Snacks and Video Games? What More Could You Want Under the Tree but Xbox One.

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community. I plan to include Forza 5, M&M's and Xbox One under our tree this year. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and its client. #FueledbyMM 

Last year my husband and I decided that each holiday season we should get one large gift for the whole family to enjoy. Something for the house, the yard or to put towards vacation. I wanted to cut back on all the small things, the clutter, the long hours of shopping. This year I knew exactly what I wanted to get for our crew.

Why an Xbox One, of course!

Shhh... don't tell anyone.

I love the Kinect Sensor with our Xbox 360, but the reviews I have heard for the Xbox One blow it out of the water. We love spending our rainy Oregon evenings up dancing, jumping and racing in the comfort of our own living room.

Since I already had plans to get our family the newest gaming system and a few of our family's favorite games, I was excited to see the M&M's and Forza Motorsports 5 -  Buy, Snap, Redeem promotion advertised in our local Walmart. Did I mention that my husband is a huge Forza fan?

Of course, as you might have noticed here on the blog, I already my M&M's. It wasn't hard for me to decided to buy participating M&M products and the newest Forza game at the same time to redeem my eGift card.

What do you need to to?

1. Buy the Forza Motorsports 5 game for Xbox One at Walmart.

2. Buy participating M&M's products - these include: M&Ms Peanut 42oz Stand Up Pouch, M&Ms Milk 42oz Stand Up Pouch, M&Ms Peanut Butter 38oz Stand Up Pouch, M&Ms Pretzel 30oz Stand Up Pouch, M&Ms Peanut 19.2oz Large Laydown Bag, M&Ms Milk 19.2oz Large Laydown Bag, M&Ms Peanut Butter 18.4oz Large Laydown Bag, M&Ms Pretzel 15.4oz Large Laydown Bag.) Total M&M purchase must be at least $8 for the offer to work.

3. Snap a photo of the items purchased on the same receipt. Text to 811811 and include the code: M&M.

4. Redeem. You will be texted back a reward code for a $10 eGift card to Walmart.

Of course, that isn't all the fun you can have if you are a gamer. The M&M Pixel Art Instagram contest is still running through December 18th. Just use your M&M's to create a gaming image. Post your photo to Instagram and Twitter with the hashtags #FueledByMM and #Contest. 

One lucky artist will win their own Xbox One console and Gaming Is Better With M prize pack featuring Forza Motorsport 5. Now, that would make for a Merry Christmas, wouldn't it?

Again, I am drawing images from my childhood to create out of M&Ms. Remember when all games were full of Pixel Art and that was high tech?

There is still plenty of time to enter. What will you create?

Whether you sneak a game or gaming system under your tree this year, or some M&M's in the stockings, these items are sure to be a hit this Christmas season with your family, too.

Just remember, grab your own eGift card, enter to win an Xbox and sit back and be a holiday hero.

Revving Up with M&Ms for Forza 5 and XBox One

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community. We are excited for the upcoming release of Forza 5 and XBox One. See how we play and snack with M&;M's. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and its client. #FueledByMM

Originally I purchased our Xbox 360 for family nights. Oregon Winters can be so wet and muddy I needed something to keep us active and entertained. The Kinect games were the perfect solution for a restless family of 5.

But with all the active games, dance games and kid's games, my husband wanted something for himself. He is a big fan of  the BBC's Top Gear TV show and so of course he loves the Forza Motorsport games. Design the perfect cars, race on closed circuit tracks - it is the best racing simulation game out there. The graphics are phenomenal and the car details and information is perfect for the car enthusiast lacking the cash to own his own ride. Yes, Forza 4 is the perfect racing fantasy for big kids.

This is the game my husband and his friends love to play.

Last Christmas we bought my husband Forza 4 and the racing controller. Despite the Kinect possibilities, my husband likes the hands-on feel of the controller.

Do you like his pink race car? My daughter designed it. It was her idea to stick the big white grasshopper on the back. I think my husband spends just as much time on his cars as he does actually racing. That is what makes this game so much fun. Oh, the possibilities.

When we have friends over the kids usually grab their favorite games, but the adults like a chance to play, too.

Of course playing Forza 4 is a great way to get excited about the upcoming release of not only Forza 5, but also Xbox One. Yes, it is on my list for this year. It will probably end up being our big family item we splurge on. I have heard nothing but great reviews on the system as well as the new racing upgrades. The graphics alone for the new game look amazing. I can't wait to try it out. Both will be released November 22nd and available at Walmart.

Now, if you are as crazy about Xbox and Forza Motorsports as we are, then there are a few great promotions you don't want to miss.

BUY, SNAP, REDEEM
Starting November 22nd, Go to Walmart and

• Buy the  Forza 5 game
• Buy participating M&M products (including M&Ms Peanut 42oz Stand Up Pouch, M&Ms Milk 42oz Stand Up Pouch, M&Ms Peanut Butter 38oz Stand Up Pouch, M&Ms Pretzel 30oz Stand Up Pouch, M&Ms Peanut 19.2oz Large Laydown Bag, M&Ms Milk 19.2oz Large Laydown Bag, M&Ms Peanut Butter 18.4oz Large Laydown Bag, M&Ms Pretzel 15.4oz Large Laydown Bag.)
• Snap a photo of the qualifying items on your receipt and text it to 811811
• Redeem - You will be texted back a reward code for a $10 eGift card to Walmart

Also, Microsoft will have a Pixel Art Instagram competition, 'Gaming is Better with M'. Create your own Pixel Art, inspired by your favorite video games or racing, using M&M's (R) candies and snap an Instagram Photo. Tag your image with #FueledByM AND #Contest and post the image on Instagram and Twitter. Don't upload your entry until the contest begins though to be eligible.

One lucky Pixel Artist will win a new Xbox One and Gaming is better with M pack including the Forza 5 Motorsport game and a 14 oz bag of M&Ms(R).  Contest runs Dec. 4th - Dec. 18th and winner will be chosen at random.  

My video game or racing inspired pixel art is a nod to my childhood. Did anyone else ever play Space Invaders? Long before the Xbox 360, I passed the time with an old school Atari and a handful of games including Space Invaders.

What will inspire your pixel art masterpiece?

M&M's remain one of my favorite stand-alone candies because a big bowl of brightly colored M&M's is always fun. Grab a few between turns on the game, or spend a few extra minutes and bake some up in a classic bar cookie. Everyone needs a little racing fuel, right?

M&M Cookie Bars
You Will Need:

• 2 1/4 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 3/4 c. unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted
• 1 c. brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 c. M&M's + 1/4 c. for spreading on top

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, move the top rack in to the center of the oven. Spray a 9"x13" baking dish with nonstick spray, set aside. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda.

In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, and sugars together till smooth. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Press the dough in the baking dish and smooth with a spatula. The dough will seem thin, but it will puff up nicely.

Bake for 27 - 30 minutes or until the top and sides of the bars turn golden brown. The center will still be soft, but not wet. Let the bars cool completely before cutting into bars.

So, ready to get racing? I am sure this will be one hot item under the tree this year.

Have you played Forza 4?