2. Gift Of The Magi
Like The Nutcracker before it, The Gift of the Magi is a unique Christmas story that has gone on to be adapted throughout the years. Originally published on December 10, 1905 the plot follows a newly married couple struggling to afford Christmas presents for one another. Both newlyweds end up selling their most cherished items to earn money to buy the other a gift. In a twist of cosmic irony they each find that the gift they received was meant to match the item they sold. The third and final segment of Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas plays this trope with Mickey and Minnie Mouse portraying the loving couple. It also features in many other children's programming such as Rugrats in which Angelica purposefully sets Phil and Lil up to sell their most beloved items. After seeing the error of her ways she returns their items so that the gifts they gave one another wouldn't be for naught. The story is mostly parodied in It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie and is portrayed in a more honest manner in an episode of Sesame Street. Many live-action and adult-oriented specials have used the trope as well. Saturday Night Live has done it more than once with a segment featuring an outrageous exchange between Donald and Ivana Trump. The Gift of the Magi is also parodied in a comedic manner in Robot Chicken and Mystery Science Theater 3000. Other examples include Phineas and Ferb, The Honeymooners, 7th Heaven, and a rather popular episode of Little House on the Prairie in which Laura sells her beloved horse. The Gift of the Magi carries one of the most important messages - Christmas is about love and giving even if it means you have to sacrifice what you hold dearest. It's obvious why the tale has been adapted and parodied so often.