The saying, “The family that plays together, stays together” is one of my favorites and is something I try to foster in our home. But achieving family camaraderie is not always easy. Some of the most harmonious moments in my home happen when the kids are each doing something on their own—no fighting, no tattle-taling, no wrestling—just peaceful coexistence. But there’s no laughter or bonding going on either.

Go Giants!

Being that we’re a Bay Area family, the thing that united us most these past months has been following the Giants through the pennant race and the World Series. Even my daughter, who isn’t at all interested in baseball, got into the spirit. For at least eleven magical nights, we sat on the couch as a family, watched the games, talked about “the Beard,” explained baseball strategies to the little ones, and ate hot dogs, nachos, and other ballpark inspired foods for dinner. I didn’t want it to end in part because we had so much fun and because I didn’t have to work that hard to make it happen.

Now What?!

Here we are on the threshold of the holidays and I’m thinking about ways to help us unite as a family again. Since we’re not planning to travel, I need ideas for getting everyone engaged here at home. The folks over at Gift Card Mall must have read my mind because Safeway, Vons, and other affiliated grocers have a promotion going on through the end of the year called, “Treat your Family to Playtime!” Buy a participating Coca-Cola product plus Orville Redenbacher’s Popcorn and get $5 off an online games gift card—like Xbox, PlayStation, Adventure Quest, Stardoll and others. (See in-store details for specifics).

Win a Gift Card

In honor of that promotion, Gift Card Mall is giving away a $50 Online Games gift card to a participant here on Gift Card Girlfriend. To enter, simply tell us how you promote family playtime at home. Although the winner will be chosen at random, I really need your ideas! So send in your tips and you just might find a $50 gift card under the tree this holiday season!

Legal Stuff: Contest open to continental US residents only. Contest ends December 31, 2010 at midnight PST. Winner will be posted on the site for one month and notified by e-mail. Be sure the address shelley@giftcardgirlfriend.com clears your e-mail filter. If winner doesn’t respond within one month, a runner-up will be chosen.

Though giving a gift card is sometimes viewed as too easy and showing a lack of effort, giving this gift card may be the exception.

I just read Eric Taub’s article on Home Depot’s new video gift card and I’m a little skeptical. Apparently this gift card enables the giver to upload a video or record one on the Home Depot website via web cam. Upon receipt of the gift card, the recipient enters a code online to watch the video. There are other tricks you can perform via web cam as well. Seems like a decent way to personalize a gift card.

But the reason I’m anxious about the idea is that technology, when not working as promised, can be frustrating. I imagine toiling over a video only to discover the file size is too big. (Been there.) Or sending someone the video gift card only to find that he or she doesn’t have the right browser, plug-in, or web cam to see the video. (Hello Aunt Vera.) My efforts to be creative could result in a phone call to tech support instead. Am I wrong?

If you have experience with the Home Depot Video Gift Card, give me the details. Who did you give it to…and how old or tech savvy is that person? Is the effort worth it?