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Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

Mastering the Art of “Me Time” with Masterpass

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Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

This December, it’s all about me.

After 10 years of getting caught up in the holiday rush – shopping for presents, hosting Christmas dinner, losing my mind with blog commitments and ramping up for the new year – this time around, I’ve decided to simply … not.

I’m done. Out. Finito. And it was easier to achieve than I ever could have imagined. If you’ve been (or are currently) in the same boat, here’s how to master the art of “me time”, even during the busiest time of the year.

1. Practice saying no, and mean it when you say it. For the first time in 10 years, I am not hosting Christmas dinner. Now don’t get me wrong – I love having my family over for the holidays. I love baking and cooking and decorating and fussing about all the tiny details to make it a night to remember. But this year, I decided that I had earned a hall pass; we have other able-bodied members in our family who are just as capable of throwing a festive get together. The conversation went something like this:

“Hey! So I’m not going to host Christmas dinner this year; I’ll let someone else have a turn. So you guys chat … and let us know when and where to show up!”

I realize it may be too late for you to follow suit (there’s always next year!), but there are ways to lessen the burden if you are hosting, such as planning a menu with make-ahead items, declaring Christmas dinner a potluck so everyone shares the workload, or eliminating a few dishes that are not universal hits and yield too many leftovers.

(Need a great potluck dish? Try my Cranberry, Pear and Bacon Stuffing. Yum!)
2. Avoid shopping malls during the busiest time of year. Hey, I love hitting the mall as much as the next shopaholic (some would call it my home away from home) and I have nothing but love for my favourite stores. But during the craziness of the holidays – especially when you’re trying to maximize your well-being – there’s no bigger time suck than shopping for Christmas presents in-store. In fact, a recent survey by Mastercard Canada revealed the average time Canadians spend holiday shopping in-store is about 8 hours … but that doesn’t include the time spent bundling up in winter wear, clearing snow off the vehicle, driving to the mall, circling the parking lot, and finally, walking around from store to store, lugging heavy purchases. 

No thank you! I can get twice as much shopping done in the same amount of time while shopping online from the comfort of my home, and not only can I save time while shopping online, I can also find the best price. Which means that instead of fighting crowds, I can be cuddled on my couch sipping hot chocolate, catching up on my favourite shows or dreaming of my next travel adventure.

Perhaps next year, Christmas in Cozumel?
3. Masterpass it to pay. Since I’ve committed to shopping online, why not save even more time with Masterpass? It’s a simple, convenient and trusted digital wallet for faster and more convenient shopping at thousands of online retailers, including many of my go-to stores for holiday shopping!

Masterpass makes checkout quick and easy by keeping my address and payment details securely stored and organized so I can bypass shipping and payment forms. All I had to do was sign up once and upload all of my preferred forms of payment (including my debit and credit cards – that’s right, Masterpass accepts more than just Mastercard).

Since Masterpass is a trusted source, protected by the powerful, multi-tiered security of Mastercard, I know my personal information is safe. Then, when checking out at participating retailers, I simply click the “Masterpass” button to sign into my digital wallet, verify purchase details, and get back to the other, more important things in my life.

This December is all about me, and I’ve efficiently completed all my holiday shopping thanks to Masterpass. So, this week we’re off to Cineplex to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Here’s my mini Kylo Ren checking for showtimes …
… and since Cineplex accepts Masterpass, ordering our tickets online was a breeze. We can’t wait!

I’ve mastered the art of “me time” during the hectic holiday rush and I’ve never felt better! How will you save time this season? One lucky reader will win a $100 Prepaid Mastercard! Tip: to the lucky winner, spend it on yourself! You deserve it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post is sponsored by Mastercard Canada. The opinions on my blog, as always, are my own.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Jessica F

    I’m going away for the holidays with my family so we are not doing gifts as that is our gift! But usually I do all my xmas shopping around Black Friday and Cyber Monday online.

  5. stephanie copplestone

    definitely gave me alot of ideas on how to plan next year and buy more gift at Costco ahead of time

  8. Michelle Cavanagh

    I wish I didn’t have to go shopping in-store this year!! I’m also not sure I will save some time, I feel like it’s been to long since I enjoyed my last “me time” . It’s coming though, and I will be having a few glasses of wine!!!

  31. Sab Edwards

    Indigo, mainly because they have a min of $25 for free shipping and the other guys have a min of $35…my wish list for books is pretty amazing lol

  36. Jennifer P.

    It would definitely be Costco for me! I go weekly for sure, probably the only place I visit on such a regular schedule.

  41. Darlene Schuller

    Lowes, hubby just got a job as an apartment building manager.. so I’m sure lowes will be our place lol

  61. Krista M

    Costco would be #1 here! Go in to buy a couple things, walk out having spent $400! I think we all go a little crazy in there! haha. Masterpass would make it go faster!

  74. Alicia Johnson

    Our family loves attending the movies, Cineplex is definitely one we shop at a lot. Thank you for this giveaway.

  82. Viv Sluys

    I wish they had more of the thousands of stores that it can be used at listed! I do t really shop at any of the featured stores.

  96. Dana Miller

    Finding…no, change that to making “Me Time” possible with Masterpass is a fabulous idea! I shop most at Costco.
    p.s. I’m also going to save time by relying on your Cranberry, Pear and Bacon Stuffing rather then surfing for hours through pinterest looking at possible new recipes to try out. Thanks!!

  99. Darci Paice

    There are so many wonderful companies! I would most likely choose London Drugs but Cineplex and Indigo are right up there too!!

  107. Tara Betterley

    I would shop at Indigo, Costco and Pizza Pizza the most. I am shopping almost weekly at these merchants

  114. Kristy

    I don’t shop at any of these merchants very often – maybe once or twice a year. My Costco membership recently expired and I haven’t renewed it yet, but I could see Masterpass as being very useful there.

  134. Kristy

    If I won this, I would use it to renew my Costco membership. And then maybe get myself something fun while there! :)

  138. tamara m

    I definitely shop the most at Costco (but also love Indigo)! Thank you so much for this chance! :)

  149. Lisa Bolduc

    Hands down it is costco. We go througb about 100 yogurt drinks a month. We need to stock them up

  154. Sarah Smart

    I’ll say Indigo! It’s the best place for gifts or grabbing some fun winter reads to stay in and get cozy on the couch with !

  164. September Dee

    I would use it at Costco! I never have enough cash on me and I want everything there!Thanks for the chance to win!

  165. Rob Brydon

    I like to shop online, why lug around bags and boxes in a mall when you can have them delivered to your door. Great blog Lena!!

  172. Lindsay O

    The merchant I shop at the most is probably Indigo…I’d like to say it’s Air Canada though. Lol. Travel-obsessed!

  187. Elizabeth Matthiesen

    I don’t use Masterpass but I do have Costco’s Mastercard, which also enables me to save quite a lot too.