O. Henry's stories “The Gift of the Magi” and “The Last Leaf” share the theme of self-sacrificing love, even though their characters and situations are different. Let's look at each story in turn.

In “The Gift of the Magi,” Della's prize possession is her long, beautiful hair, and her husband, Jim's, prize possession is his gold watch. Della and Jim are a young married couple, and they are poor, yet they are both intent upon buying the very best Christmas present for each other.

Della does not have enough money to purchase the fob she wants to give Jim for his watch, so she sells her hair. Her husband and his happiness are more important to her than her hair, which will grow back anyway. Jim does not have enough money to get Della the hair combs he has picked out for her Christmas present, so he sells his watch. His wife and her happiness are more important to him than his watch. When the two realize what they have done, they are not upset, for they have acted out love for one another, putting the other first and sacrificing personal happiness for the delight of the spouse.

“The Last Leaf” also focuses on self-sacrificing love. Johnsy and Sue are two young artists who share a flat in an artist's community. Johnsy has caught pneumonia, and she is positive that she will die as soon as the last ivy leaf outside her window falls to the ground. Sue tells her she is being silly, and the doctor says that Johnsy will live only if she wants to. Yet Sue cannot bring Johnsy out of the idea that when the leaf falls, she will die.

Mr. Behrman is an old artist who lives downstairs and keeps watch over the two young women. He gets upset when Sue tells him about Johnsy's idea that she will die when the last leaf falls. He is determined that such a thing will not happen if he can prevent it. As the days pass, the leaf does not fall, and Johnsy gets better. She finally decides that she will indeed live, and the leaf must be a sign of that.

Then the two young artists hear that Mr. Behrman has died of pneumonia. He became ill from being out in the wind and wet and icy cold, for he was painting one more ivy leaf on the wall right where Johnsy would see it so that she would not die. Mr. Behrman has given his life for hers.