Christmas story
IT'S THE TIME of giving, when to give is better than to receive. It began with the Three Wise Men – the Magi – who made their way to Bethlehem with gifts. The gifts are symbolic of something much deeper.
Did anyone ever express it better than American writer O Henry in his little story, The Gift of the Magi?
Della and Jim are dead broke in a flat somewhere during the Great Depression. It's Christmas Eve and Della has $1.87 exactly left over from her budget, with which to buy Jim a present.
But she has lovely tresses of brown hair down to her waist, her husband's pride and joy and her own. She cuts them off and sells them to a wig-maker for $20. With that she buys him a chain for the gold watch that is his pride and joy.
Jim comes home. He's stunned to see her close-cropped hair. The more so when she shows him the watch chain she bought.
He shows her the tortoiseshell combs he bought her to tie up her tresses of hair. To pay for them, he'd sold his gold watch.
It sounds like a total fiasco, yet each realises that the other's gift is something absolutely special, beyond value.
As O Henry puts it: "The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest. O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi."
Take your pick!
PLEASE accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all ... and a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2011, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped South Africa to become great (not to imply that South Africa is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "South Africa" in the southern hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, or sexual preference of the wishee …
Or, to be politically incorrect: Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Safe New Year!
Tailpiece
A SCOTSMAN phones his son in London."I hate to ruin your day but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; 45 years of misery is enough."
"Dad, what are you talking about?'
"We can't stand the sight of each other any longer. We're sick of each other and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Leeds and tell her".
The sister explodes on the phone. "Like hell they're getting divorced! I'll take care of this!".
She phones Scotland and yells at her father: "You are not getting divorced! Don't do a single thing until I get there! We'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing! Do you hear me?"
The old man hangs up and says to his wife: "Done! The bairns are coming for Christmas - and they're paying their own way."
Last word
Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home! ~Charles Dickens
GRAHAM LINSCOTT
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