IT DOES NOT TAKE GREAT GIFTS - James Freeman Clarke

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Rowan

A reflective Christmas poem and essay sequence connects the spirit of the season with humble joy, simple surroundings, and the gifts brought by the Magi. It argues that meaning matters more than material offerings, then interprets Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh as symbols of labor, thought, and love. The text links each gift to a broader moral vision of valuing life, children, and human purpose rather than status or commerce.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

IT DOES NOT TAKE GREAT GIFTS

THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI

THE CHEERFUL LETTER

Every place a church;every day the Lord’s day;all events blessings;all joythanksgiving;and all nature and life full of Good.—James Freeman Clarke. Vol.XLVI # IT DOES NOT TAKE GREAT GIFTS It does not take great gifts to makeA happy heart on Christmas night一A little child,a plain,clean room,A holly wreath,and candlelight,And love beside a lighted hearth,Makes Christmas anywhere on earth. I shall not ask for gifts,dear God, If I may have these things from Thee:A star-hung roof,a swinging door, A walk that leads my friends to me;The faith undimmed that I have had—And any Christmas would be glad. —GRACE NoLL CROWELL. # THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI “CHRISTMAS-TIME would be farpoorer without the Wise Men and theirstar,"says John Erskine.“They are theromance of the story.How romantic tosee the kings with their gifts—wise kingsat that—kneeling before the manger,with the sleepy cattle looking on.Theycame from the East,that mysteriousregion from which life and wisdom,in theold stories,always emerge.What werethey wise about?At first blush,wemight say the story doesn't specify theirwisdom.They followed a star,the kindof light which makes us think of spiritualthings.And what an end to their searchfor truth—to find this forlorn family ina stable!We should like to know whatthey thought,and just why they gavetheir handsome gifts,and what they saidwhen they got home.But their departureis as inscrutable as their coming.” Now here is the reason why the Magigave their particular gifts. In that mysterious East from whichthe Magi came,are always coming,there KaiayJag C!uJ川 Aàicv 10CH 橄LINhe Cheerful "etter are three countries which are to be foundon no map. The first country is a bleak land,withscarcely any beauty for the eye to restupon.The ground is rocky,the skies aregray,and chill winds blow.But in thiscountry man's will wrestles with nature,extracts precious things from the earth,draws forth mighty powers,puts thesepowers in harness for driving the chariotsof material necessity.It is a land ofincessant enterprise;and there men areseen in busy action,making and remak-ing,getting and spending.From thiscountry came the First Wise Man.Andhe brought Gold. The second country is a land of mag-nificent distances.There are fertilefields in the plains;but on the horizonstand great,blue mountains with snowypeaks where no man has ever set foot.And in this land are many white templeswhere men worship Truth.They seekincrease of knowledge;find strength inideas;dig the foundations of newthought;take fights of daring imagina-tion.And the brightness of intellect isover the land.From this country camethe Second Wise Man.And he broughtFrankincense. The third country is a land of luxuri-ant sunlight and radiant color.Blos-soming trees are there all the year round,and many unfading flowers.On pleasanthillsides,by quiet streams,are seenpopulous clusters of homes.Everywherein this land men walk in friendship,meetin love,put forth their trust toward oneanother.And when night falls,there areto be heard little,wandering,wistfulsongs.From this country came theThird Wise Man.And he brought liquidMyrrh. So these three together,being as wise Publieation Office134 Summer Street,Boston,Mass.Monthly,except August50 cents a year.Single copy,5 centsBessie Dickerson Ducey,Editor159 Grandview Ave..Wollaston.Ma88.Check,post-office order,or stamps should besent to the Cheerful Letter Exchange25 Beacon Street,Boston,Mass.Entered as second-class matter at the post office at Boston,Mass. "Acceptance for mailing at the special rate ofpostage provided for in Section 1103.Act ofOctober 3,1917,authorized July 17,1922." as they were,each perhaps as wise asthe other,followed the star and were re-sponsive to the sign of all times and wereaware of some eternal value in the midstof the world of life.And coming to theplace where there was the straw of thesoil and the sleepy animals and themanger which human hands had made,they found the Strange Being in

FAQs

What does the essay urge readers to do with their “treasures”?

It challenges readers to open their treasures and devote them to a higher life-serving purpose, aligning daily actions with the Lord of Equity, Truth, and Love.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Rowan