Recommended for Ages 6+. "Battling" is a BIG thing for the 2013 Holiday Season, and at the head of the pack is BATTROBORG Battling Robots from TOMY. When I first came face-to-face with these pint-sized robotic combatants, I was with a group of fellow Dad Bloggers who had come together on the streets of Chicago in order to "Settle the Score." What score were we settling? I'm still not quite sure, but I didn't get a real good grasp of the game while surrounded by 20 or so other grown men that were huddled around like some sort of "Fight Club" while awaiting their chance at glory.

Last month, my friends from The J.M Smucker Company flew me to their headquarters in Orrville, Ohio for their Holiday Traditions Blogger Event. In the weeks ahead, I will be sharing with you some Holiday Tips that I learned while I was there - a collection of helpful information, recipes, and more that will help you Rock Your Holidays, while creating some memorable meals...

With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, the Holiday Baking Season is in full-swing, and for those of you that wind up in a pie predicament - the Crisco Pie Hotline is back for it's eighth year of helping you become a pie rockstar.

I distinctly remember the first time I watched MICKEY'S CHRISTMAS CAROL. It was 1983, and THE RESCUERS (which I was too young to see the first time around) was reissued to theaters. Ahead of the film was an "all-new featurette" called MICKEY'S CHRISTMAS CAROL. It was a big deal, and everyone wanted to see Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pluto, Goofy, and a host of familiar characters in the Walt Disney version of the Charles Dickens classic.

Recommended for Ages 8+, I'm filing The TETRIS LIGHT under my "For Grownups" section of the 2013 Holiday Gift Guide here on The Rock Father. This captivating discussion piece looks great here in my office, bringing Alexey Pajitnov's famously-addictive puzzle game into the real world. It's electrically-operated, so it's not for the little ones, but that probably won't stop them from wanting to give it a go. Just keep it out-of-reach, and enjoy the colorful glow of the Tetriminos by night!

Recommended for Ages 6+, the NERF N-Strike Blazin' Bow Blaster will appeal to boys and girls of all ages (yes, grownups, too) for safe archery-style fun inside and out. I first got to play with this at the #HasbroHotToys lunch in Chicago, and we've since been rockin' one here at Rock Father HQ. While Mommy isn't a fan of seeing it used indoors, the NERF N-Strike Blazin' Bow Blaster really hit's the target - especially with kids already enthralled with characters like Merida from BRAVE, or THE HUNGER GAMES series.

Jim Henson's PAJANIMALS have been a beloved part of our bedtime routine here at Rock Father HQ ever since we first started seeing them on Sprout. Now, with Saturday morning appearances on NBC Kids, the Pajanimals crew are becoming increasingly familiar to a growing audience of kids and their grownups. One of the new items from TOMY's Pajanimals line is the APOLLO GOODNIGHT PROJECTOR, a perfect gift idea for ages Birth+, and an entry into my 2013 Holiday Gift Guide here on The Rock Father.