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Special Ways to Spend Time with Mom This Mother’s Day

Moms of all sorts deserve a treat (not just this month, but always!). And what better gift is there than a little quality time with her kids? Whether yours likes to rest up or rev it up, go high brow or get down and dirty, we found some of the most interesting experiences for sharing special time with your favourite lady.

Natural Woman

Reconnect with Mom and nature at the same time on an leisurely walk. The Meadowlark Festival offers more than 30 educational nature tours over five days across southern British Columbia. Introduce yourself to some of the Summerland locals with the Introductory Birding Workshop, or brush up on your photo skills with the Nature Photography Workshop in Penticton.

For young families or moms with grandchildren, a family nature walk offers a curiosity-based pace and a guide with lots of patience for lots of questions. The Canadian Wildlife Federation offers WILD Family Nature Club programs and events in and around Vancouver and Calgary. Adults and kids can connect with other families who love the awe and wonder of the natural world. How does an afternoon of hiking, picnic-ing, bird and bug watching sound?

To truly test mom and offspring cooperation, travel by kayak. The Wings Over the Rockies Festival offers a guided river tour of the Upper Columbia Wetlands to Lake Windermere near Fairmont, BC. You’ll discover intricate facts about this great North American river and its ecologically important wetlands, along with its abundant birds, fish, reptiles and mammals.

Zippety-do-dah!

Does your mom get a little squirrelly over the winter? Try zipping her through the forest from the perspective of a flying squirrel. There are plenty of safe and fun zipline tours to choose from. Many allow children as young as 6.

Some zipline tours emphasize wildlife and nature like this Zipline Eco-Tour at the Canadian Rockies Adventure Centre in Canmore, AB, while others offer more gladiator-style obstacles like this one in Chase, BC (near Kamloops) with its optional adrenaline-raising drop swing.

If your mom likes the view from above but not the need for speed, this non-zip Treetrek tour in Whistler offers spectacular views of the river valley from nine suspension bridges.

Getaway Girl

Those who can split costs with siblings may like to surprise Mom with a holiday weekend. For some maternal harmony, sign her up for the Banff Yoga Festival from June 1-3. Whether mom likes her yoga on a mat, hanging from a rope or floating in a canoe, she will find classes to suit any preference or ability.

If y’all are more of a down-home bunch, the Sooke River Bluegrass Festival (Jume 15-17) may be just your jamboree. Located on the southern-most tip of Vancouver Island, the festival is family-friendly and features an array of local and visiting acoustic talent, food and merchandise vendors, instrument workshops and beautiful scenery.

All Dressed Up

Some Moms jump at the chance to get gussied up. Here are a few cultural events worthy of couture.

The always inventive Alberta Ballet is presenting their newest ballet entitled All of Us, May 2-6 in Calgary and May 10-12 in Edmonton. Inspired by the Tragically Hip’s most loved songs, this post-apocalyptic rock ballet is the newest creation by Jean Grand-Maître. The gritty yet hopeful story combines the artistry some of the country’s most talented dancers with the beloved music from Canada’s favourite band. A fantastic night out for any mom who’s a fan of the arts.

On another note, Vancouver Opera is staging a spectacular new musical treatment of Gogol’s beloved story, The Overcoat – a musical tailoring, from April 28-May 12. It’s a reimagining of Morris Panych and Wendy Gorling’s landmark movement theatre piece of the same name – a bold operatic voice to the beloved rags-to-riches tale of a lowly office worker and his beloved overcoat. Entrancing with spectacular choreography and darkly-funny storytelling, this genre-bending Overcoat is one of the must-sees of the opera season.

Whether your mom is a tracksuit or a tiara type, she’ll appreciate the gift of time with her kids–especially when the activity perfectly suits her personality.

May Book of the Month

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
In a country teetering on the brink of civil war, two young people meet – sensual, fiercely independent Nadia and gentle, restrained Saeed. They embark on a furtive love affair, and are soon cloistered in a premature intimacy by the unrest roiling their city. As familiar streets are turned into a patchwork of checkpoints and bomb blasts, the couple begins to hear whispers about doors – doors that can whisk people far away, if perilously and for a price. As the violence escalates, Nadia and Saeed decide that they no longer have a choice. Leaving their homeland and their old lives behind, they find a door and step through…
An epic compressed into a slender page-turner, Exit West is both of our time and for all time.

Reviews
Exit West by Mohsin Hamid is a timely story about immigration and refugees with a twist. In light of current events I would say it’s a must read to open your eyes to the plight of refugees in the world today. It’s a quick moving story that is beautifully written. I found myself going back time and time again to re-read lines that were so well-written that they needed a second read. I highly recommend this book. – Review by Carolynn

Exit West is interesting and riveting. It gives you an inside look at the effects of civil war, as seen through the eyes of two lovers living in this time and trying to make a life during a time of unrest and tragedy around them. There are lots of issues going on in the world today that help us relate to the issues they must cope with and the decisions they must make. It gives you a ‘bigger picture’ feeling with regards to how people deal with certain stresses and keeping a relationship going despite things going on around them. – Review by Angela

Book of the Month
Every month we will be featuring a new 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. Exit West is available at London Drugs along with many other great titles and is on sale for the month of May.

Mother’s Day Giveaway: Enter for a Chance to Win a Collage Poster Keepsake for Your Mom!

With what seems like a lifetime of digital photos to choose from, picking one great photo of mom in her element can be tough. So this Mother’s Day, why not create a beautiful Collage Poster keepsake for mom with a whole bunch of her best moments?

To help surprise one lucky mom this Mother’s Day, we’re giving away a 24×36 Collage Poster (valued at $29.99) and a $100 London Drugs gift card so you can create your own special photo gift for mom, with all your favourite snapshots!

To enter for a chance to win this Mother’s Day Collage Poster Package:

Follow @LDPhotolab on Instagram or Twitter
Comment on our Instagram giveaway post or send us a tweet, telling us why you would love to gift your mom a Collage Poster for Mother’s Day.

Rules and Regulations:

To enter this @LDPhotolab Instagram & Twitter contest:
Step 1. Follow @LDPhotolab on Instagram or Twitter
Step 2. Comment on the @LDPhotolab Instagram giveaway post OR send @LDPhotolab a tweet, telling us why you would love to gift your mom a photo collage for Mother’s Day.
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 May 1, 2017; (ii) have reached the age of majority in the province in which they reside as of May 1, 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 on May 8, 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.
The winners 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 Drug’s 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 (1) prize awarded to one winner: 1 prize pack consisting of: one 24×36 Collage Poster (valued at $29.99) and one $100 London Drugs gift card. See details and contest dates below. Prize must be accepted as awarded, are non-transferable and no substitutions are permitted. Prize will be awarded at the closest London Drugs location to contest winner.
Contest dates – Tuesday, May 1, 2018 12:01AM to Tuesday, May 8, 2018 11:59PM Pacific Time
Draw date – 12:00PM Pacific Time Wednesday, May 9, 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 winner 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 winner does not respond then she/he will be notified for the second time, 3 (three) days after the first notification. If the winner still does 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.

Why Fika is the Key to Happiness at Work

One could certainly say that Scandinavians have a lot of things figured out. They consistently take top honours when it comes to prosperity, education, and happiness ratings, so we’d probably be wise to take their advice. We’ve posted before about the delightful, Danish notion of hygge (or the art of getting cozy). Our new Scandinavian obsession is the Swedish tradition of fika. Read on about why we love the idea, and why we think everyone should incorporate it into their workday.

What is Fika, anyway?

There is no literal translation for fika in English, but it is defined as “a concept in Swedish culture with the basic meaning to have coffee, often accompanied with pastries, cookies or pie.” But ask any Swede, and they will tell you that fika-ing (yes, you can use the word as a noun or a verb) is about more than just grabbing a coffee; it’s a moment to leave work behind. Traditionally taken twice a day (first at 10am and then at 3pm), it’s not a strategy for more meetings with coffee in hand, it’s a chance to actually relax with co-workers. Despite Sweden being the world’s third-largest coffee drinking nation, Fika doesn’t necessarily even have to involve coffee—tea or lemonade are popular alternatives. The point is to slow down and connect.

Why should I Fika?

Work is inherently a social activity. It has to be; even if you don’t work around a lot of people that often, you do work for people. At the same time, people are getting busier than ever, and our work increasingly involves more technology and less interaction every day, so that can lead to more isolation in the workplace. When we’re not connecting with the people we spend so many hours a day with, there is potential for loneliness.

Studies have shown that loneliness and isolation at work can not only lead to depression, they can kill your job performance. Recognition, gratitude, encouragement, emotional support, and camaraderie are all important factors to finding fulfilment at work, and life in general, so nurturing these things with regular personal connection can increase productivity, improve motivation, and foster company loyalty. The stripped down, casual style of fika breaks can even lead to new ideas and more creative problem solving.

So, Ska vi fika? Let us know how you practice fika in the comments below, or if you’ll incorporate it into your work day!

4 Truly Heartwarming Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

What do you get the woman who gave you life?

Of course she’ll say that you don’t have to get her anything, because “you just being here is enough.” Moms… right? She’s selfless, she’s kind, she’s your biggest fan. Flowers or chocolate just doesn’t feel like enough, so give her something that really says, “Thank you for being you.”

Posters and Collages

She dressed you on your first day of school and she lit up every graduation photo. Mom’s greatest hits and proudest moments are meant to be displayed. Whether you compile the best of the great women in every generation (daughter, mom, grandma), or a series of family vacations, birthdays and holidays, a poster or collage is a sentimental keepsake, and the perfect Mother’s Day gift this year.

Just order a selection of glossy or pearl prints, and pick a collage frame that best showcases them. This kind of frame will also give mom the flexibility to change out the photos periodically with new ones, as the kids grow up, and there are new memories to share.

Or, if you’d prefer to print all your photos as one collage poster, you can do that too! Just choose a size and background colour, then drop your photos into one of our collage templates. Easy peasy.

Photobooks

Sometimes it’s hard to pick just one, or three, or five of your favourite photos. Over the many years of milestones, trick-or-treating and BBQ’s, you’ve filled drawer after drawer and box after box with glossy prints. We can take your photo story and print and bind a photo book, just for her. Flip through memory lane or compile her favourite recipes – either gift will be a hit with your #1.

Photo Mugs

Nothing is better with eggs and toast than a cup of Joe printed with love. Get personal with a Mother’s Day photo mug. You can add the kids’ handprints, or a photo of them shining their pearly whites, plus add a heartwarming message just for mom. To get started, either scan and upload your handprint art or photo at home, or visit us in-store for a little extra help from our LDExperts.

Mother’s Day Cards

Sometimes the little things speak louder volumes than something wrapped and boxed. Personalize a Mother’s Day card with photos of you together, a special message from the heart, and a theme that will fit her wildly individual spirit like a glove.

Be ready with the Kleenex, these gifts are sure to tug at Mom’s heartstrings! Order your gifts online at the London Drugs Photolab.

The Most Beautiful Blossoms in Canada

Despite some setbacks and non-starts this year, we are finally(!) beginning to see visual evidence of spring in Canada. Our favourite sign of spring is the emergence of beautiful blossoms, so we thought we’d better celebrate. Canada, we know you’re pretty. You don’t have to show off!

1. Almost There

Photo from Donna Davie on Instagram

These delicate little guys in Langely, BC are raring to go, now that the temperatures are finally cooperating.

2. Canadian Tulip Festival

Photo from Canadian Tulip Festival

Every May, Ottawa is home to the Canadian Tulip Festival, and this year’s crop is getting ready to strut their stuff.

3. Forever Cherry Blossoms

Photo from Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

Vancouverites know that right now is the best time to take advantage of the gorgeous cherry blossoms blooming on streets and in parks all over town.

4. Butchart Gardens, Of Course

Photo from verifex on Flickr

No visit to Victoria, BC is complete without a trip to Butchart Gardens, especially in the spring. Don’t you just want to get lost in there for a couple of hours?

5. Walking on Clouds

Photo from Shawn Harquail on Flickr

This little critter is hard at work, so we’ll stop and smell the flowers for him.

6. Wild Mountain Beauty

Photo from @mywaterton.ca on Instagram

Along with their spectacular winter vistas, Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta is also famous for their spring wildflowers, and they even celebrate with a Wildflower Festival every June. Half of all wildflower species found in Alberta grow in this park, and of those, 175 species are listed as rare in Alberta, and 20 are only found in Waterton. Worth the hike, to be sure!

Did we miss your #BeautifulCanada blossoms photo? Link to it in the comments or tag us on Instagram @LondonDrugs so we all can ooh and ahhh!

5 Simple Ways to Get a Better Night’s Sleep

Sleep is essential for both our physical and mental wellbeing. And yet, so many of us are sleeping poorly. Experts say adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night to feel refreshed. In 2017, Statistics Canada released a report stating that one third of Canadians sleep fewer than the recommended hours.

Insufficient sleep not only leaves us tired, but it can also be linked to health issues such as weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, and depression. So what can we do to combat common sleep issues?

Limit Caffeine, Alcohol, Eating, and Liquids at Night

While we might love our afternoon java, it is not doing our sleeping patterns any favours. The stimulants in caffeine and alcohol can impair our sleep when consumed up to six hours before bed. Experts recommend sticking to decaffeinated coffee at night and limiting alcohol intake. Drinking too many liquids after dark might have you rising often to empty your bladder, and eating late at night can leave you feeling too full or make it uncomfortable to sleep.

Maintain a Consistent Bedtime Routine

Studies have shown that maintaining a consistent routine helps keep our sleep rhythms on track. As tempting as those weekend lie-ins are, it may be messing with your circadian rhythm. If you’re struggling to fall asleep on Sunday nights, try adjusting your weekend sleep to be more similar to your workday routine.

Create the Right Bedroom Environment

Temperature, noise, and light in your bedroom may be affecting your ability to fall asleep—and stay asleep. We all know how hard it can be on hot summer nights! Similarly, if your bedroom thermostat is set too high in the cooler months, it can impact your ability to sleep. Keeping your bedroom environment dark is also recommended for a good night’s rest, and if you are hearing traffic noise, consider using a fan or white noise machine. Try the Homedics Soundspa Enliven from London Drugs with eight soothing sounds and an auto-off timer to gently relax.

Consider a Sleep Supplement

Melatonin is a very popular supplement to help with falling asleep, and is often used to treat insomnia. Alternative options are Ginko-biloba, Magnesium, and Lavender. You can find a full range of sleep supplements at London Drugs.

Talk to an Expert

Visit a London Drugs location near you and speak to one of our friendly pharmacists who can provide expert advice on improving your sleep habits. Also, are you having trouble getting your baby to sleep? Read our Q&A with Baby’s Best Sleep for answers to some common questions. Sweet dreams!