“One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies.”
The Gift of the Magi written by O. Henry revolves around the story of James and Della Dillingham on Christmas eve. The couple were living a life far from material fortune yet ready to give up all that’s left to them just to prove their love for each other even if it means letting go of their most valued possessions. From a deeper perspective, it can be said that O. Henry tries to scrutinize the lingering friction between love being expressed through material values and that of emotional values. The story emphasizes the value of love, generosity, and sacrifice which must and have always been about the spirit of Christmas.
Christmas celebration has and is continuously evolving up until this point in time. And so, as our culture of festivity evolves, so do the values ingrained in that event. As youth, a lot of us were exposed to the idea that the Christmas season is all about expensive gifts, material fulfillment, luxurious decorations, and scrumptious meals. Just like that of Della Dillingham, there are times in our lives when we get frustrated and desperate when thinking of what could be the best gift we can give to someone. We are so immense with the mindset that one’s expression of importance can be seen on material values that it leads us to forget that no material possessions can ever equate to a person’s value.
As Christmas is fast approaching, now is the time for us, the youth, to contemplate and inculcate within our values that the real essence of this festivity is about giving, loving, and making people feel that they are valued. As these realizations of values persist, they should also be maintained through our thoughts and deeds all the time.
The story enlightens how we, as youth, should never plunge into materialism as this untangles us to the importance of giving more focus on inner values. Moreover, it teaches us that love just like that of Della Dingham’s to James Dillingham can exceed bounds regardless of the circumstances present along the way and that more than anything, generosity is the greatest expression of love. As we always say, the spirit behind Christmas is that of giving and sharing our deepest love and admiration to people around us.
“One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies.” Yet this was all it took to make someone feel valued.
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