By O. Henry (adapted)

Before You Read

Vocabulary Preview:

  • furnished — equipped with furniture
  • shabby — in poor condition, worn out
  • possessions — things you own
  • sacrifice — giving up something valuable for a greater good
  • wisest — most intelligent, showing good judgment

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. Three times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.

There was clearly nothing to do but sit down and cry. So Della did.

Their Home

Della lived in a furnished flat at eight dollars a week. It was a shabby little place, but fine for two people. She had a husband, Jim, who she loved very much.

Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Young family in which they both took great pride. One was Jim’s gold watch that had been his father’s and his grandfather’s. The other was Della’s hair — her beautiful, long, brown hair that fell down below her knees.

The Decision

So now Della’s beautiful hair fell about her, shining like a brown waterfall. She quickly did it up again. She put on her old brown jacket and old brown hat, and then she went out the door and down the stairs to the street.

She stopped at a sign that read: “Mme. Sofronie. Hair Goods of All Kinds.” Up Della went.

“Will you buy my hair?” asked Della.

“I buy hair,” said Madame. “Take your hat off and let me see.”

Down came the beautiful brown hair.

“Twenty dollars,” said Madame.

“Give it to me quick,” said Della.

The next two hours flew by. Della was searching the stores for Jim’s present. She found it at last — a simple and beautiful platinum chain for his watch. It was like him: quiet and valuable. Twenty-one dollars they took from her for it, and she hurried home with the 87 cents.

When Della reached home, she got out her curling irons and went to work. She looked like a schoolboy after forty minutes of hard work.

At 7 o’clock, the coffee was made and Della waited by the door. She heard his step on the stairs.

Jim stopped inside the door. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read.

“Jim, darling,” she cried, “don’t look at me that way. I had my hair cut off and sold because I couldn’t have lived through Christmas without giving you a present. Say ‘Merry Christmas!’ Jim, and let’s be happy.”

The Surprise 🎁

Jim took a package from his coat pocket and put it on the table.

“Don’t make any mistake, Dell,” he said, “about me. I don’t think there’s anything that could make me like my girl any less. But if you’ll open that package, you may understand.”

Della opened it and then cried with joy. They were beautiful combs — the combs that Della had wanted for so long. They were made of pure tortoise shell with jewels on the edges.

And then she remembered and smiled and held out her present. “Isn’t it lovely, Jim? Give me your watch. I want to see how it looks on it.”

Instead, Jim sat down on the couch and smiled. “Dell,” he said, “let’s put our Christmas presents away and keep them a while. They’re too nice to use just now. I sold the watch to get the money to buy your combs.”

The Lesson

The magi were wise men who brought gifts to the baby Jesus. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. And here, these two foolish children sacrificed their greatest treasures. But let it be said that of all who give gifts, these two were the wisest. They are the magi.

Reading Question: What does this story teach us about the meaning of giving?

Vocabulary Review: furnished | shabby | possessions | sacrifice | wisest

Difficulty: Beginner • Reading Time: ~7 minutes