Featuring fresh takes and real-time analysis from HuffPost's signature lineup of contributors
Hot on the Blog
Raffi Cavoukian
Jenna Em

GET UPDATES FROM Jenna Em
 

Are You a Hard-to-Buy-For Mom Like Me?

Posted: 11/25/2012 8:12 am

I admit that I'm a hard-to-buy-for Mama, usually offering few suggestions of what I'd like for the holidays. But ask me what I want for the kids, I can instantly rhyme off clothing, books and learning toys for my entire brood. This is often the case with us Mamas who put our families first, and ourselves last. So I've decided to make a wish list for the Holidays, and cease being the difficult one this year.

A Sleek New Laptop! -- I own four laptops, all broken in different ways. We have the computer that the kids snapped off all the keys to make "alphabet soup", one with spotty wifi connection, the antique that's incompatible with today's technologies, and the one I've dubbed "The Matrix" due to the strings of binary code it displays. I want a great new laptop, one that's thin and sleek, with a touch screen, and an awesome sound system for my favourite tunes. Specifically, I would like the HP ENVY TouchSmart Ultrabook 4!

Mama Massage with Mani-Pedi -- I have a beautiful vision of absolute peace and relaxation, as I enjoy a deep tissue massage with no kids running around me fighting and screaming. To add to the bliss of this fantasy, I would love an exfoliating pedicure for my tired Mama feet, and a manicure that says "woman," not "mommy." Please send me on a spa retreat like the ones offered at the Elmwood Spa in Toronto!

New Threads for Mama! -- After having five kids in five years, my pre-pregnancy wardrobe just won't cut it anymore. I don't need labels like Gucci and Prada, just a couple of nice outfits that shout cute and sophisticated. If anyone from Jacob or H&M is reading, please make sure my husband comes home with some elegant dresses, figure-flattering blouses, curve-hugging skirts and stylish slacks!

Beautiful Baubles! -- Once upon a time I had a beautiful pair of diamond earrings. How elegant I looked with sparkling lobes! Sadly, the kids got into my jewelry box and lost one of the earrings forever. Fitfully, I would like a new pair of elegant evening earrings with matching necklace. I love long, dangly silver earrings with a simple design. If the jewelry has stones (real or faux), please let them be diamonds, amethysts or in a turquoise colour! Etsy has lots of hand-made jewelry that would fit the bill.

Book Me! -- I sometimes forget that I once read for personal interest, with all the storybooks I read daily to my kids. This Mama loves to read Science Fiction and challenge her vision of the future! Buy me any book from my favourite U.K. author Alistair Reynolds and you will have found me the perfect gift! I've also read Science Fiction anthologies by Gardner Dozois for the past two decades, and would love another volume. E-book version please!

Dinner & a Groovy -- Dinner and a movie is absolutely underrated, especially if you're the Mama of five little kids! Set a date, book a babysitter for the evening, and let me pick the movie and the restaurant of my choice. I would like to see an action flick like Skyfall and eat at one of the great Italian restaurants in Toronto, like Centro. Afterward, if you find a hot nightclub that really grooves, that would be the cherry on top of the sundae! Bring your dancing shoes, this Mama's getting down!

 

Follow Jenna Em on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@SnyMed

FOLLOW CANADA LIVING
I admit that I'm a hard-to-buy-for Mama, usually offering few suggestions of what I'd like for the holidays. But ask me what I want for the kids, I can instantly rhyme off clothing, books and learning...
I admit that I'm a hard-to-buy-for Mama, usually offering few suggestions of what I'd like for the holidays. But ask me what I want for the kids, I can instantly rhyme off clothing, books and learning...
 
 
  • Comments
  • 12
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Comments are closed for this entry
View All
Favorites
Bloggers
Recency  | 
Popularity
12:26 PM on 11/28/2012
One year my husband bought me a quesadilla maker and said "You like to make me food to eat and I like to eat quesadilla's!". Some women would have bopped him over the head with that but I laughed. What can I say...he loves to eat! :()
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Medusa Sant
Jedi on the streets. Sith in the sheets.
10:10 PM on 11/25/2012
Greed and consumption look bad on anyone. Making a list reeks of greed and bemoaning any gift that you don't "want" is flat out ungrateful. Its sad that everything revolves around "what can I GET" or "what they should BUY ME". Just like the poster below: Consume consume consume. That's what its all about.
06:21 PM on 11/25/2012
What a great mom. Attaboy little ones...consume...consume...consume.
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Medusa Sant
Jedi on the streets. Sith in the sheets.
10:00 PM on 11/25/2012
I posted that people should be happy that someone took the time to select a gift for them. Not to be so picky and GREEDY. But it was deleted. I guess its not right to ask people to just be grateful and not take gifts so seriously.
03:05 AM on 11/26/2012
HP moderators can be bizarre what comments they reject. Sometimes it will say no comments pending and poof your comment shows up. Frustrating, I hear ya.
02:58 PM on 11/25/2012
Diamonds are a girls best friend.
I'd like a few more hours in the day and weekly caviar wouldn't hurt.
I'm not greedy.

Besos, Sarah
Zookeeper at Journeys of The Zoo
photo
HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Jenna Em
06:12 PM on 11/25/2012
Sarah, I like your style!
10:49 AM on 11/25/2012
I love this wishlist!! I hope your hubby and kids are reading it ;) hehe. Every mama enjoys some time to be pampered, but we rarely ask for it, as we're always concerned about everyone else. But it's MUCH needed!! I want some new books too! I haven't had a chance to relax and read my OWN books in a long time ;)
photo
HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Jenna Em
06:10 PM on 11/25/2012
yeewittlethings, we're on the same "page"! What books would you choose to be gifted?
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Medusa Sant
Jedi on the streets. Sith in the sheets.
08:29 AM on 11/25/2012
People are so concerned with what they are GETTING. What they WANT.
There's a whole article on Huff about the "worst gifts" women have received complete with personal stories of women bemoaning the gifts that have been bestowed upon them. Last I checked, gifts were something you were happy to receive and its "the thought that counts". Instead of looking at holidays as a means to grasp for whatever it is you want materially, why not look at the holidays as an opportunity to reconnect with family and make memories instead?
photo
HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Jenna Em
07:32 AM on 11/25/2012
MJinCanada, I completely understand about the practical gifts!
This user has chosen to opt out of the Badges program
MJinCanada
Safe from zombies until my 2nd cup of coffee
02:07 AM on 11/25/2012
My husband and kids think I'm depressingly practical about gifts. One year I wanted new pizza pans -- heavy duty, non-stick. And an extra casserole/cake pan. What can I say? I like to cook.