by O. Henry
One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all Della had. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. She had saved every penny she could for months, but it was not enough. The next day would be Christmas, and she wanted to buy a gift for her husband, Jim.
Della and Jim were poor, but they loved each other deeply. Their small apartment was simple, their furniture old, but their love made everything feel warm.
Della stood before the mirror and let down her beautiful long hair. It fell like a brown waterfall past her knees. Her hair was her greatest treasure. Jim's greatest treasure was his gold watch — a family heirloom passed down from his father and grandfather.
Suddenly, Della made a decision.
She put on her old coat and hurried out into the cold streets. She stopped in front of a shop with a sign that read: "Hair Goods of All Kinds."
"Will you buy my hair?" she asked the woman inside.
"I buy hair," the woman replied. "Twenty dollars."
Without hesitation, Della let her beautiful hair be cut off. She left the shop with twenty dollars in her hand — and short, uneven curls around her face.
Now she had enough money.
After searching carefully, she found the perfect gift for Jim: a simple, elegant platinum chain for his gold watch. It was perfect — modest and valuable, just like Jim.
That evening, Della waited nervously for her husband.
When Jim came home and saw her, he froze.
"You cut your hair?" he asked slowly.
"Yes," Della said quickly. "I sold it to buy you a Christmas present. It will grow back, Jim."
Jim sat down quietly. Then he smiled in a strange way.
"I sold my watch," he said gently, "to buy you these."
He handed her a small package. Inside were beautiful combs — the very ones Della had admired in a shop window for months, but could never afford.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Della had sold her hair to buy a chain for a watch that no longer existed.
Jim had sold his watch to buy combs for hair that was gone.
And yet, they both began to laugh.
They realized something important.
Their gifts were useless now — but their love was not.
They had each sacrificed their greatest treasure for the other.
And in that sacrifice, they proved that they were truly wise.
Like the Magi long ago who brought gifts to the baby Jesus, Jim and Della gave the greatest gift of all — selfless love.