Christmas Memories

The perfect gift for a special mother

By Mary Ellen Pelus

My mother was a petite woman, who had trouble finding clothes to fit her.

Many times, I would help her alter slacks and help her break in new shoes. As she became older, her poor diet as a young child growing up in poverty caught up with her. She developed osteoporosis, a much more painful condition than people realize. The curvature of her spine created breathing problems, difficulty digesting and pain when standing for long periods of time. This also added to her dilemma of finding clothes that fit properly.

My mother never asked for much; she was always grateful for all that God had given her. We called her a living saint.

A few years ago, I had my best Christmas with my mother. She’s hard to buy for, but I bought what turned out to be that special gift for her.

My mother needed a new hooded winter coat. I was shopping in a local clothing store when I saw a 3/4-length winter coat prominently displayed out on a clothes rack right next to a main aisle. It was as if the coat was there for only me to see, and I immediately thought of my mother. The length was perfect for her short stature, there was no defined waist, and its straight lines made it the perfect coat.

In addition, it even had the type of hood she liked: not too large and no drawstrings to pull around her eyes. This coat was made for my mother!

My excitement turned to disappointment when I discovered the needed size was not to be found. The salesperson immediately called other stores and finally found one in another state. The other store was going to gift wrap it and ship it free of charge to my mother, in time for Christmas!

The package arrived on Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning, my brother stopped by to drive our mother to Mass, as he has every Sunday and holy day since my father’s passing. He convinced her to open the package before they left for Mass. She was pleasantly surprised with the coat, but more than that, she was so excited to have it fit so perfectly!

When she walked into church that Christmas morning, she felt so special. My mother was like a child showing off her new coat.

My mother proudly wore that coat for about seven years. It was warm, fit her to a tee and the hood did not block her sight when she wore it on cold winter days.

Sadly for us, my mother passed away. When my brothers and I were clearing out her house, we decided to give the coat to someone special in my mother’s life—Aunt Mary. She was almost the same size as my mother, and she too lived the servant’s life as my mother, always giving to others and willing to do without for the sake of others. My mother would have wanted it that way. I’m sure Aunt Mary enjoyed that coat as much as my mother did.

Christmas isn’t about lots of presents under the tree; it is about thoughtfulness in giving.

Jesus’ birth was our gift over 2,000 years ago. The joy that coat gave my mother was my special Christmas gift, symbolic of the gift we need to be to others.
 

(Mary Ellen Pelus is a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Indianapolis.) †