Shopping for mom

The rule every Christmas is that no matter what, everyone has to spend the most on mom.

This is easier said than done, though, and more often than not, we end up showering her with all sorts of gifts that she didn't really need in the first place. She's so damn hard to shop for.

However, if there's something that she really needs it's some new clothes. Other than turtlenecks and jeans, she hasn't really bought anything for herself since the late 90s and it's really starting to show. A couple of the jackets she wears to work are getting pretty threadbare around the edges but she's got nothing really to replace them with and like me, she's not the type of person that will go out and buy new things for herself.

The problem with my mother though, is that the fashion industry has a vendetta against her right now. She likes: high waistbands, straight legs, no pleats, gathers or elastics and natural fibres. All clothing around either has low-rise waists or is made out of polyester in garish colours with lots of pleats. Teenager or frump. There is no middle ground.

My sister and I managed to find two pairs of almost satisfactory pants and a really nice wool skirt that she may or may not like but we hope she does because we like it and it was expensive. In the past I've had moderately good luck at buying or suggesting clothes that have a reasonably high probability of being worn.

Buying clothing for my mother has to be a group effort. I've got my mom's hips, so any pants that fit reasonably comfortably in my size (comfortably is a relative word because I hate pants with waistbands that are encroaching on my bra) are a safe bet one or two sizes up. But since I'm relatively flat-chested, my sister has to try on anything that goes on top, though it's never quite as precise that way.

Free sample bubble tea and sitting on Santa's lap makes me smile every time.