Each year the family swaps holidays with each set of Grandparents. This year we’ll spend Thanksgiving with Ronda’s side of the family and Christmas with my side of the family. Next year we’ll switch holidays. It’s something we’ve always done, long before the kids ever came along and it works for both us, and our families.

With Thanksgiving comes the annual start of the Christmas shopping season and Black Friday. It’s a day I’ve tried to avoid like the plague. I hate crowded malls, the parking nightmare, and hoards of people. While the girls don’t seem to mind the experience, shopping at one set of Grandparents on Black Friday just to transfer it to another set of Grandparents for Christmas does raise the problem of attempting to smuggle it back home in the car so the kids don’t see what we’ve bought. Then there’s the added problem of transporting the presents to and from Grandmothers house for the Christmas holiday. (Can you imagine the shipping charges or airline baggage fees associated with all those presents under the tree?? Yikes!)

I’m happy to report that most of these problems have been resolved this year thanks to shopYTB.

I’ve always been a big fan of shopping online and have been doing it for years. This year, because of what YTB has created for both ourselves, family and friends, we can all eliminate the nightmare of shopping the traditional way this holiday season – along with the added bonus of getting cash back when it’s all said and done. So far, it’s looking as if the shopYTB concept is the start of a new tradition in our family during the holiday season.

What got the ball rolling was my wife and mother who have been planning just what presents to get for the kids this year for Christmas. Mom had found the perfect doll house for Brittany and wanted Ronda to see it. While the two discussed the item over the phone, Ronda went to the internet to look it up online.

Not only were we able to find the item online, but also found one of the better prices through WalMart.com.

As an added bonus for everyone involved – Ronda can access the WalMart.com web site through the shopYTB portal, purchase the doll house, and have this large item transferred (site to store) to the WalMart near my parents for my mother to pick up free of charge. It also keeps the item out of Brittany’s prying eyes and hands here at home and she has no idea it will be sitting under the tree this Christmas.

We’re also finding other items from stores that offer free shipping, which eliminates the need to even hit the crowded stores and malls this Christmas season. In addition, I’ve had the unpleasant experience of hitting several of the same stores because one store was completely out of stock. I’m seeing more and more products offered exclusively online that are not found in stores – expanding the offering with more products to choose from.

While I’m also aware of the extended hours each store operates during the Holiday Season, it still doesn’t beat the 24/7 hours available from the comfort of our own home. Just after the kids went to bed last night, we ordered new bathroom decor for the kids bathroom that they’ve picked out. (A new beach and surf theme, fresh off their cruise experience.)

This year, not only is shopping for Christmas going to be far less of a hassle, but it will be nice to actually receive a check with cash back for doing it this way come the beginning of the year. Each purchase saves money in an assortment of ways.

If you’re like me, it one heck of a deal – and avoids all the hassle of the Christmas shopping season.

Just one more reason and example that makes YTB a great value for me and my entire family!

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My kids are out of school for the Christmas Break. I had taken them to McDonald’s yesterday afternoon to run off some steam, and took the laptop with me to finish up on very comical Press Release type spoof on Coach showing up at the St. Louis Rams vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game on Thursday night. For those of you who don’t know, Coach grew up just outside of Pittsburgh on a tomato farm and while he does own season tickets to the St. Louis Rams, he is still a die hard Steelers fan at heart.

Thursday night while watching the game myself on NFL Network, the cameras panned the crowd to show all the Steelers faithful who showed up at the game. One of the camera shots was in fact Coach, front row and center with his Steelers garb. Part of my spoof was that he was going to send our Pro Bowl Players to Honolulu, Hawaii, via our Two Fly Free program. While nobody was actually interviewed I did quote Coach as saying “I’m just so proud of these young men, I can hardly stand it.” (For those that know him the way I do, you know that’s exactly what he would say!)

I had other quotes from Coach such as tying his Tomato farming into how hard these Pro Bowl Players worked to get where they are. One stated, “You start the season during Training Camp, and you work hard, and you work hard and you don’t realize what you’re laying the ground work for.” I went on to spoof, “Now these fine young men are enjoying the fruits of their labor with a free trip to Hawaii…WOW!” (Is that not Coach?!)

So where is this gem? It’s still in my laptop and I don’t know if I’m going to be able to get it out. I came home ready to post it, and when I opened the laptop up, it wouldn’t boot up. My right arm has just been amputated and I don’t know if I’m going to be able to get it back. I’m sure it will, but the timing of it going down NOW will extend how long it will take for me to get it back up.

The family is heading up to Pittsburgh today for a week with my side of the family on a new piece of property they just bought. Some 30 acres of farm land by the Airport complete with a Gator, (A John Deer not the animal.) a few chickens, a horse and Lama. Yes, we are driving, as we do every Christmas due to all the presents and luggage that needs to be lugged up there. I might be able to work on it Sunday or take it to the Geek Squad for service while there but you’ve got this holiday right in the middle of the week, that I know they won’t be working on my baby no matter how important this problem is to me.

By the way…my wife seems to feel that I’m over reacting and I need to take a break. For the record, I would be just as upset if she went down.

In closing…I would like to share the topic of THIS post finally.

A few weeks ago, John Frenaye and I were exchanging e-mails on a topic I can’t recall. (Nor can bring up since it’s saved on my broken computer.) During the exchange, John had mentioned that the next time he’s in Atlanta we should hook up for some drinks. I responded with the fact that I would love too however, alcohol has not been part of my life for some 18 years now. I’ve been clean and sober since October 15, 1989. That however, would not prevent me from having a drink with him, just as long as he didn’t mind my new drink of choice.

I knew this refreshment made quite an impression on him, and I’m surprised actually that he hasn’t written a piece on it for syndication on MSNBC yet. (No LA Times or Chicago Tribune for me?) However, yesterday, after returning home with the kids, I found a small box at the front door via the postal service. It was from none other than John Frenaye?! After discussing our options, we decided not to call the boom squad, but did remove the children from the room before opening this box.

Much to my delight and amusement, it was a Christmas card from the Frenaye’s with a small gift inside.

My drink of choice, Kool-Aid!

I wish to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to the entire Frenaye family for this kind and thoughtful gift during this season of giving.

Way too funny! Yet very appropriate!

Merry Christmas!

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