It's Christmas Eve in New York City during the early 1900s.
A. You are [[Della]]
B. You are [[Jim]]It's Christmas Eve, and you've managed to save only $1.87 to buy a Christmas present for Jim. You're standing by the window, watching a gray cat walk along a gray fence, feeling desperate about your inability to buy something worthy of your beloved husband.
A: Look at yourself in the pier glass mirror and contemplate(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, think very hard about,] selling your beautiful hair: Go to [[Card 2]]
B: Try to find something affordable in the shops with your $1.87: Go to [[Card 5]]Standing before the mirror, you let down your magnificent brown hair, watching it cascade like flowing waters past your knees. You know Madame Sofronie's Hair Goods shop is nearby. The thought of selling your precious hair makes your heart ache, but your love for Jim is stronger than your vanity(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, than caring too much about how you look].
A: Go immediately to Madame Sofronie's shop: Go to [[Card 3]]
B: Spend more time looking for alternative solutions: Go to [[Card 4]]
You venture(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, go,] into the shopping district with your meager(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, very small,] savings. The windows are full of beautiful things, but everything suitable for Jim costs far more than $1.87.
A: Try to bargain with shopkeepers: Go to [[Card 6]]
B: Look for something in the second-hand shops: Go to [[Card 7]]
You enter Madame Sofronie's shop, your heart pounding. The large, too white woman barely resembles her name. She offers you $20 for your hair - enough to buy a meaningful gift for Jim.
A: Have second thoughts(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, start to think about it again and maybe change your mind,] and decide to leave: Go back to [[Card 2]]
B: Accept the offer and sell your hair: Go to [[Card 9]]
You spend precious hours walking through the cold streets, checking pawnshops and second-hand stores, but nothing seems worthy of Jim. Time is running out, and Christmas Eve is getting darker.
A: Return home and try to make a homemade gift: Go to [[Card 8]]
B: Go to Madame Sofronie's as a last resort(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, when you have no other ideas or choices left]: Go to [[Card 9]]
With your newly acquired $20, you find the perfect platinum fob chain for Jim's precious watch. Despite your shortened hair, you feel triumphant. However, when Jim comes home, he reveals he has sold his watch to buy you the beautiful tortoiseshell combs you've long admired. Though your gifts are now unusable, you both realize that your sacrifices(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, giving up important things,] prove the depth of your love - making you as wise as the magi(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, the wise men,] themselves.
Start [[Your story ]] You return home empty-handed, your heart heavy with disappointment. Jim arrives to find you in tears, and you both share a bittersweet Christmas Eve, rich in love but poor in gifts. You realize that sometimes love means accepting limitations and finding joy in what you have.
Start [[Your story ]]The shopkeepers are sympathetic but firm - nothing can be had for such a small sum. The beautiful platinum watch chain you see in one window costs $21.
A: Give up and return home defeated: Go to [[Card 8]]
B: Return to your original plan of selling your hair: Go to [[Card 9]]
The second-hand shops are closing early for Christmas Eve, and what you find is either too shabby or still too expensive.
A: Try one more shop before giving up: Go back to [[Card 2]]
B: Make the difficult decision to sell your hair: Go to [[Card 9]]
It's Christmas Eve. I am...
(text-colour:#ff775f)[Where:] ______________________________________
(text-colour:#ff775f)[You see:] _____________________________________
(text-colour:#ff775f)[You hear:] ____________________________________
(text-colour:#ff775f)[You feel:] ____________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Read and listen to the full story:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lN185_nvo9U?si=cuaXkyqIq7aFJ81_" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>You are Della Young, a young wife living in a modest $8-per-week furnished flat in New York City. It's Christmas Eve, 1905, and times are hard. Jim's salary has been cut from $30 to $20 per week. Despite the challenges, your love for each other is profound(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, very strong and deep]. You're particularly proud of two possessions: Jim's golden family watch and your beautiful long brown hair that falls below your knees.
Go to [[Card 1]]You are Jim Dillingham Young, a 22-year-old clerk living in a modest $8-per-week furnished flat in New York City with your beloved wife Della. It's Christmas Eve, 1905, and times are hard. Your salary has been cut from $30 to $20 per week. Your most prized possession is your grandfather's gold watch, though it only has an old leather strap. You deeply love your wife, who has the most beautiful long brown hair you've ever seen, cascading below her knees like a brown waterfall.
Go to [[Card 1 ]]You've just finished your workday on Christmas Eve. In your pocket, you have some money you've managed to save for Della's Christmas present. Walking down the street, you pass by a fancy shop window displaying beautiful tortoiseshell combs with jeweled rims - exactly the kind Della has been admiring for months.
A: Enter the shop to inquire about the combs' price: Go to [[Card 2 ]]
B: Keep walking to look for something more affordable: Go to [[Card 5 ]]The combs are exquisite but cost far more than you have. You know Della would look stunning wearing them in her long brown hair.
A: Buy the combs, even though it means selling your precious watch: Go to [[Card 3 ]]
B: Look for something else in the shop: Go to [[Card 4 ]]Walking further down the street, you pass by several shops with cheaper items.
A: Enter a shop selling practical items like warm gloves and scarves: Go to [[Card 6 ]]
B: Visit a small jewelry shop with modest pieces: Go to [[Card 7 ]]
You enter the watch shop across the street. The watchmaker offers you a fair price for your grandfather's gold watch.
A: Have second thoughts(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, start to think about it again and maybe change your mind,] about selling such a family heirloom(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, something special that has been in your family for a long time]: Go back to [[Card 2 ]]
B: Sell the watch and buy the combs: Go to [[Card 9 ]]While browsing the shop, you spot a delicate silver bracelet that would look lovely on Della's wrist.
A: Buy the bracelet and keep your watch: Go to [[Card 8 ]]
B: Return to the combs, determined to make the sacrifice(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, to give up something important]: Go to [[Card 9 ]]
You return home with the precious combs only to find Della with her beautiful hair cut short. She sold it to buy you a watch chain. Through your mutual sacrifice, (text-colour:#5ba8d7)[when you both give up something important], you both discover that your love is the greatest gift of all.
Start [[Your story ]]
You return home with your gift, only to find that Della has cut and sold her beautiful hair to buy you a present. Your practical gift now seems inadequate in the face of her sacrifice(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, after she gave up something very important]. You realize that true love means being willing to give up what you treasure most.
Start [[Your story ]]You find some nice warm gloves that would be practical for the winter.
A: Buy the practical gift: Go to [[Card 8 ]]
B: Realize that you want to give Della something special, return to the combs: Go to [[Card 9 ]]
The modest jewelry doesn't seem special enough for your Della.
A: Have second thoughts(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, start to think about it again and maybe change your mind,] about settling for less: Go back to [[Card 2 ]]
B: Make the ultimate sacrifice(text-colour:#5ba8d7)[, give up the most important thing,] for love: Go to [[Card 9 ]]It's Christmas Eve. I am...
(text-colour:#ff775f)[Where:] ______________________________________
(text-colour:#ff775f)[You see:] _____________________________________
(text-colour:#ff775f)[You hear:] ____________________________________
(text-colour:#ff775f)[You feel:] ____________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Read and listen to the full story:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lN185_nvo9U?si=cuaXkyqIq7aFJ81_" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>