December 14th

"The gift of the Magi"  illustrated by Robert Sauber is the book that My kids read last night.  I the past years I have lest this book out because it is a longer story.  This year I thought that I would try it out and see how it went.  I did have to shorten a few pages in the interest of keeping attention but I still think they liked the story.

It is about a sister and brother who have lost their parents and both work very hard to make a living.  The sister want to buy her brother a special chain for this special watch that belong to their father.  Even though she saved all year she only had $1.87 and not enough to get him what she wanted.  She had beautiful long hair and decided to cut the hair and sell it so she can get him the gift. 

When he brother comes home he is shocked about her hair and clearly saddened by it.  He gives her his gift which is to beautiful hair combs and she crys because her hair is gone.  She says her hair will grow and then she can wear them.  She hurries to share her gift with him only to find out that he sold his watch to buy her combs.

This is a story of two people looking beyond their own wants and being willing to sacrifice for someone else.  I think it is a great Christmas story to remind us that the gifts we give should come from the heart.