Festivals celebrating food and gifts are a stellar way to prepare for celebrations involving the consumption of food and giving of gifts. Gear up for another year on the cyclical celebratory circuit with today's deal: for $9, you get two adult admissions to the 24th Annual Holiday Food & Gift Festival at the Colorado Convention Center (an $18 value). Admission is free for children under 12. Both tickets must be redeemed on the same day, for any one of the following exhibition dates:

• Friday, November 19, from 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
• Saturday, November 20, from 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
• Sunday, November 21, from 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Get a tinsel-laden leg up on holiday shopping by perusing the more than 500 exhibition booths bursting with jewelry, home décor, toys, arts and crafts, clothing, and one-of-a-kind gifts. Visit the large gourmet food area to sample a variety of edibles including soups, pastas, coffee, chocolates, toffee, and shortbread before pondering the future of miniature high-speed rail at the operating model-train displays. The festival boasts a wide array of one-of-a-kind and hand-crafted wares to help shoppers check off the names of even the pickiest present partakers from their holiday list. Tough-to-please tots and their pleasing parents will be glad to know that Santa will be on hand for daily appearances, where the festive atmosphere makes him particularly receptive to re-opening previous pony-based negotiations.