The Gift of The Magi Disney movie is inspired by O. Henry’s short story of the same name. Before we move on about the Disney movie, let’s look at the theme of the original story.
The book was released in 1905, and it was O. Henry’s first published book. It is a story about a young couple and how they want to buy Christmas gifts when they have little money.
Moreover, it has a sentimental plot and a moral lesson about gift-giving. It is a popular story adapted for many years, mainly during the presentation of Christmas time.
The twisted ending is loved by many, and the ending is considered an example of “comic irony.” Also, it was rumored that the story was written in New York City at Pete’s Tavern (Irving Place).
At first, the story was published on December 10, 1905, in “The New York Sunday World.” Later in April 1906, the Gift of The Magi was again published in a book form in the Anthology “The Four Million.”
Table of Contents
The Gift of The Magi Summary
It is a story about Jim and his wife, Della Young. On Christmas, Eve Della finds that she has $1.87 to purchase a gift for Jim. Hence, she decided to sell her long hair to buy a gift for her husband.
She goes to Madame Sofronie, who owns a salon nearby, and buys her long beautiful hair for $20.
Furthermore, Della uses this money to buy Jim’s a platinum pocket watch chain. Later, when he comes back home from his work, she admitted that she sold her hair to buy a gift for Jim.
However, Jim shows her his gift, and it is a set of ornamental combs. But now, Della cannot use it until her hair grows back again.
Della then gives the platinum chain to Jim. But he tells Della that he has sold his pocket watch to buy combs for her.
Even though the gifts they gave each other cannot be used now, but both know how far they went to show their love for each other and how beautiful their love story is.
In the end, the author compared these sacrifices with the biblical Magi.
If you have liked the summary, then The Gift of The Magi pdf is available online, and you can purchase the book as well from online websites.
The Gift of The Magi Analysis
The Gift of The Magi theme is about true love, material vs. spiritual, and self-sacrifice.
What is the theme of the gift of the Magi
The book’s central theme is Jim and Della Young’s deep love for one other. They are willing to hold their most important thing to buy a gift for the person they love. Both of them showed that their relationship is more important than material belongings.
Della’s love for her husband is evident as she is willing to live in a small flat so that Jim can pursue his dream career. Even though he is making less money than in the past, she doesn’t blame Jim for this difficult financial situation.
Instead, Della tries to manage everything in their budget, from groceries to maintaining their home and other things. She thinks of Jim very highly and thinks he is “rare and fine and sterling.” That’s why she wants to gift him a rare, unique present as well.
Moreover, Jim’s love for Della is also similar. When he saw her with short hair, he did not get angry but expressed love. This proves that their love is beyond physical appearance.
He tells her that nothing will make her less in his eyes. Instead of being critical, Jim is a supportive husband and shows his love is by respecting Della.
The Gift of the Magi questions and answers
1. How to determine material vs. spiritual distinction
Jim and Della’s emotional and spiritual connection is deeper than any physical materials. When they come to know what they did for each other, have canceled out the presents, they reveal what is important to them.
Instead of being sad that they lost something, they realized that they have something more significant; their love for each other.
Moreover, Jim tells her that he still loves her no matter what hairstyle she has. Also, Della tells her love for Jim is far greater than anything else in the world.
The author focuses more on the spiritual qualities of a person rather than material by a biblical reference which mentions the Magi – who are wise men from the East and had bought presents for Jesus Christ when he was born. This is the invention of gifting presents during Christmas.
The story is not about giving watch chains and combs to each other but giving themselves to the other one to make them happy.
2. What is the Gift of the Magi analysis
Their selflessness is the main theme of the story. Both live in New York, where Jim is doing a low-salary job. To make ends meet, Della haggles with vendors for vegetables.
Moreover, both wear old clothes and live in an unfurnished apartment. Both of them are willing to sacrifice a lot so that Jim can pursue his dream of working in New York.
At Christmas, both wanted to do something special for the other one. But due to having less money, they both sell their favorite thing to buy the other a present.
For both of them, their partner’s happiness matters the most. Since neither have much, this is an act of sacrifice very remarkable.
The Gift of The Magi Disney Movie
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas is a 1999 movie. It is a direct-to-video, comedy, fantasy, animated anthology movie produced by Walt Disney Television Animation.
Moreover, the movie has 3 different stories that are:
- Mickey and Minnie’s, The Gift of the Magi (featuring Mickey Mouse, Pluto, and Minnie Mouse)
- Donald Duck: Stuck on Christmas (featuring Donald Duck, Huey, Louie, Daisy Duck, Dewey, and Scrooge McDuck)
- A Very Goofy Christmas (featuring Goofy, the Beagle Boys, Pete, and Max)
Also, some other Disney characters made small cameos in the movie.
Moreover, at Kecskemet Animation Film Festival, the movie won the “Best Animated Feature Film” in 1999. Later a sequel was made in 2004, and it was Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas.
Cast
- Kelsey Grammer – Narrator
- Russi Taylor – Minnie Mouse, Louie Duck, Huey Duck, and Dewey Duck
- Bill Farmer – Pluto and Goofy
- Tony Anselmo – Donal Duck
- Wayne Allwine – Mickey Mouse
- April Winchell – Firefighter #1, Old Woman, Mother, Firewoman
- Diane Michelle – Daisy Duck in The Gift of The Magi
- Alan Young – Scrooge McDuck
- Tress MacNeille – Chip, Aunt Gertie, Daisy Duck in Stuck on Christmas
- Jeff Bennett – Firefighter #2, Father, Mortimer Mouse, Man, Customer, and Store Announcer
- Taylor Dempsey – Little Jimmy and Kid #1
- Mae Whitman – Girl
- Kylie Dempsey – Little girl and Kid #2
- Shaun Fleming – Max Goof
- Andrew McDonough – Poorboy
- Frank Welker – Figaro and Turkey
- Gregg Berger – Mr. Anderson and Shopper
- Corey Burton – Dale
- Pat Musick – Mrs. Anderson, Angry woman, Eccentric lady, Distressed woman, and Shopper
- Jim Cummings – Santa Claus, Pete, Dad, Fire Chief, Man, Policeman
The plot of Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas
1. The Gift of The Magi Mickey and Minnie
The Disney story is an adaptation of the book. It has the same moral, but there are some differences to spot.
The film starts with the same theme of Christmas Eve and gift-giving. Minnie plans to give Mickey a box to keep his harmonica while Mickey plans to gift with a watch chain.
Yes! The watch chain is a gift here, but the difference is the hair sacrifice.
The character of Mickey Mouse is shown as an employee at Crazy Pete’s Tree, doing tons of things to make money there.
To help a low-income family buy a Christmas tree, Mickey recommends taking away a tiny one from the back of the shop where he works. They wanted to purchase a 10 feet tall one but could not afford it.
Mickey’s goodness is much appreciated, but he loses his job when Pete finds out. He also took away Mickey’s money.
Minnie Mouse is shown as a gift wrapper at Mortimer’s supermarket. She is expecting a Christmas bonus to buy Mickey the gift she wants to offer him. However, she receives a fruit cake instead.
Mickey Mouse plays the harmonica at Charity Toy Drive to pull up some money. He found characters exclaiming that the instrument must be costly. Mickey then considers it credible enough to exchange it for a chain. Mickey and Pluto go to the store to request a trade.
Minnie somehow manages to buy a case for Mickey as well. The characters get home and gift each other their gifts. They both realize that they sacrificed their prized belongings for their love for each other.
What do you think the narrator of the Gift of Magi
The narrator beautifully explains the essence of love and spirituality. In the end, the narrator tells the audience that a gift from one’s heart will be cherished forever, and that is the best kind of present one can have.
2. Stuck on Christmas
The movie is inspired by William Dean Howells’s short story called “Christmas Every Day” in 1892.
On Christmas Day, Dewey, Louie, and Huey open their presents in the early morning before everyone wakes up. However, they were asked to wait until Aunt Gertie, Uncle Scrooge, and Daisy arrived.
They got sleds from Donald and took them outside without reading the card inside the present. The boys play with their new toys, and we see Daisy, Donald, Gertie, and Scrooge singing carols.
Later it was bedtime for the boys, and the boys wished for Christmas each day. They were surprised that their wish was fulfilled, and all of them were joyful.
However, a few days passed, and they figured it was boring. They did not wish to have the same surprise every day. They understood that this was not something they should have asked for.
Since every day is the same, they decided to play pranks on their family. They swapped the cooked turkey with an alive turkey at their dinner table. This made everyone’s Christmas terrible, mainly for Donald.
After this, the boys read the gift card from Daisy and Donald. In the card, they wish them love and explain that Christmas is about gifts and spending time with family.
After reading it, they felt guilty and decided to make the next day one of the best Christmas ever. The next day they realized the true beauty of Christmas, and even the time loop ends as well.
3. A Very Goofy Christmas
It is Christmas time, and Goofy and Max are mailing a letter to Santa Claus. But, as soon as both get home, their neighbor Pete tells Max that Santa Claus is not real. Also, tells him that Santa can’t travel the whole world in a single night.
Furthermore, things worsen when Max sees Goofy posing as Santa Claus and thinks he tricked him.
Meanwhile, Goofy is determined to prove that Santa is real to Max and stays up all night on Christmas Eve to keep an eye on Max. At the same time, Max is angry at Goofy for this and wishes that Goofy move on from his plan.
But soon, Goofy mistakes Beagle Boy (who wanted to rob Pete’s home) as Santa Claus and sees him fall off the roof. Seeing all these, Goofy thinks Santa won’t be coming this year. However, now Max wants to make his father happy and even dressed up as Santa.
In the end, we see real Santa come and visit Max and give him the gift that he asked for. Even Santa blew some snow at Pete’s house because he was trying to show off his legendary figure.
When Santa was leaving, Max to ask him for Goofy’s gift. But Goofy tells Max that he asks the same thing every year, and he has always got it, and that is Max’s happiness.
Epilogue
At the end of the 3 films, we see Minnie, Mickey, Goofy, Donald, Daisy, Max, Pluto, Louie, Dewey, and Huey is at the street and singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” “Jingle Bells.” And Deck the Halls” and wishing the fans a happy holiday.
Final thoughts
The Disney Christmas movies tell us a beautiful story about different families and how they will do anything for each other. They teach us that family values and people will do many things to make their family happy.
