| rdfs:comment | - The Gift of the Magi is a short story written by O. Henry (a pen name for William Sydney Porter), about a young married couple and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money. As a sentimental story with a moral lesson about gift-giving, it has been a popular one for adaptation, especially for presentation during the Christmas season. The plot and its "twist ending" are well-known, and the story and its lesson are sometimes subverted for the sake of irony or humor. It was allegedly written at Pete's Tavern on Irving Place in New York City.
- "The Gift of the Magi" is a short story by O. Henry about a poor couple that pawns their most prized possessions to buy Christmas gifts for each other: Jim his watch to buy Della a set of combs, and Della her hair to buy Jim a chain for his watch. Even though their presents were useless without the original possessions, O. Henry suggests that their acts represent the true meaning of Christmas, saying that "of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi."
- The story concerns a poor young couple who struggles to provide a magical Christmas experience for one another despite their poverty. James "Jim" Dillingham Young and his wife, Della, live in a small flat. Each has one high-quality possession to their names: James has a beautiful gold watch which belonged to both his father and grandfather, and Della has long, beautiful hair. On Christmas Eve, Della only has $1.87, so she decides to cut off her hair and sell it for $20. She finds a platinum fob chain for Jim which costs her $21. Excited at finding the perfect present, she rushes home to prepare dinner. Her excitement turns into dismay, however, when she sees herself in the mirror. As she hears Jim's footsteps come up the stairs, she prays he will still find her attractive.
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| abstract | - The story concerns a poor young couple who struggles to provide a magical Christmas experience for one another despite their poverty. James "Jim" Dillingham Young and his wife, Della, live in a small flat. Each has one high-quality possession to their names: James has a beautiful gold watch which belonged to both his father and grandfather, and Della has long, beautiful hair. On Christmas Eve, Della only has $1.87, so she decides to cut off her hair and sell it for $20. She finds a platinum fob chain for Jim which costs her $21. Excited at finding the perfect present, she rushes home to prepare dinner. Her excitement turns into dismay, however, when she sees herself in the mirror. As she hears Jim's footsteps come up the stairs, she prays he will still find her attractive. "The Gift of the Magi" is the most popular work by O. Henry. A prototypical short story with a famous ironic twist ending, it is frequently taught in schools. Its theme of selfless love and the Christmas setting have also made it a holiday favorite, and the story has been adapted to other media many times. "The Gift of the Magi" is also widely referenced and parodied in popular culture.
- "The Gift of the Magi" is a short story by O. Henry about a poor couple that pawns their most prized possessions to buy Christmas gifts for each other: Jim his watch to buy Della a set of combs, and Della her hair to buy Jim a chain for his watch. Even though their presents were useless without the original possessions, O. Henry suggests that their acts represent the true meaning of Christmas, saying that "of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi." This story was been retold by the Muppets several times. The first was on the album Merry Christmas from Sesame Street and later filmed as part of Christmas Eve on Sesame Street. In this version Ernie and Bert trade in their most prized possessions at Hooper's Store so that they can afford Christmas presents for each other: Ernie his Rubber Duckie for a cigar box to hold Bert's paper clip collection, and Bert his paper clip collection for a soap dish to hold Rubber Duckie. In contrast to the original story, Mr. Hooper, realizing what is happening, returns Rubber Duckie and the paper clip collection to Ernie and Bert in the spirit of Christmas. Ernie and Bert also retold their story with Marlo Thomas on the album, Thanks & Giving All Year Long in 2004. In 1996, The Gift of the Magi Story Book Set & Advent Calendar retold the story with Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy in the lead roles. The 1999 book A Very Muppet Christmas told another version of the story with Kermit and Piggy, called "The Thrift of the Magi". In It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, three pairs of best friends (Gonzo and Rizzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker, and Johnny Fiama and Sal Minella) exchange presents at The Muppet Theatre's Christmas party in comic vignettes that echo "The Gift of the Magi."
- The Gift of the Magi is a short story written by O. Henry (a pen name for William Sydney Porter), about a young married couple and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money. As a sentimental story with a moral lesson about gift-giving, it has been a popular one for adaptation, especially for presentation during the Christmas season. The plot and its "twist ending" are well-known, and the story and its lesson are sometimes subverted for the sake of irony or humor. It was allegedly written at Pete's Tavern on Irving Place in New York City.
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