The kids called him "Hot Dog Santa" but his real name was Axel Bjorklund. Bjorklund came to Boston from Sweden in 1889 and sold hot dogs on the street. He never got rich, or even ahead, selling street food, but was always generous to the hungry children of Boston's North End. Their immigrant families started out poor, and were even further impoverished or even orphaned by the Spanish flu pandemic.
On Christmas Day in 1921, Bjorklund set up his hot dog cart and gave away hot dogs to 500 children. The Christmas giveaway became a tradition, and grew until Bjorklund was giving away 3,000 hot dogs every year. Not that he could afford it- in later years, he asked for donations keep up the annual giveaway. But he didn't ask for help for himself as his health deteriorated. Read about the the old-fashioned generosity of Axel Bjorklund, the Hot Dog Santa, at Fishwrap. -via Strange Company
Oh, and he died in poverty, ill and homeless. And people donated so he was at least buried. But didn't continue making sure the kids ate each Christmas (or New Year as it was later moved to). The tradition died ("endeded") with his death
Ahh 'Merica.