I’ve started reading a very old and well worn collection of O. Henry stories last night. O. Henry is a writer well known for his tales of serendipity and humor. He also has a few really great romantic stories for couples to read to each other or make as a gift for the holidays.
Perhaps one of O. Henry’s most well-known romantic stories is, ‘The Gift of the Magi’. It’s a short tale about a newly married couple celebrating the Christmas holiday. I’m sure most of you have been forced to read this story while still in school at some point. However, it makes a wonderful holiday story to revisit with your partner.
The newlyweds in O. Henry’s tale are basically broke, something which we’ve all been through, yet still want to give each other a gift. So the wife sells her long shining hair for enough money to buy her husband a set of expensive watch straps for his watch and the husband sells his watch for a set of beautiful combs for his wife’s hair. Oh the irony! When they both exchange gifts for the holiday, the newlywed couple realizes humorously that the most important part of the holiday is the meaning behind their gifts.
Another good story you should check out of O. Henry’s is, ‘The Third Ingredient’. It’s another romantic story that combined with ‘The Gift of the Magi’ makes for a couple of great romantic bedtime stories. I won’t get too involved in the plot, but a woman’s quest for the ingredients in a beef stew end up bringing two young lovers together.