The Gift of the Magi

The Gift of the Magi is a short story by O. Henry, first published in 1905 and later included in the collection of short stories The Four Million (1906)

On the eve of Christmas, a young couple, Della and Jim, struggle to afford presents. Each resolves to surprise the other, leading to acts of quiet, selfless sacrifice: she sells her treasured hair to buy a chain for his prized watch, while he sells that very watch to buy combs for her hair.

Their gifts cannot be used as intended, yet the story’s gentle irony reveals that love outweighs material wealth. In losing what they most prized, they discover the true meaning of giving and the measure of devotion that underpins their marriage.

With O. Henry’s signature twist and warm narration, the tale remains an enduring holiday classic, a deceptively simple, deeply resonant fable that invites readers to reflect on generosity, humility, and what it means to be rich.

"ONE dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one’s cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas."