History Literature / TheGiftOfTheMagi

* ImportantHaircut

* BittersweetEnding: The couple's dearly bought gifts are both useless, but it shows them how much they love each other, which is TheTrueMeaningOfChristmas.

This story has become one of the all-time classic Christmas stories, and with good reason. It was set as an {{opera}} by American composer David Conte. Also frequently used to teach DramaticIrony. A popular source for WholePlotReference; see GiftOfTheMagiPlot.

* HappilyMarried: Jim and Della clearly love each other very much. In fact, the whole twist of the story happens because of their desire to give each other a Christmas present.

* KnightInSourArmor: The narrator. Gets hilariously snarky at points, but towards the end especially shows a deep idealism towards the two "foolish children".

* TwistEnding: Della gives Jim the watch chain, but he reveals he sold the watch to be able to buy her the combs.

* AluminumChristmasTrees: Not long before this story was written, the U.S. minted half-cent, two cent and three cent coins, making it perfectly possible for Della to have $1.87 with $0.60 in pennies.

* AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame: To be fair, there's not that much else ''to'' the story (though it's still beautifully written).

"The Gift of the Magi" is a 1906 short story by Creator/OHenry, where a poor couple, Della and Jim, has little more than each other. Della sells her beautiful hair to a wigmaker to buy a chain for her man's heirloom watch. On Christmas day, she discovers that Jim has sold his watch to buy her combs for her hair. The original story can be found [[http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/Gift_of_the_Magi.html here]].

* GiftOfTheMagiPlot: TropeNamer, and TropeMaker.
* HappilyMarried: The whole point of the story.

* {{Irony}}: What they did for their gifts.

* TwistEnding

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: It's easy for a modern reader to tell when the story was written; Della and Jim's apartment is a "furnished flat" that costs $8.00 a month to rent (and is described as "not exactly beggar description" but could be better) and they seem to be just getting by on a $20 a week salary. Clearly, it's turn of the century America.

* OldMoney: It's easy for a modern reader to tell when the story was written; Della and Jim's apartment is a "furnished flat" that costs $8.00 a month to rent (and is described as "not exactly beggar description" but could be better) and they seem to be just getting by on a $20 a week salary. Clearly, it's turn of the century America.

'''''The Gift of the Magi''''' is a 1906 short story by Creator/OHenry, where a poor couple, Della and Jim, has little more than each other. Della sells her beautiful hair to a wigmaker to buy a chain for her man's heirloom watch. On Christmas day, she discovers that Jim has sold his watch to buy her combs for her hair. The original story can be found [[http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/Gift_of_the_Magi.html here]].

!!''The Gift of the Magi'' provides examples of:

!!Provides Examples Of:

"The Gift of the Magi" is a 1906 short story by Creator/OHenry, where a poor couple, Della and Jim, has little more than each other. Della sells her beautiful hair to a wigmaker to buy a chain for her man's heirloom watch. On Christmas day, she discovers that Jim has sold his watch to buy her combs for her hair. The original story can be found [[http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/Gift_of_the_Magi.html here]].

* KnightInSourArmor: The narrator. Gets hilariously snarky at points, but towards the end especially shows a deep idealism towards the two "foolish children."
* LongHairIsFeminine: Della is worried that her hair, once cut short, will look like a Coney Island chorus girl.

This story has become one of the all-time classic Christmas stories, and with good reason. Also frequently used to teach DramaticIrony. A popular source for WholePlotReference; see GiftOfTheMagiPlot.

* TheThreeWiseMen: [[AvertedTrope No]], the actual Magi don't appear in the story. The title comes from them indirectly inspiring Della and Jim to give each other Christmas gifts.

"The Gift of the Magi" is a 1906 short story by OHenry, where a poor couple, Della and Jim, has little more than each other. Della sells her beautiful hair to a wigmaker to buy a chain for her man's heirloom watch. On Christmas day, she discovers that Jim has sold his watch to buy her combs for her hair. The original story can be found [[http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/Gift_of_the_Magi.html here]].

* AluminiumChristmasTrees: Not long before this story was written, the U.S. minted half-cent, two cent and three cent coins, making it perfectly possible for Della to have $1.87 with $0.60 in pennies.

* AluminiumChristmasTrees: Not long before this story was written, the U.S. minted half-cent, two cent and three cent coins, making it perfectly possible for Della to have 1.87$ with 0.60$ in pennies.

"The Gift of the Magi" is a 1906 short story by OHenry, where a poor couple has little more than each other. The woman sells her beautiful hair to a wigmaker to buy a chain for her man's heirloom watch. On Christmas day, she discovers that he has sold his watch to buy her combs for her hair. The original story can be found [[http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/Gift_of_the_Magi.html here]].

* RapunzelHair: Della's hair grows very fast, and it reaches to about her ankles.
* ShakingHerHairLoose: Della is said to have hair right down to her waist but keeps it pinned up all the time. She lets it down dramatically just before it gets cut off.

This story has become one of the all-time classic Christmas stories, and with good reason. Also frequently used to teach DramaticIrony.

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: "They are the wise. They are the magi."

* ItWasHisSled: ''Everyone'' knows the twist by now.

"The Gift of the Magi" is a short story by OHenry, where a poor couple has little more than each other. The woman sells her beautiful hair to a wigmaker to buy a chain for her man's heirloom watch. On Christmas day, she discovers that he has sold his watch to buy her combs for her hair. The original story can be found [[http://www.auburn.edu/~vestmon/Gift_of_the_Magi.html here]].