Staff writer
Peabody Main Street Association is once again sponsoring the annual Peabody Shopping Spree to encourage residents and visitors to do Christmas shopping in Peabody.
The tickets to take part in the shopping promotion will be available from participating merchants on Friday. The promotion will end Dec. 20.
For every $10 spent with a participating merchant, the merchant will punch or mark a $10 symbol on the ticket. When the ticket shows that five merchants have punched or marked the symbols on the ticket, the ticket holder signs the back and turns it in for the drawing just before Christmas.
“We are still rounding up sponsoring merchants,” PMSA director Shane Marler said. “But it looks like we will have another nice round of prizes to pass out this year.”
Prizes for 2012, in the form of Peabody Bucks, were $700 for first prize, $400 for second prize, and $100 for third prize.
There will also be a consolation prize for partially completed tickets people have after the promotion ends. That drawing will take place after Christmas. Marler reminds shoppers to hang on to their incomplete tickets for that drawing.
“A consolation prize of $75 in Peabody Bucks will be given,” he said.
“Counting the used and partially used tickets gives us an idea of what kind of impact shopping at home for the holidays makes on our community,” Marler said. “We know that not every ticket punch represents $10 in Christmas gifts, food, or decorations, but it is a good way to measure the impact people have when they make an effort to buy locally.”
Marler said the only change this year will be that all the tickets need to be taken to city hall to get into the drawing. In the past individual merchants have had designated boxes into which the tickets could be deposited. This year there will be just one box for all the tickets.
“And remember, you must sign the back of the ticket,” he added.
Marler also reminds shoppers that they cannot win if they don’t shop.
“Make your list, check it twice, and shop your hometown merchants and vendors,” he said.