A Favorite Holiday Story

Sharing a holiday favorite . . .

THE GIFT OF THE MAGI

~Written by O. Henry ~

~ Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger~

THE GIFT OF THE MAGI is not a new publication, and no doubt many of you reading this post have read this story of a young couple's sacrifice and love for each other. William Sidney Porter's short story was first published in a New York City newspaper in 1905. Since that time it has become known as a classic Christmas story of poverty, selfless love, and generosity.

Tis the day before Christmas and Della is distraught because she has but $1.87 with which to purchase a gift for her beloved husband, James. The young couple, struggling to make ends meet on $20 a week, lives in a bleak apartment in New York City.

The couple has but two treasured possessions among them ~ "Della's beautiful hair fell about her rippling and shining like a cascade of brown waters" and "Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's." After a heartfelt cry, Della sets out onto the streets of the cold city to Mme Sofronie's Hair Goods of All Kinds. Then with another $20 in hand, Della spends the next two hours in search "of something just a little bit near to being worthy of the honor of being owned by Jim."

With gift in hand, Della returns home to "repair the ravages made by generosity added to love." With heated curling irons her short hair becomes a mass of tiny curls, and she feels intoxicated with joy knowing that she has purchased the perfect Christmas gift for her beloved Jim ~ a fob chain for his treasured gold watch.

"At 7 o'clock the coffee was made and the frying pan was on the back of the stove hot and ready to cook the chops." When Jim walks into the apartment and see's Della's short bob, Della cannot read the expression on his face. He draws Della to him and then pulls a package from his pocket. For Jim had purchased a set of tortoise hair combs that Della had long admired in a shop window along Broadway.

Holding out the precious metal watch fob in her hand, Della hears Jim say that there is no longer a gold watch to be chained. For Jim has sacrificed his treasured gold watch to buy the tortoise combs for Della's vanished hair.

Wise beyond their years and full of selfless love for one another, Jim says, "Dell, let's put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use just at the present. . . . And now suppose you put the chops on."

William Sidney Porter, who wrote under the pen name of O. Henry, is known for witty and playful stories that end with a twist. He was born in Greensboro, NC in 1862. Porter moved to Austin in 1884 where he later married Athol Estes. He and Athol had a daughter, Margaret Worth Porter. The young family lived in this house which now serves as the O. Henry Museum.

It is both a National Registry Property and a National Literary Landmark. Specifics about the museum can be found at http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/ohenry/.

I recommend you pick up a copy of Lisbeth Zwerger's beautifully illustrated version of this famous story available here on Amazon. It's a perfect story to share the true meaning of gift giving ~ gifts given from one's heart with self-sacrifice and the generosity of love.

And now, let's eat that chop.

This post was originally published last December for

Jain's Food for Thought featuring

Christmas & Holiday Themed Books in December.

This week I'm joining

Chari for Sunday Favorites

The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sunday

Smiling Sally for Blue Monday

Boogieboard Cottage for Masterpiece Monday

Mad Hatter Tea Party ~ Reprise

Oh my! The date is here, and I'm remiss.

It's time for the Mad Tea @ A Fanciful Twist.

The 2011 Mad Party that I've been planning in my mind's eye is, well, still right there. Life seems to have taken over recently, and there is no new Mad Tea Party to post. The best I can do is a reprise of the Mad Tea Party here @ HFTS last summer. I do hope that's acceptable.

Thank you to our amazingly creative hostess,

Vanessa @ A Fanciful Twist

and a warm welcome to all,

both new party guests and those who attended last year!

Hurry please. 

 We can't be late.

Ah, there it is.

In the clearing near that odd little house,

its roof thatched with fur.

Yes, yes, 

this must be the right place.

The time, the time! 

 We must not be late!

There he is!

It's the Mad Hatter himself,

our infamous host for this curious afternoon tea.

~ The Mad Tea Party!~

Let the fun begin.

Oh, my. It is a rather curious tea party, indeed!

Alice is here.

See there she is

sitting in her big comfy arm-chair.

No doubt she is very tired after

swimming through her pool of tears.

Please do sit down. 

 How about this chair here?

Yes, dear, the one near Tweedledee.

Or is it Tweedledum?

Oh, no matter.

Quick, find yourself a cup.

Better be quick!

I hear the rattle of the tea cups 

of this never ending meal.

Wonderful choice!

Let me pour 

you a cup of tea.

And cake . . .

you must have a slice of this!

It's a delicious cake of curious talking flowers.

A cherry or two 

with a mushroom cap?

Yes, it truly is 

a splendid afternoon!

What's that?

Do you see a grin looking 

down upon the festivities?

Is it? Could it be?

Yes, it must be the Duchess' Cheshire-Cat!

No doubt he'll be disappearing and

popping up all about the party.

I do think he's after 

another one of the mushroom caps.

Oh, the happy days of summer!

"Take some more tea . . . "

There's plenty for everyone.

Do take another 

mushroom cap or two.

What a delightfully 

curious afternoon tea!

"So she sat on, with closed eyes, and

half believed herself in Wonderland . . ."

Time flies!

"Would you tell me, please,

which way I ought to go from here?"

Most certainly you will want to go

~HERE ~

for more Mad Tea Parties

~HERE~

for Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

~HERE~

for Tea in the Garden @ Bernideen's Tea Time

~HERE~

for Sunday Favorites @ Happy to Design

~HERE~

for Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

~HERE~

for Tuesday Tea for Two @ The Plumed Pen

~HERE~

for Tea Time Tuesday @ Rose Chintz Cottage

If you missed my post on

Alice in Wonderland in Central Park

~ Click here~

Alice, Cheshire-Cat, Mad Hatter, White Rabbit

Needlepoint figures from Petei Designs, stitched in the 1980s

http://www.petei.com/line_list/line_alice.htm

Miniature Tea Set - Paul Cardew Designs

Flag Day ~ 2011

It's been a busy week here at HFTS with little computer time, but Flag Day is important to me so I took the liberty to recycle my post from last year. I hope it inspires others to proudly display the American flag and bring out some red, white, and blue for the summer months. 4th of July will be here before you know it.

Flag Day is also my brother's birthday. Happy Birthday, David!

National Flag Day ~ June 14th

Although many states had designated a special day to honor the US flag each year, it wasn't until 1949 that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

Here at HFTS the US flag and other patriotic symbols of our country are front and center during the summer months. Affectionately known as Old Glory, the Stars & Stripes, or the Star Spangled Banner, the American flag is a Grand Old Flag.

Long an enthusiast of Americana, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to attend the special exhibit, STRIPES and STARS, A GRAPHIC HISTORY OF AN AMERICAN ICON. The AIGA National Design Center hosted the STRIPES and STARS exhibit, at their 5th Avenue center in NYC the summer of 2000. The exhibit was an amazing collection of US flag related items assembled by Kit Hinrichs of California. The large poster lower right in the above mosaic is from the exhibit. I had it framed, and it is now part of my American collection.

The exhibit, a mere sampling of Mr. Hinrichs collection of flag memorabilia was so well received that Mr. Hinrichs decided to publish LONG MAY SHE WAVE. This large, beautiful book documents the complete collection of over 500 items with incredible color images meticulously photographed by renowned artist, Terry Heffernan. Mr. Hinrichs' collection has been "hailed as a marvel of folk history and a time capsule of cultural commentary." The exhibit catalog notes "Despite legal restrictions adopted by Congress in 1912 and 1934, the exhibition illustrates that popular interpretations of the flag motif have continued to proliferate, resulting in a rich visual history of a true American icon."

UNITED WE STAND, by Peter Gwillim Kreitier, is another wonderful book for those interested in the American flag. In response to Pearl Harbor, to celebrate Independence Day in 1942, every major US magazine featured an image of the American Flag on its cover. This book reproduces more than 100 of those magazine covers that saluted Old Glory across the nation July 1942.

Mary Emmerling's AMERICAN COUNTRY FLAGS is a charming little book of various flags in folk art. Each page features beautiful full color images and quotes related to the American flag.

The US flag is often found on United States Postage Stamps. In 2002, perhaps in response to Kit Hinrichs' popular exhibit, the U. S. Post Office issued a set of five Americana stamps featuring flag ephemera. A small booklet that featured other flag folk art images and included twenty of the 37-cent stamps was available from the U. S. Post Office.

In 2000, I purchased this sheet of 33-cent U S postage stamps that commemorate The Stars And Stripes with various images of the U S flag through the years.

I had my sheet of flag stamps specially stamped for the occasion of OpSail 2000, the Parade of Tall Ships on the Hudson River and New York Harbor.

After 9/11 American patriotism was very popular. The American flag was seen being flown at almost every home in many neighborhoods. Flags flew on antenna of cars and trucks, and many wore a small American flag pin on their lapel. The top and bottom photos of the above collage are pins in my collection. The center card is an advertisement from Maximal Art's Vintage Americana Collection. You can find Maximal Art online at www.maximalart.com.

These small individual vintage flags were once used on student desks in a classroom. The silk flags show 48 stars, the flag used between 1912 and 1959. The 48 star flag was the second longest in use.

Its red for love, and its white for law,

And its blue for the hope that our forefathers saw,

Of a larger liberty.

Unknown

Mary Emmerling's AMERICAN COUNTRY FLAGS

A special thank you to all the hostesses of the following weekly memes:

Blue Monday @ Smiling Sally's

Mosaic Monday @ Little Red House

Three or More Tuesday @ The Gypsy's Corner

Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Through Life

Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern Style

White Wednesdays @ Faded Charm

Rednesday @ Sue Loves Cherries

Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here

Inspirational Friday @ The Picket Fence

Hodgepodge Friday @ It's a Hodgepodge Life

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Show & Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Seasonal Sunday @ The Tablescaper

Sunday Favorites @ Happy to Design