If you’ve been following me on Instagram over the last month, you may have tuned in for my weekly sponsored #TireTipTuesday segment. I’ve partnered with Kal Tire to spread the word about safe winter driving, and that all starts with safe tire choices.

A Kal Tire winter driving survey confirms many Canadians aren’t making safe tire choices for winter driving: Two-thirds of motorists don’t know how to tell if a tire is winter-rated, and most have misperceptions about when it’s safe to use all-season tires.

Survey shows nearly one-third of Canadians think all-seasons are safe for severe winter conditions; few drivers know what the winter tire symbol means

According to the survey, which polled 1,664 motorists from BC to Ontario, 89 per cent of Canadian motorists state they encounter severe winter driving conditions at least occasionally, including 35 per cent who face the conditions regularly. Yet one-third of motorists plan on using all-season tires this winter; 41 per cent of those drivers feel all-season tires are “fine.”

Results showed that 66 per cent of Canadian motorists don’t know the difference between all-season and all-weather tires.

All-season tires are designed for warm, dry and mild wet conditions in temperatures above +7C. Winter tires are needed for traction in cold temperatures, once it starts to dip below +7C, as well as snow, ice and slush. All-weather tires are winter designated, bearing the mountain snowflake symbol, but can also be driven year-round without wearing prematurely in the summer — eliminating the need for tire changeovers or storage.

Weather data across Canada shows the average temperature in all major cities drops below +7C in November. In Vancouver, the average temperature is below +7C by November, and doesn’t reach above +7C again until March.

“Once it starts dipping below the +7C mark, the rubber of an all-season tire hardens, loses traction, and the tread blocks can get really clogged with snow and slush so it’s not a safe choice even in mild winter conditions,” says Bill Gardiner, an automotive expert, interprovincial licensed mechanic and Kal Tire spokesperson. “In the Lower Mainland we have a lot of people who head to Whistler and the Interior to ski. If people here need a year-round tire, the all- weather might be the right choice for them.”

Kal Tire Winter Tire Giveaway

Kal Tire wants to ensure that you are driving on the safest possible tires so they’re giving away a full winter tire set (value $1,200) to a lucky Miss604 reader/follower! Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment below naming a Tire Tip. Hint: There are 4 that can also be found in my Instagram story highlight (1 entry)
• Follow Kal Tire and Miss604 on Facebook (for 1 bonus entry)
• Follow Kal Tire and Miss604 on Instagram (for 1 bonus entry)
• Click below to get another entry by posting on Twitter:

[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win a set of winter tires from @KalTire http://ow.ly/mBxg30mM89F” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, December 5, 2018. This prize entitles the winner to receive a set of four (4) winter tires up to $1,200 from ANY Kal Tire location. Offer is to be used by May 1, 2019.

For more information, follow Kal Tire on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Related: How to Check Tire Pressure »

Update The winner is Taleena Clark!

The final month of 2018 is here and it’s full of festive fun! This December in Vancouver there are more attractions, more free activities, and more holiday events than ever. Miss604 is proud to sponsor Lights at Lafarge in Coquitlam (November 24, 2018 – January 20, 2019), Burnaby Village Museum’s Heritage Christmas (November 24, 2018 to January 4, 2019) and the Yule Duel in Gastown (December 6, 2018 only). Find these events and more listed below:

Jump to: Saturday, December 1 to Sunday, December 2, 2018
Jump to: Monday, December 3 to Sunday, December 9, 2018
Jump to: Monday, December 10 to Sunday, December 17, 2018
Jump to: Monday, December 17 to Sunday, December 23, 2018
Jump to: Monday, December 24 to Monday, December 31, 2018

Free Christmas Activities Around Vancouver »
Vancouver Gift Guide for a Cause »
Free Skating at Robson Square »

Multi-Day Events

Events that run for longer than three days in a row are highlighted in green. This list is updated often so send in your event listing anytime – for free – and check back often to plan your week.

Saturday, December 1, 2018
Sponsored by Miss604: Lights at Lafarge in Coquitlam
Sponsored by Miss604: Burnaby Village Museum’s Heritage Christmas
Winter Jubilee & Tree Lighting in Downtown Abbotsford
Gordon Greenwood Elementary Holiday Market
New West Craft Winter Night Market
Trethewey House Open House
A Gift of Light at Diefenbaker Park in Tsawwassen
Holiday Cheer at the Pier in Port Moody
The SHIFT Holiday Remix in Langley
O Christmas Tea: A British Comedy
Dundarave Christmas Fair
Magic of Christmas at McBurney Plaza in Langley
Thornhill Artisan Fair in Maple Ridge
Etsy Holiday Market at Wesbrook
Delhi 2 Dublin at The Fox Cabaret
Riley Park Winter Farmers Market
Winter’s Dance #onRobson
Maan Farms Christmas
SPCA Pet Photos with Santa
Portobello West Holiday Market
Strathcona Winter Craft Fair
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash
The Arts Club Presents: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
The Arts Club Presents: Miss Bennet, Christmas at Pemberley
Glow Gardens Christmas, Langley
Delta Youth Theatre: Willy Wonka Jr.
Bright Nights Christmas Train in Stanley Park
Aurora Winter Festival at Concord Pacific
Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
Sasquatch-Themed Winter Light Festival at Harrison Lake
Loft Country Christmas
A Charlie Brown Holiday Double Bill
Vancouver Christmas Market Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

One Girl Can is on a mission this holiday season to build a new #HomeForTheHolidays. This Vancouver-based organization empowers girls in Africa through education to end the cycle of poverty and gender inequality. Their holistic model supports a girl from the time she leaves primary school until the day she gains meaningful employment.

One Girl Can Holiday Card Campaign

The goal of the holiday campaign is to raise $10,000 to build a new dormitory for their students through the sale of holiday cards. Card printing was generously donated by Hemlock Printers, so 100% of card proceeds go directly towards the building project.

As part of GivingTuesday, on November 27th One Girl Can are proud to be partnering with AG Hair, who will match all donations and holiday card purchases made throughout the day, doubling the impact of all donations. A 5-pack of cards is $25 and a 12-pack is $50. A 15% discount is available for purchases over $100.

Follow One Girl Can on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.

Miss604 is a proud blog partner of One Girl Can this season. Read about Jen Murtagh’s personal experience traveling to Africa to see the work of One Girl Can in person »

After the big spends of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the hope is that you’ll have a little more room in your heart, and on your holiday shopping list, to give back for GivingTuesday today. To help you along, here are 5 of my favourite local causes (of course there are MANY more) in case you’d like to direct your giving their way this season:

5 GivingTuesday Ideas in Vancouver

1) Kids with Special Needs: Variety BC’s Tree of Hearts is back at the studios of Global BC, and your special message of hope will hang as an ornament on the tree when you donate. Every day, one lucky donor’s message will be read live on Global News Hour at 6:00pm. Variety – the Children’s Charity of BC provides direct help to children with funding for medical care and services, mobility and communication equipment and therapies, and education.

2) Art & History: Your donation to the Museum of Vancouver ensures that all of us have access to the city’s rich cultural heritage. Thought-provoking, inspiring and intriguing school and adult programs and award-winning exhibitions are delivered annually to over 70,000 visitors, showcasing extraordinary pieces and sharing the stories from Vancouver’s history.

3) Nature: Your year end, tax deductible donation will help Stanley Park Ecology Society conserve Stanley Park’s ecological health and inspire Park visitors with expert environmental education programs. Donate to support everything from wildlife monitoring programs and school programs, to the removal and management of invasive plants.

4) Education: You can help the Surrey Library expand its amazing collections and bring new programs to the community. The library raises funds to provide access to local and global information and ideas, and offer free community programming that encourages literacy and supports lifelong learning for all Surrey residents.

5) Youth Homelessness: Donate to Covenant House Vancouver today and your gift will be matched for three times the impact. As it gets colder and winter approaches, more and more youth will be seeking our help. With your support, they will be here to provide safe housing, warm clothing, counseling and important life skills. You can make a life-changing, charitable and tax-deductible donation today.

To find more causes to support, visit the GivingTuesday Canada website and do an organization search.

Everyone deserves a little holiday cheer this season and Kaboodles Toy Stores are doing so with their 5th annual charitable toy drive. On now until Christmas Eve, you can visit any of Kaboodles’ four locations to participate in this fun and meaningful toy drive.

Kaboodles Toy Drive

You will receive 10% off items purchased for the Toy Drive from now until December 24th, and all donated gifts will be delivered to the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau. The LMCB helps families in need by providing gifts to their children this Christmas. They have been dedicated to making Christmas a little more special for struggling families since 1930.

Visit Kaboodles in Point Grey, Cambie, Granville Island, or in Victoria to help them collect hundreds of gifts for struggling families this year.

Kaboodles will be offering special incentives and giveaways to those who participate in the Toy Drive each week. Follow the action (and watch the pile of donated toys grow each day) by visiting Kaboodles on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (#KaboodlesToyDrive).

Playmobil Giveaway

Another BIG incentive to support the Kaboodles Toy Drive is a Miss604 giveaway! Kaboodles has offered up a $100 gift card for me to award to one lucky winner.

Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Click below to get another entry by posting on Twitter:

[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win a $100 @Kaboodlestoys gift card + support #KaboodlesToyDrive this Christmas http://ow.ly/JOZM30mLcOp” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Monday, December 3, 2018. Follow Kaboodles on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more details, deals, and news.

Update The winner is Robyn!