.” Within a few decades, the presence of Santa at stores became a common fixture across the United States.


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Philadelphia: The Great Experiment