A Christmas Gift
It was Christmas past when I discovered a different story about the Magi.
The day was warm, which is not so odd for Texas in December. I visited my neighborhood library to find a story about the three wise men traveling by starlight. I searched "Magi" in the catalog and found a few books on the shelf, but one in the children's section caught my attention.
The cover art was thick with raised ink and depicted an 18th-century married couple embracing in front of a kitchen table. "This is unexpected," I muttered in library silence. So I opened the book, and to my surprise, it was NOT the story I thought it was. The story was less about the three wise men and more about a struggling couple living in New York City.
Standing in the library's children's section, I was pulled into a relatable story. Reading its direct, eloquent writing, I realized my story within this book.
O. Henry, who wrote "The Gift of the Magi," beautifully articulates the financial burdens of being newly married and financially short on Christmas Day. From beginning to end, Henry takes the adult reader through Della's emotions as she counts one dollar and eighty-seven cents on Christmas Eve, trying to muster enough for her beloved Jim. This may be a children's book, but parents will surely notice a message of sacrifice and blessings.
I mumbled, "What a hem and haw of Magi stories." I read on, captured by the character Jim, who enters the couple's tiny apartment on Christmas Eve and sees his beloved Della, who anticipates the outcome of Christmas Day. "It was not anger, surprise, disapproval, horror, or any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. He simply stared at her fixedly with a peculiar expression on his face." "The Gift of the Magi," with its realistic illustrations, soft tones of giving, and mature dialogue, is a gift for children and adults alike.
Reading this story reminds me of when my wife and I were young and struggling. We, too, had to define what "Christmas gifts" meant for our family. It was humbling then, and it is still humbling today, after years of marriage. It serves as a reminder that our love for each other is one of the true gifts of Christmas.
What are some ways we can make Christmas more meaningful for others?
What does the birth of Jesus mean to you?
