RBC | Geek Life: Augmenting Reality

Do you shop for holiday gifts in person? Wouldn't it be amazing if you had access to free valet parking, gift wrapping, coat checking and more every time you shopped? Let's face it, especially if you're a shopaholic (*fistbump*), you'll be at your favourite mall at least a few times, over these super busy shopping months. If your favourite mall happens to be either Yorkdale here in Toronto, or the Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby, BC, you need to grab an RBC Avion Passport Seasons Pass and visit the Avion Holiday Boutique each time you shop. This is my new shopping buddy, and I can't even imagine shopping for holiday gifts without one. One thing everyone in Toronto knows, is if you want to shop at Yorkdale over the holiday season, you need to add (at minimum) half an hour to your trip just to find a parking spot. This mall is a one stop shop, and everyone is stopping here. The mall offers valet parking, and over the past years, there have been numerous occasions where I've felt like handing the keys over to a professional to have the car parked somewhere within the mass sea of metal. My time is precious, and is much better suited in Sephora, or Willams-Sonoma. Here's how a normal holiday shopping experience would look like for me: Get to the mall early (an hour before it opens,) or else we're going to spend so much time looking for a parking spot before we even get into the mall; SHOP! Hunt through store after store, looking for the best gifts and the best deals to have a Happy Merry with the family (I also have seven birthdays within my immediate family to shop for at this time of year. There are eight birthdays between Nov-Dec altogether, if I count my own!) Juggle parcel after parcel, as well as my purse, coat, mitts, hat and scarf, because whew when did it get hot in here, and hope with all hope that I have the receipts for everything tucked safely away. Gently place all the bags on the wet, muddied floor, and bundle up with your coat, mitts, hat and scarf, right at the sliding doors, before heading out to find the car, likely in a raging snowstorm. Wait, no, didn't we park by the HBC? Ugh, that's on the other side... Call Jay and brief him on Operation: Get the Gifts Inside Without Snoopy Snoops Sniffing Out Their Presents. His job is to wrangle the nephews into the basement, while I sneak into the house and hide the presents into the darkest closets and cupboards I can find. Sleep until New Years, or until the next time I need to go shopping, whichever comes first. Here Enters the Avion Holiday Boutique Seasons Pass to Save the Day If you're an RBC Avion account holder, download the Avion Passport app for instant access. If you're interested in getting the RBC Avion card now, head to Yorkdale (or Metrotown,) and apply for the card there. You will be given an Avion Holiday Boutique Seasons Pass right away. https://www.instagram.com/p/BM7eZeXAVNI Once you have your Seasons Pass from the Avion Holiday Boutique, parking will no longer be a concern, as you have access to unlimited valet parking for as long as the pass exists (from now until December 31st, 2016.) Huzzah, precious time saved! You may have the urge to laugh at the people still trying to find a parking space, while you simply roll in like the boss you are. It's the holidays though, so at least try to keep it down to a smirk. Your first instinct might be to go shop right away, but make a quick stop to the Avion Holiday Boutique, conveniently located in the middle of the mall, and check-in your heavy winter gear. Once that's done, head over to the many carafes lined up near the front entrance, and grab yourself some much needed nitro in a cup for all the energy you'll need to navigate the busy mall. I hear they even have hot chocolate and marshmallows if you're good for an energy boost (or if you heroically brought the kiddies along with you.) SHOP! All the shopping. Come back to the Avion Holiday Boutique and get your first five gifts wrapped for free (only items purchased within the mall qualify for wrapping, so be sure to keep your receipts handy for proof.) You'll have access to free gift wrapping everyday, and additional gifts can be wrapped for a small fee. The coolest part? You don't even need to stick around to watch your presents get wrapped. Simply drop them off and let the Avion Passport app notify you when the wrapping is done! [caption id="attachment_9653" align="aligncenter" width="600"] All the pretty papers you can find at the Yorkdale Avion Holiday Boutique Gift Wrapping table.[/caption] Not sure what to do while you wait? If the timing is right, grab some dinner, watch a movie, or shop again now that you've realized you forgot Grandma, eek. You could also find one of the plushy leather chairs in the boutique to take a load off, or for something unique, check out all the fun to be had within their VR space. [caption id="attachment_9652" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Avion Holiday Boutique Lounge to relax after a hard day of shopping![/caption] With everything purchased, and parcels wrapped and ready to go, use your Passport app to tell the Valet service that you need your car. That way, it'll be ready for you when you make your way to the Valet stop. How absolutely sweet is that? [caption id="attachment_9654" align="aligncenter" width="1440"] Avion Passport: The easy way to get your car ready at the Valet when you're done.[/caption] Get home and commence Operation: Get the Gifts Inside Without Snoopy Snoops Sniffing Out Their Presents, but feel less haggard about it all, and if the kids see? All they'll have eyes on is the wrappings. Way to go, Smart Shopper. *fistbump* Avion Holiday Boutique Has a Gift for Everyone Want to become the coolest person your friends know? Let them all in on this awesome secret... [clickToTweet tweet="Whoa! Find out how to get your presents wrapped for free while shopping at @YorkdaleStyle! #Avion" quote="Whoa! Find out how to get your presents wrapped for free while shopping at @YorkdaleStyle! #Avion"] Even if you don't have an Avion card for instant access to the Seasons Pass app, and maybe you're not ready to apply for the Avion card yet, you still qualify for a one time offering of five free gift wrappings no matter what. Download the Avion Passport app anyway and log in as a Guest on the day you know you're shopping at Yorkdale/Metrotown. It gives you access to five free gift wrappings on the same day once activated! This is particularly useful when you're shopping during your lunch break and need to get your coworker a gift asap for the party happening that afternoon. Who did you pull for Secret Santa again?? Need the Avion Passport app? Go to the Google Play or iTunes Store and search "Avion Passport". Happy Shopping! Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by RBC Avion in a partnership with Geek with Style to provide you the most up to date facts, helping you make better informed decisions. All opinions in this article are my own.

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Technology. Collectibles. Travel.

Technology. Collectibles. Travel.