The Gift of the Magi debuted 100 years ago

According to History.com (aka the History Channel’s web site, aka the WWII Channel), this was the first publishing of O. Henry’s famous story about a young married couple making great personal sacrifices to give each other Christmas presents. It was actually part of an anthology containing other short stories but it seems this is the one most remember. It is still referenced to this day directly; such as the characters selling their hair for X-Mas gifts onFuturama; and indirectly; the pawned tools and hole put in the washtub inEmmett Otter’s Jugband Christmas (on old exclusive presentation by the Muppets for HBO in the late Seventies). 
 
Mr. O. Henry has a special significance in Austin, TX. It’s where he lived and embezzled money from the bank he was working for. There’s even a small building or house with a historical marker downtown about him. I’ll need to look it up next time to see what the specifics are. There are more details about his life posted on history.com, mainly the circumstances. 
 
Finally, the story has some significance to my family, due to our last name (or surname for some), Maggi. When people learn it isn’t pronounced “maggie,” “madgee” or even “magee.” They sometimes fumble upon the word magi. They’re getting closer, but great wisdom doesn’t exactly flow from my family. However, my dad was nicknamed O. Henry for it (that’s his claim) in his high school days (it was the early Sixties) and I do remember that upper classmen at Strake Jesuit refused to call me magi because of the definition (didn’t bother me, it beat the other things they called freshmen). On the other hand, I have been guilty of muddying the waters when using the play on words, Gifts of the Maggi. However, don’t ever expect me to shave my head to get you some expensive present.