It’s time for part 2 of our report on where kids can ski free in Europe (yesterday we covered Switzerland and France).

I spent the morning calling ski resorts in Austria, Germany, and Italy. Most resorts in these countries offer some kind of free skiing for very young kids.

I put together our now-annual list of family ski resorts where kids can ski free in the US and Canada a few weeks ago. Now, it’s time for Europe! The good news is a surprising number of resorts offer some kind of ‘kids ski free’ program. The list is so big that I’m breaking it up into two posts. France and Switzerland are the subject today and then I’ll cover Austria, Germany, Andorra, and Italy tomorrow.

In France, only Chamonix has a truly compelling program for older kids where the first child …

Many of the top-rated family-friendly ski resorts across the US and Canada offer kids ski and/or stay free programs for families with young children. This is a great way to cut some of the brutal expense out of skiing with kids.

We published a Where Can Kids Ski Free in 2010 list last year and it was so popular that I just updated it with 2011 promotions. Good news …

There are some extra happy Ciao Bambino readers this week! The winners of the Omni Hotel giveaway and 2010 Passports with Purpose fundraiser at the Riviera Palm Springs have now been confirmed.

Omni Hotel Giveaway Winners

Paul Haddock from Leesburg, VA and Page Pastore from Auburn, CA won a free weekend …

Holiday shopping mania is in full swing. There are holiday gift lists circulating all over the web right now. The upside? No shortage of information and suggestions. The downside? Sifting through all the articles is yet another chore we don’t have time for!

If travel gifts are on your mind, we have fantastic travel gift ideas for kids on CB. Plus, if you don’t see something you like on our list, we’re getting loads of comments from Ciao Bambino readers with additional suggestions.

We are participating in the Passports with Purpose fundraiser again this year. After last year’s huge success, $30,000 raised and a school built and operating in Cambodia, Passports with Purpose has another good deed in the works—a plan to raise $50,000 to help build housing in India!

Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to LAFTI (Land for Tillers’ Freedom), an independent, nonprofit organization based in India dedicated to improving the lives of the Dalit Caste, India’s poorest of the poor population.

Thank you to everyone who entered our Italy fall giveaway! We’re blown away by all the great hotel recommendations and we appreciate how everyone spread the word about the contest. Don’t be surprised if you see some of your favorite hotels become part of the Ciao Bambino portfolio in the near future!

And the winner of a week-long stay at beautiful Al Gelso Bianco in Tuscany, Italy is …

Hooray, a winner has been selected! Per our Italy vacation contest rules, they have three days to respond to the email we sent so stay tuned! We’ll draw another name if they don’t answer the message (which surprisingly, is usually the case for the first name drawn).

The blog will be updated with the winner’s information once they claim their prize.

Our annual fall Italy giveaway is coming to a end so it’s time to hurry if you’d like a free stay in Tuscany to be in your 2011 future!

The prize is a week-long stay for a family of 4-5 people at Al Gelso Bianco, a wonderful wine and olive oil estate located midway between Florence and Siena.

If you’ve been dreaming about a vacation in Italy in 2011, we have some exciting news. Ciao Bambino has recommended Al Gelso Bianco to families for years now and this glorious property is the prize for our 2010 fall giveaway!

This wine and olive producing estate in the heart of Chianti is a personal favorite of mine. Set in a superb, much-sought after location for regional sightseeing with easy access to Florence, Siena, and San Gimignano to name a few …