THE TRUE SPIRIT OF GIVING

Christmas is approaching and there is talk about gift giving and the searching for presents everywhere. I was reminded of the true spirit of giving - which is giving from the heart and out of love - by the wonderful story "The gift of the Magi" by O.Henry. I would like to present the whole narration here, but I don't know if I may do this due to copy rights, and it also would be too long for a blog post anyway. But I will retell it in a short version, I think this I may do.

It is about Della and James, a young couple, living in poverty but happily. Della had saved some little money, penny after penny which had been very hard to do. The day before Christmas she counted one dollar and eighty seven cents. Crying and sniffling she realized that amount would not buy a nice present for her Jim as she had planned, something worthy, something special. 

Della and James Dillingham Young had two things in their possession which were of great value for them. It was a gold watch Jim inherited from his father, and the other one was Della's beautiful long wavy hair, which fell down over her waist to her knees. Now, looking out the window and seeing her reflection in it, she knew in a wink what to do. 

Madame Sofronie from "Hair Goods of all Kinds" gave her twenty dollars for the cut off brown cascade. Oh and Della was clear on what to buy for her Jim, she was so sure of it: A chain for The Watch she wanted - to replace the old leather strap from which it hung.

At seven o'clock sharp, like every evening, she heard him coming up the stairs. Jim stepped inside and closed the door. He froze in his tracks - "You have cut off your hair?" His look was puzzled - shocked...

"Oh it will grow back quick - I sold it - it is Christmas Eve, I wanted to give you a Christmas present - I'm still me without my hair!"

Out of his pocket he brought a package and threw it on the table. With uttermost excitement she opened it - a scream of joy - and then... before her she saw the beautiful tortoise shell combs she had admired for so long at the store window - and what they meant to embellish was gone now! "My hair will grow back fast Jim" - and then she held out her present to him, the pretty chain worthy The Watch. "Isn't it swell Jim? I searched all over town to find it - give me your watch - let's see how it looks!"

"Oh Dell", he said, "I sold the watch to buy you the combs!" He smiled... 

(A smile of love, I am sure!)  - - - -

This is the "art of giving Christmas presents" invented by the magi, the "wise men, wonderfully wise men"...

(The book: "41 Stories by O. Henry" would be a wonderful present in itself.)