At the end of the story, the narrator, in reference to Jim and Della, says, "Of all who give gifts these two were the wisest." Why does the narrator think that Jim and Della are wise? Support your answer with text.

In the final paragraph of the story, the narrator describes the original magi, the wise men in the story of the Christ child's birth. They gave wise gifts, expensive gifts, though it cost them nothing to do so because they were rich. Jim and Della, however, are not ric, and they have to give up a lot in order to give generously to each other. The narrator says, using verbal irony,

I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest.

The second of these sentences lets us know that we are not to take the first of these sentences seriously. The narrator does not actually think that Jim and Della are unwise; rather, he knows that they are very wise because they understand that love is worth sacrificing for. Giving gifts for them is more difficult than it was for the magi because they have so little, and this is what makes them more wise: they understand the value of sacrifice.