I love Holiday shopping. LOVE it! The beautiful decorations, the bright cheery colours, the holiday music – it is all a reminder that the holidays are such a special time of year. A time to cherish those we love and buy them just the right gift to make their eyes light up.
However, there are three things I dislike about Holiday shopping:
1. Parking. With everyone shopping at the same time of year the parking at every mall and store is near impossible to get – so you have to park so far away that you can’t possible run back to your car to drop off packages midway through your shopping.
2. My Winter Coat. There is nothing that drives me crazier than dragging my Winter coat along with me everywhere I go. It’s hot, it’s bulky and there is no easy way to carry it and still manage to look at gifts and carry bags.
3. Thirsty. I always get thirsty shopping and never seem to have enough hands to carry a water bottle around with me. And, too often I don’t want to pay for a drink only to have to carry it (and my winter coat) around with me.
This year, these problems all vanished when I was treated to the VIP service of the RBC Avion Lounge at Yorkdale and all of my dislikes about Holiday shopping vanished!
Now I have a whole new level of love for Holiday shopping. Here are my three things I love about Holiday Shopping as an Avion VIP:
1. Valet Parking. The whole process of driving into the shopping centre, handing over my car keys and getting my car ‘parked’ took less than 5 minutes. A miraculously short time and on a cold, blustery evening I was able to quickly hustle into the Mall without ever getting cold. Amazing! And with kids, no worries about walking through the parking lot and looking out for cars, it was really an easy, worry free way to begin my shopping.
2. Coat Check & Parcel Check Service + Free Gift Wrapping
Winter coat – checked, bags and purchases – checked = no coat and no bags to schlep around the shopping centre. Hands-free (except for the kids) shopping is a heavenly change. Plus, with a busy mall and lots of people it is so much quicker and easier to negotiate without arms full of bags. Once your bags at at the RBC Avion Lounge you can choose your gift wrapping and have your gifts wrapped for free while you shop! Such a great way to keep my nosy husband from knowing what his Christmas gifts are!
3. Exclusive VIP Lounge and Cafe
Hot Chocolate topped with whipped cream, sprinkles and marshmallows handmade for me? Yes please! The Vip Lounge and Cafe were a wonderful oasis from the hustle and bustle of the shopping centre. They gave me some fresh water, a delicious hot Second Cup beverage, a chocolate and some shortbread to nibble on. Plus, I was able to sit, relax, look at a holiday magazine and regroup. It was such a unique and welcome treat.
My time at the RBC Avion Lounge made me feel like a VIP. I was treated to everything that could make my shopping experience better and a relaxing oasis to get away from the hustle and bustle of the crowds. Plus, as an Avioner I felt special and rewarded for my loyalty because of these special perks. Lounge Access has gone beyond the airport!
Have you visited a RBC Avion Lounge this Holiday Season? What was your favourite part?
“Disclosure: I am part of the RBC Avion Holiday Boutique Blogger Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.”
that sounds awesome……we don’t have one near us though :(
ashley recently posted..2013 Holiday Gift Guide
It’s looks like you had a nice experience in teh RBC Avion lounge! It’s great to be able to stop and unwind while shopping; it makes a huge difference.
Jenna Em recently posted..Disney Junior Canada Holiday Shows: Mickey Mouse & Sofia the First Meets The Little Mermaid!
I agree – the unwinding part is so important when you are busy shopping!
Kerrie @ Family Food and Travel recently posted..Chocolate Dipped Clementines
Valet parking? Coat check? Hot chocolate? Wow, sounds like a dream shopping perk. I am on my way ;)
Dani @ lifeovereasy recently posted..Big News. Really Big.
Dani – couldn’t agree more. I already love shopping – now all the things I don’t like about shopping are removed!
Kerrie @ Family Food and Travel recently posted..Chocolate Dipped Clementines
wow! where do I sign up?? lol If I lived even remotely close to that mall I would be all over it!
Jennifer recently posted..Apple Zucchini Bread
Well hello there.. free gift wrapping? Wahoo. I am all about that. This is a really great concept and would make me interested in doing more shopping. Ha. Plus coffee in the lounge area well I am all about that also.
paula schuck recently posted..Mallorie’s Story: When All You Want for Christmas is the Chance to Conceive #ohip4ivf #onpoli
Yes I can’t believe how much time getting free wrapping done saved me!
Kerrie @ Family Food and Travel recently posted..Chocolate Dipped Clementines
Wow! Now that is the way to shop! I’m always thirsty and hate carrying my coat, too!
Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? recently posted..Chocolate Coconut Pecan Pie
I need that gift wrapping in my life. I am so horrible when it comes to it I just throw everything in bags. This looks like a nice way to shop I may not want to leave…ever lol
Kita recently posted..I’m back
Wow, that would be wonderful to be so pampered before, during and after a shopping experience. I have never been there, but it sounds amazing.
The coat check would be so helpful! And same with free gift wrapping!
Shell recently posted..Keeping the Kitchen Clean with #DitchandSwitch
We have a lot in common when it comes to loves and dislikes of holiday shopping! The Avion Lounge sounds absolutely amazing.. like a shopper’s dream come true!
It truly is – glad to know I am not alone in my dislikes!
Kerrie @ Family Food and Travel recently posted..Chocolate Dipped Clementines
Wow! That sounds like an amazing holiday shopping experience! We don’t do a lot of shopping during the busy holiday season anymore because of the reasons you listed above (especially the parking!) It looks like your day was a breeze.
Autumn recently posted..Oh Christmas Tree!
It was fabulous – made shopping at the mall that much more fun!
Wow, that’s fancy! I wish I lived where you do, and I would be totally up to try the Avion Lounge! Thankfully, I live in a warmer climate, so my days of lugging a bulky winter coat around the mall with me are in the past. However, I totally identify with the thirst thing! How awesome that you had so many VIP drink options. More malls need to do this! :)
What an amazing experience RBC Avion lounge offers you. The coat check alone would make my holiday shopping so much better.
Yolanda @Seeing It Their Way recently posted..Hubby’s Way- Recipe for Roasted Pork Loin | Risotto | Grilled Asparagus
Wow this place is swanky! I wouldn’t fit in.
Meghan @JaMonkey recently posted..New Ever After High Dolls
WOW! We had a dept store in PA that offered free gift wrapping! Loved that feature when you bought gifts there. No trying to sneak in unwrapped presents past kid eyes. hahaha! VIP def has it’s benefits here!
Karen Hartzell (@InTheKitchenKP) recently posted..24 Mouthwatering Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes
Can they bring this to America too! Wow!
katherine recently posted..Aflac the Diapered Duck
Every mall should totally have something like this! I love the valet parking feature. It would make shopping so much easier when you have a load of bags to carry.
Kecia recently posted..10 Easy Christmas Crafts for Kids
Shopping is so utterly exhausting. What a wonderful way to kick back for a few before making the trip home. Love this!
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell recently posted..Betty Crocker Potatoes – The Perfect Pairing
Absolutely! Couldn’t agree more!
You are so right about the coat thing! I can’t stand carrying that thing around while trying to shop. I would rather freeze to the bone walking from the car to the mall rather than lug my big coat around with me. Speaking of shopping, I have not finished. I need to get on that…
Susanna Barbee (Zealous Mom) recently posted..Super Duper Sale on an eMeals Plan! #emeals
Now that’s how shopping should be done.
Daphne recently posted..My Karate Kid #WW
You got me a Vallet. I had dealing with the massive parking lots.
Debi recently posted..Sabra Hummus Only $1 at Market Basket
Lol – I know! The parking lots can be so stressful!
I HATE shopping, perhaps if I could have a shopping experience like the one you described here, I could learn to like it!
Janeane Davis recently posted..Nelson Mandela and Permission to Shine
I’d love to have this at my mall. They offer valet parking but not the lounge. That would be a great place to sit and relax before braving the crowds.
Kendra recently posted..Giving Tuesday Arby’s Style