Stocking Stuffers for Seniors Delivers Holiday Cheer to 15,000 Seniors Thanks to You

Stocking Stuffers for Seniors

Ever wondered what it would feel like to be a real-life Santa Claus? Thanks to you, we got to experience the magic of Santa’s gift gifting this holiday season through the Stocking Stuffers for Seniors program.

Thanks to donations from our wonderful customers in stores throughout western Canada, we were able to fulfill Christmas wishes for 15,000 seniors, surpassing last year’s achievement of 10,000.

Stocking Stuffers for Seniors

So many of these seniors don’t have family or anyone with whom to spend the holidays, which makes Christmas a very difficult time.

Stocking Stuffers for Seniors

Every gift made a huge difference in the lives of the seniors who received them, most of whom asked for basics like socks, cozy blankets, and body wash.

Stocking Stuffers for Seniors

So many customers went above and beyond and provided Christmas cards, well wishes, and little treats that truly were amazing, bringing smiles to thousands of faces!

Check out more highlights from this year’s Stocking Stuffers for Seniors program:

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Thanks to everyone who contributed so generously this year! We can’t wait to bring Stocking Stuffers for Seniors back next year and continue the tradition of bringing joy to local seniors in our communities!

How Do You Simplify the Holiday Season?

Simplify the Season

We love Christmas, but we’re the first to admit the holiday season can get complicated. It’s a busy time, with extra social obligations that add hours onto our daily to-do lists.

That’s why this year, we set out to help you #SimplifyTheSeason.

Our #SimplifyTheSeason giveaway aimed to bring a bit of ease to your holiday season by taking care of at least some of your purchases with 12 x $100 gift cards, which we awarded to our Instagram followers who entered our 12-day giveaway.

As part of the entry process, we asked you to share how you #SimplifyTheSeason. And the response was overwhelming. We got some great answers, and a ton of good ideas we can all use to relax and truly enjoy the magic of the holidays.

Here’s a look at a few of the responses we got to how you #SimplifyTheSeason. Thanks to everyone who participated in our giveaway!


Stay tuned to our Instagram channel for more ways we can help you #SimplifytheSeason. And Merry Christmas to you and yours!

December Book of the Month: I’ll Be Gone in the Dark

December Book of the Month: I'll Be Gone in the Dark

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara

I’ll be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara is a true crime account of the Golden State Killer, the rapist and murderer who terrorized middle-class California neighbourhoods from 1976 to 1986.

At the time of publishing in early 2018, the Golden State Killer had not yet been caught, despite an almost 40-year search by investigators who interviewed more than 8,000 suspects, and despite the efforts of researchers like McNamara, who dedicated 10 years of her life to finding the man behind the mask: the man who eluded police and held an entire state a hostage to fear for more than a decade.

December Book of the Month: I'll Be Gone in the Dark

The wanted poster for the man known as the East Area Rapist/Golden State Killer. Credit: FBI.

Sadly, McNamara passed away unexpectedly at the age of 46 in April 2016, two years before police apprehended Joseph DeAngelo, the alleged Golden State Killer, perpetrator of 50 rapes and at least 13 murders. DeAngelo will face trial later this year, a fact that McNamara would surely have celebrated with her colleagues and investigators.

In fact, after reading her book, which is part memoir, it’s hard to say what was more fascinating, her account of the Golden State Killer’s movements or her frank honesty about her own obsession with true crime. 

McNamara’s descent into the often dark underworld of unsolved crimes began when she was a young girl growing up in Illinois. A 24-year-old woman was murdered in her neighbourhood of Oak Park. The case was never solved, and so began McNamara’s relentless mission to unmask and name the perpetrators of horrific, unsolved crimes.

McNamara, wife of actor Patton Oswalt and mother to their young daughter, Alice, sacrificed much of her personal life as she travelled all over the country, lost many nights of sleep and missed special events, all in the name of justice. She is clearly well respected by the investigators she befriended and worked with while researching her book. In fact, upon her death, the book wasn’t yet complete and it was her lead researcher and one of her colleagues who pored over her 3,500 files and pages of notes and completed her work.

And her work is remarkable. McNamara outlines, with painstaking detail, the experiences of the Golden State Killer’s victims. It’s admittedly a tough read at times as she delves into the depraved mind of the man known then as the East Area Rapist (EAR) and Original Night Stalker (ONS). She also interviewed many of the investigators who worked the case over the years, and she explores the toll it took on their own lives as the EAR-ONS eluded capture time and time again.

In the Epilogue of I’ll be Gone in the Dark, McNamara writes a letter to her imagined Golden State Killer, titled, Letter to an Old Man. One paragraph that stands out reads as follows:

“The race is yours to win. You’re home free; you can feel it. The victims recede from view. Their rhythm is off, their confidence drained. They’re laden with phobias and made tentative by memory. Divorce and drugs beset them. Statute of limitations expire. Evidence kits are tossed for lack of room. What happened to them is buried, bright and unmoving, a coin at the bottom of a pool. They do their best to carry on. So do you.”

McNamara’s skilled writing and her deep understanding of both the perpetrator and his victims is what makes this book so compelling and a must-read for true crime fans.

Book of the Month

Every month we will be featuring a book to be showcased in our Book of the Month. Staff members and friends will be reading the book and posting their reviews. We’d love to hear what you thought of these books as well. Post your comments and let us know. I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is available at London Drugs along with many other great titles and is on sale for the month of December.

Dyson AM09 Tower Fan and Heater Contest

Together with Dyson, we’re excited to be giving away one Dyson AM09 Tower Fan and Heater! See below for full Terms & Conditions and how to enter.

 

Dyson Facebook Contest Terms & Conditions

To enter: Comment with the answer to “what the is the temperature range of the AM09? (Hint: visit the product page to find this information)”

Contest is open to all residents of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba who, as of the date the prize draw is made: (i) have not won a London Drugs contest since December 13th, 2017; (ii) have reached the age of majority in the province in which they reside as of December 7th, 2018; (iii) are not employees of London Drugs, their respective advertising and promotional agencies, the independent judging organization (if any), or any family member living with any such employee.

No purchase necessary. Limit one (1) entry per person per social network per contest. Entries must be received no later than 11:59 PM Pacific Time December 13th, 2018. London Drugs is not responsible for entries that become lost or misdirected. All entries become the property of London Drugs Limited and will not be returned.

One (1) winner will be randomly chosen on the day the contest ends (see dates below) in Vancouver, British Columbia, from all eligible entries received per contest. To win, selected entrants must correctly answer a skill-testing mathematical question and must sign London Drugs’ declaration and release confirming compliance with the contest rules and acceptance of the prize(s) as awarded, releasing London Drugs from liability in association with the contest and prize and consenting to the use of their name, photograph, voice and statements for promotional and publicity purposes.

There will be one prizes of

  • ONE (1) Dyson AM09 Tower Fan and Heater (L5071055, valued at $499.99)

See details and contest date below. Prizes must be accepted as awarded, are non-transferable and no substitutions are permitted. Prizes will be awarded at the closest London Drugs location to contest winners.

Contest date – Friday, December 7th, 2018 – Thursday December 13th, 2018, 11:59 PM Pacific Time

Draw date – Friday December 14th, 2018

Only one prize may be won by any one person and household. In the event that any selected entrant incorrectly answers the skill-testing question or is otherwise unwilling or unable to comply in full with these rules, a new entry will be drawn.

Selected winners will be contacted by email or on the social network they were drawn from. No correspondence will be entered into except with selected entrants. If the winners do not respond then they will be notified for the second time, 3 (three) days after the first notification. If the winners still do not respond within 3 days of the second notification, a new winner will be chosen in the same manner until a winner is successfully contacted.

The chances of winning a prize will depend on the number of eligible entries received. Decisions of the judges in respect of all aspects of this contest including, but not limited to, eligibility of entries and correctness of answers given to the skill-testing question, are final.

London Drugs and their respective advertising and promotional agencies, the independent judging organization, and their respective agents are not liable to an entrant in any manner relating to the contest or the awarding and use of the prize(s).

This contest is subject to all federal, provincial, and municipal laws and regulations. By entering the entrant consents to the collection of all personal information included on their entry and agrees to the use and disclosure of such information by and between London Drugs, an independent judging organization, and their agents. The winner(s) also agrees to the collection, use, and disclosure of their name, entry, photographs, voice, and statements for London Drugs’ publicity purposes without further compensation. All personal information collected from entrants will be used only for the purposes of administering the contest and for marketing and promotional purposes as contemplated by these rules; under no circumstances will any personal information be sold or rented to third parties. All personal information collected by London Drugs will be kept in accordance with the privacy policy of London Drugs, which can be viewed at www.londondrugs.com, and in accordance with all applicable privacy laws.

The right is reserved by London Drugs to terminate this contest, in whole or in part, and/or modify, amend or suspend the contest, and/or these rules in any way, should any cause beyond the reasonable control of London Drugs or its agents affect the proper administration thereof.

 

 

See Why Stocking Stuffers for Seniors is Filling Us All with Joy

The spirit of giving is strong in our London Drugs community! We’re overwhelmed with gratitude at this year’s response to the Stocking Stuffers for Seniors program — and it’s not over yet!

We’re well on our way to achieving our goal of filling 15,000 stockings, but there are still tags on trees and wishes waiting to be granted!

Here are a few highlights from some of the generous participants in our stores.

Join Us in Bringing Christmas Cheer to Seniors in our Communities!

Join us in giving back this holiday season. Support a local senior citizen by stopping by one of our stores, selecting a tag from the in-store Christmas tree, and filling a Christmas wish.

Get all the details about the Stocking Stuffers for Seniors program, how it works, and how you can get involved. We thank you for making this holiday season special for seniors — and for us all!

2018 Holiday Gift Guide: Cool Finds for the Trend Seekers in Your Life

2018 Gift Guide: Gifts for Trend Seekers

We all have friends and family who love to stay on top of the latest gadgets and trends. In some ways, this makes them easy to shop for, if you know what’s trending. But what if you don’t? Well, you check out this holiday gift guide and let us help you! London Drugs has all the hottest gifts to keep you and your loved ones on trend.

For the Serenity Seekers

2018 Gifts for Trend Seekers: Aromatherapy Diffuser2018 Gifts for Trend Seekers - Aromatherapy Diffuser

Aromatherapy diffusers are all the rage, and they make great gifts during this busy and potentially stressful time of year. Show your gift recipient how much they mean to you with an Ellia Soothe Aroma Diffuser or the adorable Coastal Cactus diffuser.

Add in some essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, or Fight It, the perfect combination of oils to ward off colds.

For the Beauties

2018 Gifts for Trend Seekers: La Roche Posay Beauty Kit2018 Gifts for Trend Seekers: Biotherm Beauty Kit

If you want to really pamper someone, the La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum Kit or the Biotherm Skin Oxygen Holiday Set will get their skin hydrated and glowing for the new year.

For the Coffee Connoisseurs

2018 Gifts for Trend Seekers - Braun Coffee Maker2018 Gifts for Trend Seekers - Russell Hobbs Coffee Maker

The latest coffee makers from Braun and Russell Hobbs are sleek, stylish, and equipped with the newest technology to brew coffee quicker. Who wants to wait for their morning cup?

The Braun Digital Touch Screen Coffee Maker brews 12 cups in under 10 minutes and tracks freshness using a digital indicator. This Russell Hobbs 8-Cup Stainless Steel Coffee Maker uses advanced technology for full flavour extraction and features a permanent gold-tone filter and self-cleaning function, reducing waste.

For the Health and Fitness Buffs

2018 Gifts for Trend Seekers: Ninja Mega Kitchen System2018 Gifts for Trend Seekers: FitBit Charge 3

For your uber-healthy friends and fam, the Ninja Mega Kitchen System has everything one needs for eating healthily. The 2-horsepower motor connects with a 72oz blender jar, 8-cup food processor bowl, or two single serve cups for juice or smoothies on the go.

The latest version in the Fitbit Charge series continues to track overall health, workouts, and sleep while adding call alerts, text notifications, and updates from favourite apps.

For the Sound Hounds

2018 Gifts for Trend Seekers - Sony Smart Speaker2018 Gifts for Trend Seekers - Klipsche Multi-Room Speaker

With many hopping on the smart home train, why not get your trendy friends and family started with the Sony Smart Speaker? Not only is it voice controlled with the built-in Google Assistant, it’s also got touch-free gesture control.

For a more traditional sound system option, the Klipsch Multiroom Speaker with Play-Fi has a gorgeous mid-century modern look paired with modern sound technologies.

For the Snap Happy

2018 Gifts for Trend Seekers - Go Pro Camera 2018 Gifts for Trend Seekers - DJI Spark Drone

GoPro cameras are perfect for capturing Instagrammable adventures in the mountains, and the DJI Spark drone makes those beautiful aerial shots possible.

2018 Gifts for Trend Seekers - Fuji Film Instax

The Fujifilm Instax Square SQ6’s selfie mode and selfie mirror produce perfect selfies you can treasure forever.

For the Tech Savvy

2018 Gifts for Trend Seekers - Apple Watch Series 42018 Gifts for Trend Seekers - iPhone XR

Finally, the two big items this year for the trend seekers on your list should be the Apple Watch Series 4 and the iPhone XR. The latest versions of these tech must-haves have just gotten better.

The Apple Watch has automated workout detection and advanced health features, and the built-in cellular functionality means you don’t need to have your phone on you to take phone calls and messages!

The iPhone XR sports the most advanced LCD screen in the cellular marketplace, an incredible new camera, and has the option to support dual SIM cards. It’s no wonder they were both on Oprah’s Favourite Things list this year!

We’ve got all kinds of gifts for all kinds of gifters. Need more holiday gift help? Check out londondrugs.com for more great gift ideas.

5 Winter Driving Tips

Whether you’re a new driver or you’ve tackled your fair share of Canadian winters, everyone knows that icy weather can be rough on your car. With freezing temperatures, slick roadways and blankets of snow falling down – it’s inevitable that your vehicle will experience winter wear and tear. But poor winter weather can also make for dangerous driving conditions. Failing to match your driving habits to inclement winter weather can put you and others in harm’s way. To help keep yourself and others safe on the road this winter, we suggest some simple tips:

1. Remember to Leave Space

When visibility is poor, it’s very important to maintain a safe distance from other vehicles. When roads are wet they may become frozen and icy, and stopping distances increase dramatically. This means that if you fail to maintain plenty of distance, you may not have enough time to stop safely and could crash.

2. Don’t Drive With an Obstructed View

When winter weather conditions make it difficult to see the road clearly, you still need to navigate through snow, ice, mud and other elements to get home safely. Make sure you’ve invested in a high-quality ice scraper and replace your windshield wipers as soon as they begin to wear out. Additionally, obstructed or dim headlights can make it difficult to see where you’re going. So don’t forget to replace the bulbs as needed to help keep your car free from icy buildup that blocks your view.

3. Properly Winterize Your Vehicle

Once the weather starts to cool down, it’s a good idea to put away your regular tires in favor of snow tires. Along with a good ice scraper, you should include a set of chains in your vehicle, especially if you live in a hilly area. In fact, certain roadways require chains during inclement weather for any vehicle that is lacking four-wheel drive or snow tires. The addition of a few blankets and an emergency road safety kit are also helpful when winterizing your vehicle.

4. Adjust Your Speed Appropriately

Even if you’re familiar with the regular route to your home or office, that doesn’t mean you don’t have to slow down during a storm. Instead of rushing and driving too fast, allow for extra time to get around town and be careful whenever you have to brake, take curves, or change lanes. The danger of skidding on ice is greatest when you’re taken by surprise, so remember to drive at an appropriate speed during winter storms.

5. Go Easy on the Breaks

Chances are that if you’re driving too fast and too close to other cars, you’ll have to brake hard to avoid an accident. Try to go easy on your brakes whenever possible to avoid making one or more of your wheels lock. Locked-up wheels are dangerous because they can easily send you into a spin and become very dangerous on winter roadways.

Stay Safe and Enjoy a Happy Winter

As your trusted insurance broker, we want to make sure that you and your loved ones stay safe on the roads this winter. By following a few key safety steps you can protect yourself and others all year long. Visit us online at ldinsurance.ca for more information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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