Peabody merchants responded enthusiastically to the suggestion by Peabody Main Street Association that they revive the use of shopping spree punch tickets as a means of promoting holiday shopping at local businesses.

“While promotional activities like the parade, Santa’s visit, and other events generated some traffic for local merchants, most felt the shopping spree punch tickets did more to generate sales,” said Shane Marler, Peabody Main Street and Economic Development director. “We appreciate the merchants’ input and have resurrected the punch tickets to give them what they want.”

The punch tickets, which were a seasonal standby for many years, will be distributed to merchants before Thanksgiving.

Each ticket has five spots indicating a $10 purchase has been made from five different businesses. When all five spots have been stamped or punched with the authorized signature mark, the customer fills in his name, address, and phone number and deposits the completed ticket in a drawing box.

A drawing at 2 p.m. Dec. 23 will determine the winners.

This year the grand prize is $700, second prize is $350, and third prize is $100. Prize money is in the form of Peabody Bucks to encourage additional local shopping.

“The part about this promotion that will increase local spending is the $10 minimum for each punch,” said Marler. “If a customer purchases $7 or $8 dollars worth of merchandise, the savvy business owner or clerk will remind him that by spending just a few dollars more, he will qualify for a punch on the shopping spree card.”

Shoppers may fill out as many cards as they like as long as each $10 spot on a card is stamped or punched by a different merchant.

“There is no restriction on the type of purchase either,” said Marler. “If you need a new hot water heater from the hardware store, all the fixings for Christmas dinner from Peabody Market, or dental work from Dr. Hague, be sure to get a ticket punched for each $10 you spend.

“And remember,” he added, “you can’t win if you don’t shop here at home!”