It is customary to show old and new movies, always play good music and songs, etc. around the festival and other important days.
This is how it is done in the weeks and months leading up to Christmas. The television will be full of great movies on the theme of Christmas and “Jingle Bell, Jingle Bell” will be sung for the umpteenth time.
Here is one of the great stories of all time on the subject of Christmas by one of the greatest short story writers of all time.
The story is titled, “The Gift of the Magi”, and its writer is O. Henry, whose real name was William Sydney Porter.
First, what do we mean by Magi?
When Christ was born, it is assumed that the Magi (by the way, the English word “magic” is derived from it) brought him gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense, or three Wise Men or Kings of the East.
The writer gives his own explanation at the end of the story. This tradition of author commentary within the story is used less and less in modern stories. In fact, modern stories, like modern art and poetry, are becoming increasingly difficult to understand and that may be one of the reasons why the storytelling genre is on the decline, although it is not yet dead.
O. Henry writes at the end of the story: “Magicians, as you know, were wise men, wonderfully wise men, who brought gifts to the baby in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas gifts. Being wise, their Los Gifts were undoubtedly wise, possibly with the privilege of being exchanged in case of duplication. And here I have told you without conviction the quiet chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who in the most reckless way sacrificed the greatest treasures of each other for each other. his house. But in a last word for the wise men of these days, let it be said that of all those who give gifts, these two were the wisest. Oh, all those who give and receive gifts, as they are the wisest. everywhere are the wisest. They are magicians.. “
The story concerns a poor couple, Della and Jim, who are on Christmas Eve and what to give each other because they have no money. How much did they have?
-One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was it. And sixty cents were in cents. The pennies saved one and two at a time by crushing the grocer, the vegetable man, and the butcher until one’s cheeks burned with the silent imputation of the parsimony that such close dealing implied. Della told it three times. One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas.
Of course, it was the time when things and services were cheap. They paid $ 8 weekly rent for their furnished apartment, and Jim earned $ 20 per week, although he previously earned $ 30 per week. Still, $ 1.87 was too little to buy a Christmas present.
However, they were able to buy expensive gifts and exactly the same ones that they most needed and desired from each other:
“Dell,” he said, “let’s put our Christmas presents away and put them down for a while. They’re too nice to use right now.”
The story ends with a “tail twist” surprise that was a favorite tactic of traditional writers and is frowned upon by modern writers. However, this bittersweet ending makes it one of the best immortal tales.
Of course, to know the surprise ending and savor this great story, I have not disclosed all the details and I would recommend it a must read for everyone and especially for the young at heart. But who is not?
I would also ask to reflect for a moment if the owner of a major sound card with the name “Mr. James Dillingham Young” from an unused mailbox and a non-working electric button in the lobby has no money to spend at Christmas. gift, how hopeless the really poor may be feeling on Christmas Eve! If we think of them at Christmas, surely God will bless us.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
LIVE THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE!
BE HAPPY! BE HEALTHY! SUCCEED!
TODAY, TOMORROW AND ALWAYS!
