Christmas gifts for Mom

I'm lucky enough to have both (great) parents around still, and I hesitated to open this up because I know the holidays are difficult on alot of folks who aren't as lucky.

I always have trouble buying for my mother. I'm a guy, and my father is easy to buy for, usually golf stuff or clothes from my alma mater or my brother's or a school that may or may not have a mascot that is the Cavaliers. Do women have the same problem with their dads?

Anyway, let's hear it, SportsJournalists.com. I need ideas. She says she doesn't need anything, which might be true. A little background: She's 47, likes artsy stuff, and lives in a good place (I think) for that, a big city that may or may not have a team nicknamed the Spiders and may or may not have an area of town with the word Shockoe in it. She also likes to read, cook and loves dogs.

So general suggestions, I'm all ears, or if you live in said town and would like to PM me perhaps, that'd be fine too.

Thanks in advance!

 

Why not combine her interests? You can probably get a good dog cookbook from Southeast Asia pretty cheap.

No need to thank me, by the way.

 

Very solid, I meant to include a plea for sarcastic suggestions as well as mom jokes.

 

That would have been a waste of keystrokes.

Would she take a painting class or something if you paid for it?

 

As a chick, I can't say that I have the same problem shopping for my dad. He's pretty easy to please, especially if it adds to the DVD collection. My brother and I trade gift cards from a predetermined source (this year it's iTunes), so he's easy to shop for.

My mother is a nightmare to buy gifts for. If she doesn't like something, you'll know instantly and it will never see the light of day again. My dad's got the Crabtree/BBW angle covered, so it makes things hard.

But I love shopping for presents, so I'll try to help you fmrsped:
- if she says she doesn't need anything, what is something she would never get for herself? Maybe that SoniCare toothbrush, or the nice down slippers that are just a bit more than she would spend on herself?

- on that note, stay away from any clothing that doesn't go on the feet, hands or head. It's just not safe.

- call the local museum, etc. and see if you can purchase tickets in advance for an upcoming exhibit

- go to said museum or local art gallery and check out the jewelry from local artists

- subscription to a magazine that would hold her interest

- if she's into cooking, ask your dad if she's had her eye on anything from Williams-Sonoma

 

My mother is very artsy, so one year I took her to the Rembrandt exhibit at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. I think that might be her favorite gift from me, maybe ever. Spending the day with her son and looking at masterpieces of art were about as good as it gets for her (if I may toot my own horn a bit).

Only drawback was the trouble I had mustering the courage to hit on the cute blonde who kept eyeing me in front of my mom.

 

One of the best gifts I ever gave Mom (according to Mom) was a Martha Stewart cookbook signed with a nice note from Martha. This, of course, was before she became a felon.

It is difficult, though. Have you considered fluffly bedroom slippers? Although, considering she's younger than me, perhaps I shouldn't be so quick to pack her off to the retirment home....

 

'Now darling, this year I completely insist you don't spend all that time and money shopping for me, these holidays should be for the children, and really, what do we need? I had to listen to that horrible Lois Applebach on the long drive back from Thanksgiving, I told Lou, 'Lou, next year we really should drive or maybe have it here,' because my ears were practically bleeding by the time we got home and Harry is the worst driver and with that prostate of his, we stopped twenty times an hour so he could try to tinkle!

'So that terrible Lois, she talked non-stop about her son who took over the glass business....he had quite a crush on you in high school, even before you filled out and really grew into your features....a shame that you just were not interested....all that glass....'

Pause out of respect for all that glass.

'So she tells me, for three hours, about the Prada handbag he wants to get for her, Four Teen Hun Dred Doll Ers! Lou said when we got home she should take a $400 bag and ask for a grand in cash! I said to her, Lois, what in the world do you need with that bag, and she said her son just loves and appreciates her so much, she wouldn't want to insult him by saying no, would you feel that way dear, if I told you 21, please do not get me a Prada handbag, would you be insulted?'

 

A big fat bag of weed (with all the seeds lovingly removed), a CD of The Jethro Tull Christmas Album, a Hickory Farmstm sampler basket, hmm, what else...

Well, you could always see if there are any interesting traveling exhibitions coming to DC any time soon, then do the mom/son day trip thing as per bigpern.

Failing that, a massage therapy gift certificate is golden for most people. Just make sure you're not spending money on some hack therapist. Go to the ABMP website, massagetherapy.com, and find a ABMP therapist in your area.

Oh yeah, and some pimp cups:

http://www.icedoutgear.com/pimp-cups.php

 

Just for that, I'd bag the bag and go with the Liza Minnelli boxed set.

 

You should get her a double-headed dildo </FredSmoot>