Every year on my late husband's birthday I take my boys out to dinner. This is one date where I don't try to pinch my pennies. We usually try and stay local. When the boys were younger we stuck with Friendly's, but as they grew we broadened our choices.

One year it was Beijing Duck, another Bertucci's, and last year it was the Cheesecake Factory. This year we decided on The Chateau, a family-style Italian restaurant that opened a little over a year ago. I had heard nothing but good things about the place so we set out early, hoping to head off any holiday traffic or diners.

We had a wonderful dinner. My sons no longer order from the kids menu, even though at 11 and 12, they still could. Much like their father they enjoy a good meal. The good thing about their expanding palette is that we all enjoy our meals together rather than be divided by the fare on the kiddie menu. The bad news is, you guessed it, I end up spending a bit more. But we talked and laughed as we shared our Chicken Parmesan, Mixed Italian Grill, and Shrimp and Steak Tips dinner. The servings were ample and they all hit the under $15 mark. (Okay, so maybe I was counting pennies just a little.)

Amidst the festive decorations, I observed that The Chateau was running a Holiday
promotion. For every $50 gift card purchased, the restaurant provides you with a $10 voucher off your next meal. The offer comes with the usual fine print of course, but it seems reasonable. You must use the gift voucher between Jan. 1 and Feb. 28, 2011, must order 2 entrees, and it covers dine-in orders only. Despite the restrictions, I was impressed by the Chateau's desire to give back to their customers. They certainly didn't have to, and in this season of giving it's heartening to see that the Chateau spreads good cheer to both the giver and receiver.

A quick survey of other establishments in town revealed that a few are getting in on
the Holiday spirit. Bertucci's is offering a $5 voucher towards a future purchase, at
Campanale's receive a coupon for a free appetizer with your gift card purchase, and at the Cheescake Factory, enjoy a free slice of cheesecake for every $25 gift card you purchase.

Perhaps the mother-lode of them all is the free lobster dinner you'll receive when you purchase $200 worth of gift cards at Legal Sea Food.