“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry is one of my favorite short stories.
Della and Jim were very much in love but also very poor. Each had a unique possession. Della’s hair was her glory. When let down, it was like a robe. Jim owned a gold pocket watch given to him by his father.
The day before Christmas, Della had only one dollar and eighty-seven cents to buy her husband a gift. She went out and sold her hair for twenty dollars. She then bought a beautiful platinum fob for Jim’s watch.
When Jim came home from work and saw Della with her hair short, he was stunned. It wasn’t that she was unattractive. She was lovelier than ever. Slowly he handed his gift to her. His gift was a set of expensive tortoise-shell combs with jeweled edges for her beautiful hair.
How could he afford them? He had sold his gold watch to buy them for her.
Each gave the best they had to show their love for one another. God has done even more at Christmas to show his love.
A misprint in a church bulletin read: “I Heard the Bills on Christmas Day.”
It can get a little crazy and expensive if you are not careful. My recommendation: slow down-spend sensibly-enjoy family and treasure God’s gift.
Originally published at Eastmont.org.
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