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One dollar and eighty-seven cents. Jemma had slaved away, doing little jobs and rationing her spending. Penny by penny, for weeks she had counted and recounted. She had calculated every purchase, so certain she could afford it. But as usual, her bills had squeezed every dime. That was all she had to show for, one dollar and eighty seven cents. That was all she had to buy a Christmas gift for Fitz.
All she wanted to do was to cry. So that’s exactly what she did. On her couch, for three minutes. Her beautiful brown tresses fell to her sides as her messy up-do fell apart. She sniffed and finished her crying because the logical side of her spoke up. It would not do any good.
Jemma got up walked around the small flat aimlessly. She shivered slightly as she looked toward the dwindling fire. She walked over to poke it but knew it wouldn’t do much. Jemma sighed when she sat down on her worn couch. Her hair danced according to the movements of her body and enveloped her in a chestnut blanket.
She thought of the gift she would have given Fitz, for there were two things Jemma and Fitz treasured other than each other. For Fitz, it was a golden watch that had been passed down in his family for generations but still had a magnificent luster. For Jemma, it was her flowing locks. The gift would have been a lovely silver chain to hold the watch. It was simple but it’s beauty compared to that of the watch’s.
But the young writer didn’t have the highest pay at Academy Press. With $10 a week, everything seemed more expensive to her. The only thing she had of value was her hair. When suddenly, Jemma got an idea. Bright eyed, she quickly redid her up-do, put on her jacket and bolted out of the building.
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Fitz walked aimlessly down the streets, frustrated at his carelessness of his spending. For weeks, he had completely neglected the holiday season, almost in denial of that time of year. When it did come, he was entirely unprepared.
He knew what he wanted to get her, a set of combs for her gorgeous hair. She had admired them for months, as if she was imagining the numerous hairstyles she could use them to decorate her hair. Every time they took a stroll and passed the shop where they were sold, she looked at them fondly. The combs were wonderful, with adorning jewels on the sides.
Fitz took a deep breath as he tried not to imagine the disappointed look Jemma would give him when he got to their shared apartment that evening for a humble Christmas dinner.
He felt his pocket and brought out his watch. He smiled as he ran his fingers over the intricate designs on the top of it. He opened the watch and hesitantly checked the time. 5:07 it read, Fitz had less than two hours to somehow find a gift for his beloved Jemma. He groaned as he sat down on a bench in front of the local pawn shop. He re-wrapped his ragged green jacket and put his bare hands in his pockets. If only he were richer. But being the repair man at Academy Press was not a well paying job. He was grateful for it of course. If he never got that job, he never would have met Jemma. They were friends for the first two years that they worked together. It had taken him awhile but Fitz had finally found the courage to ask her on a date. After two more years of dating, she had been the one to propose to him. A smile tugged on his lips as he recalled the memory. But even after being engaged for half a year, they couldn’t afford a wedding nor could they afford settling down together. Fitz sighed and continued to admire his watch when an idea struck him. He turned to look at the building behind him, took a deep breath and entered.
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Jemma walked confidently into the barbershop. When a sudden feeling of nervousness settled upon her as she walked up to the counter.
”Will you buy my hair?”she squeaked.
The woman in front of her gave her a questioning look.
“Maybe, could you take it down so I can see it?”
Jemma timidly took off her plain hat and brought down her hair.
The woman behind the counter went wide eyed and lifted the hair. She examined it carefully and Jemma sweated slightly despite the cold weather.
“Seventy dollars. Are you sure you want to sell such magnificent hair?” the woman said.
“Cut it quickly please.” Jemma replied as she hurriedly walked toward the dreaded chair where her lovely hair would inevitably be removed.
She sat down and closed her eyes. The next few minutes seemed to fly by. She collected the money and quickly exited the shop, avoiding any mirrors on her way out.
Jemma briskly walked to the department store that held the last silver chain. She had looked in many stores before Christmas, in search of what she possibly might be able to give Fitz as present. But this particular store was the only one that held the watch chain. It surely had been made for Fitz and no one else. There was no other like it in any of the shops, and she had looked in every shop in the city. But as soon as she arrived, the store closed. The last worker was exiting the shop when Jemma stopped him in his tracks.
"Wait!" she cried.
The worker turned and walked toward her.
"Please," she started. "Could you allow one more customer?"
"I'm sorry but we're closed." the worker stated as he started to walk away.
"I just need to buy one gift. I can pay in full cash." Jemma pleaded.
The worker sighed and slowly trudged back.
"I could get fired for this you know, you are lucky it's Christmas" the worker muttered.
Jemma made her purchase, said a quick 'thank you' and hastily sprinted back to her apartment.
With that chain on his watch, Fitz could look at his watch and learn the time anywhere he might be. Though the watch was so fine, it had never had a fine chain. He sometimes took it out and looked at it only when no one could see him do it.
When she got back, Jemma quickly got dressed in the nicest dress she owned. It was a simple burgundy dress that brought out her brown eyes and what was left of her hair. She quickly ran a brush through her now shoulder length hair. Jemma stared at her reflection for a few minutes, almost regretting the sacrifice she had made.
"But what else could I do with one dollar and eighty-seven cents."
Then, she started on dinner.
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Fitz departed the pawn shop with the $60 he needed to buy the combs. He unconsciously felt for the familiar bump in his jacket where his clock used to be. When he remembered the exchange he had just made and smiled wistfully. But he quickly recovered and trotted to the store where the combs were on display. He went in and bought them, imagining the look on Jemma’s face when she opened her gift. Fitz asked the shopkeeper for the time and received
6:45 in return. He thanked the man and rushed off to their apartment.
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When the clock chimed 6:55, Jemma heard a knock on the door. She promptly went to the door, breathed in and opened it. There, she saw Fitz with a broad smile that quickly faded as soon as he got a good look at her.
”You cut your hair.” he said slowly, as if he couldn’t trust his eyes for what he was seeing was too absurd.
“Cut it and sold it,” Jemma replied. “I’m still the same, Fitz. With or without my long hair.”
Fitz still stared at her, mouth agape.
“It’s gone?” he asked.
Jemma was starting to grow slightly upset. If he cared about her hair and not her, then her sacrifice was for nothing.
“Gone and sold. And it was for you that I sold it so you could have a nice gift.”
Fitz shook his head. He brought out a packaged box and put it on the table.
“I want you to understand. A haircut would not make me love you less. But if you look at your gift, you might understand my disappointment.”
Jemma cautiously picked up the box and started to unwrap the gift. She gave a delighted acclamation, then a shout of despair. The combs lay in her hands. The combs that she had been unrealistically hoping for. She looked up at Fitz with tears in her eyes as he gave her a half-hearted smile.
“But how did you-”Jemma began.
“I traded my watch to get the money to buy them.” Fitz mumbled.
Jemma got wide eyed and brought out the present for him. He took it and started to unwrap it.
“A chain, for my watch.” Fitz said.
He looked up at Jemma and began to laugh. His laughter was very contagious and soon Jemma was laughing too. When they had finished, Fitz wrapped his arms around her waist and in turn, Jemma rested her hands on his shoulders. She smiled at him and brought her lips to his. He slanted his lips to deepen the kiss and she sighed pleasantly. When they broke away, they rested their foreheads together. Jemma ran her fingers through his hair and grinned up at her fiance when he kissed her in the nose.
"I'm sorry that you traded your hair just for my gift." Fitz looked down at his shoes as he spoke.
Jemma blushed lightly and said
"Fitz, you traded your watch for my gift as well."
"Jemma you are worth so much more than a gold watch."
Fitz breathed out.
Jemma grinned and kissed him again. She caressed his jawline with her fingers as he drew her closer.
“We should put away our gifts for now. Maybe next year they could be useful.” Fitz teased gently.
“Merry Christmas Leo Fitz.” Jemma laughed.
The magi, as you know, were wise men—wonderfully wise men— who brought gifts to the newborn Christ-child. They were the first to give Christmas gifts. Being wise, their gifts were doubtless wise ones. And here I have told you the story of two children who were not wise. Each sold the most valuable thing he owned in order to buy a gift for the other. But let me speak a last word to the wise of these days: Of all who give gifts, these two were the most wise. Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are the most wise. Everywhere they are the wise ones. They are the magi.
~The Gift of the Magi