Grabbing Christmas Cash in Claremore

Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and He Has a Bag Full of Cash to Give Away!

Santa hands out the cash prizes from 2016’s Santa Cash Shop Local event.

Claremore Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 14th Annual Santa Cash Shop Local Promotion through December 15. A list of participating businesses is posted around Claremore. Businesses will also post a sign onsite if they are a participating vendor. For every $10 spent, a ticket for the Santa Cash drawing is given to the customer. The ticket exchange rate may vary based on the value of the goods or services sold by a particular business, according to Chamber guidelines, to level the playing field a bit.
On December 16, at 11 a.m. sharp, at Will Rogers Downs, the jolly old elf himself will spin the giant hopper and draw the winning tickets for the following cash prizes: two $1,000 cash prizes; a $2,500 cash prize and the grand prize of $10,000! The generous donations of Chamber businesses make the cash prizes possible. After the ticket is drawn, the number is written on a large white board for all that are present to read, and it is announced over the PA system. The official timer is started. The ticket holder must be present to win and has two minutes to get Santa’s attention and claim the prize after the clock starts. If no one claims the winning ticket, another ticket is drawn, and the process continues until each of the four cash prizes are claimed.
“People can get very creative in organizing their tickets for the drawing to beat the clock,” muses Katie Thibodeaux, Claremore Area Chamber of Commerce Communications Coordinator.
Following the event, four tickets will be drawn for the final $1,000 giveaway. That ticket number is announced in the Claremore Daily Progress as well as online on the Chamber website at any given time.
The event has proven beneficial for everyone. Over 300,000 tickets were given away last year.  The approximate thirty Chamber businesses that choose to participate net free advertising from the event. “It’s important that we support our local businesses, but we also want to give back to people around this time of year,” explains Thibodeaux.
Whether it’s for something as basic as putting food on a family’s table or splurging for a Christmas surprise not otherwise affordable, Santa Cash is making Christmas wishes come true. Get to shopping, so Santa can fill your stocking with a little something extra this year!