As a child, counting down to Christmas was a surefire way to brighten our spirits once the weather turned cold. Sometimes the countdown would end sooner than usual if we had a family vacation down south to look forward to. Whether we spent the holidays at home with the family or abroad on the beach, holiday smiles were pretty much a guarantee. Today, as a mother of two, I realize how much I had taken that all for granted. For the first time, we will be spending time in the hospital visiting with my mother-in-law who recently slipped and broke her leg. This was devastating news for my youngest, who wanted desperately to see her but was hit hard by the stomach flu. It was a difficult reminder that life isn't always easy; that illness and injury can take us all by surprise. 

For thousands of children and their families, the holidays will be spent in Canadian hospitals. But because Duracell believes in powering the imagination of sick children by helping to ensure kids can still be kids, they can still enjoy the magic of the season. For the 10th consecutive year, Duracell is donating a year supply of batteries to hospital playrooms across the country. The goal: to power smiles and imagination this holiday season and beyond. Knowing that a new working toy or game can help make a child's hospital stay a little brighter, Brampton singer Alessia Cara joined Duracell, who donated $180,000 to SickKids in her name, to promote their Powering Smiles campaign. In addition, Duracell, in partnership with Hasbro, also delivered a shipment of toys, along with the batteries to power them. Among these toys was the new Furby Connect.

In our home, Furby has been bringing smiles to my kids for the past four years. It first started with the original Furby and then the family expanded with a Furby Boom. For each one, we always made sure to use Duracell batteries. This year, we are thrilled to welcome Furby Connect to the family. My favourite features are his moving ears and his colourful eyes that display more than 150 animations to help express what Furby wants. You can pet him, tickle him, shake him, or turn him upside down. Furby reacts each time! Plus, when Furby Connect syncs with the Furby Connect World app, there are more physical and digital ways to interact and more surprises to discover, making this a great gift idea for the holidays. And don't forget to power Furby Connect with Duracell batteries since Duracell makes the magic of the holidays last longer.

For every pack of Duracell batteries sold at Walmart in December 2016, Duracell will donate to Children’s Miracle Network. Now only will you avoid a child's disappointment in receiving a battery-operated toy that is powerless, you will also help make a child’s hospital stay a little brighter. Join the Powering Smiles Campaign and help them reach this year's goal to raise $150,000.

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Duracell. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Every summer, I take advantage of the time off work to sort through old clothes and toys, donating what no longer fits or passing along outgrown toys to my niece and nephew. Yet, I always come across a toy or two that either myself or my kids can't bare to part with. One such toy is Simon Swipe, since it brings back so many memories of its original predecessor and offers endless hours of fun. Next on the list, which should come as no surprise, is Simon Flash, which is equally as fun but offers a different dynamic to the game. For my daughter, the one toy she can't seem to give up is her Furby Boom. For my son, it's his coveted remote controlled BB-8. (I swear, it has something to do with the fact that he's a Star Wars baby. That, and he just loves all things RC!) All these cool toys need is a storage break and a little reboot from Duracell Quantum.

Since play helps build imagination, creativity and confidence, Duracell wants to celebrate the importance of powering imaginations by helping to get more fun and more play out of last year’s toys, at least until this holiday. One lucky reader will win a #PowerImagination prize pack that includes:

To be eligible to win, complete the Rafflecopter form below. Open to residents of Canada, excluding Quebec.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Duracell. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.