The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

 O. Henry (1862-1910) was an American short story writer. He is best known for his surprise endings and his stories about the lives of ordinary people, especially in New York City. "The Gift of the Magi" is one of his most famous stories. It was first published in 1905 and has been adapted into films, television shows, and plays.

The story takes place on Christmas Eve in a small apartment in New York City. Della Dillingham Young, a young woman with long, beautiful hair, has only $1.87 to buy a Christmas present for her husband, Jim. She knows that Jim loves his gold watch more than anything else in the world, and she decides to sell her hair to buy him a platinum watch chain.

Della goes to a hair salon and sells her hair for $20. She then goes to a jewelry store and buys the watch chain for $18.75. She is so happy with her purchase that she doesn't even mind that she has to go home with her hair cut short.

When Jim comes home from work, he is surprised and delighted to see the watch chain. He puts it on his watch and tells Della that it is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. Della then gives Jim his present, which is a set of tortoiseshell combs for her hair.

Jim is disappointed when he sees that Della's hair is gone, but he is also touched by her sacrifice. He tells her that her hair was her crowning glory, but that her love is worth more than anything else in the world.

The story ends with the narrator comparing Della and Jim to the Magi, the wise men who brought gifts to the baby Jesus. He says that they are the wisest of all who give gifts, because they have given the gift of themselves.

The themes of "The Gift of the Magi" are love, sacrifice, and the true meaning of Christmas. The story shows that the greatest gifts are not the ones that cost the most money, but the ones that come from the heart. It also shows that the true meaning of Christmas is not about receiving gifts, but about giving to others.

The moral of the story is that love is the greatest gift of all. Della and Jim are willing to sacrifice their most prized possessions for each other, and in doing so, they show the true meaning of love.