Going holiday shopping with two little ones is an adventure, to say the least. The kids (and me too!) get tired and cranky, and all the little things add up to annoy and irritate. Things like driving around in circles looking for parking, lugging around everybody’s bulky winter coats plus the diaper bag and all the shopping bags, and just getting overwhelmed by the crowds. Somebody needs to pee, somebody else wants a snack, and I want to pull my hair out!
But if you’re an RBC Avion cardholder, you can ease your holiday shopping angst with RBC’s Avion Holiday Boutiques at select malls in Canada. Cardholders receive complimentary premium services that can help make your shopping experience more enjoyable including valet parking, coat and parcel check, VIP lounge and café, concierge services, and gift wrapping.
Last weekend we made a trip to Coquitlam Mall to get some shopping done. It wasn’t looking good when we joined the line of cars entering the parking lot looking for a spot to park. But then I spotted the RBC Avion valet stand out in front of the mall and that’s when things started looking up! We’re in the middle of a cold snap right now, and it was so nice to drop the car off at the door and just waltz right into the mall. Especially with Kay sleeping in hubs’ arms and Tee in tow.
Our first stop was the Avion Holiday Boutique to drop off our coats and diaper bag at the secure coat check. It was so nice not to have to carry all that with us everywhere we went.
Then we braved the mall. I was on a quest to find a little pink wallet for Tee’s stocking, as well as presents for Grandma, Uncle Adam, and my BFF. When the kids started whining, “I’m tired. I don’t want to walk any more!” it was clearly time to return to the VIP Lounge to take a load off.
We hit the cafe, and hubs and I got tea, but they had run out of hot chocolate. Luckily they still had plenty of maple candy, so the girls’ disappointment was assuaged quickly.
The lounge area has plenty of comfortable seating, TVs, and complimentary wifi. They have stacks of kids’ Christmas books and iPads available to borrow too. That meant I could take my eyes off the girls for a minute and just relax.
With the pretty holiday decorations, soft music, and friendly staff, the RBC Avion Holiday Boutique is an oasis of calm in the middle of all the holiday shopping craziness.
Even if you’re not an Avion cardholder, you can still take advantage of the valet parking, coat & parcel check, and gift wrapping services for a pre-set fee. Even better – the fees from the coat/parcel check and gift wrapping will be donated to local non-profit SHARE Community and Family Services.
The Holiday Boutique is a popular place and the gift wrapping service is always busy, so if you want to have your packages wrapped, make sure you bring them in early. I really appreciated the chance to take a break in the middle of our busy day, but the best part of the whole experience was the way the staff and the manager focused on taking care of each and every guest. They really went out of their way to make our experience as relaxing and enjoyable as possible. Thanks for having us!
The RBC Avion Holiday Boutique is open all throughout the holiday season until December 31st. (Think how awesome this would be for Boxing Day shopping!)
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.
I’m hoping that we’ll be able to get to the one located at Yorkdale!
My son plays the piano and sings at the Coquitlam centre Avion Lounge, it’s such an awesome place !
Very cool! When we were there, two little girls were playing some Xmas carols for fun (and they were really good too!).
Yeah, it’s pretty awesome that the Avion guys have done this.
When you have time, he plays again this Saturday 1-3 pm.