The Downtown Wheaton Association is starting a new tradition challenging anyone downtown to find the Downtown Wheaton Santa hidden in each participating business from Dec. 4 through Dec. 24. Anyone who spots the Santa will be allowed to enter their name into the merchant's Santa box for the drawing for one of four prizes:

• The first prize is a gift basket with over $300 dollars worth of merchandise from Downtown Wheaton stores.
• The second prize is a $50.00 Downtown Wheaton gift certificate.
• The third prize is a  $25.00 Downtown Wheaton gift certificate.
• The fourth prize is a $15 Downtown Wheaton gift certificate.

If a Downtown Wheaton shopper visits all the participating stores each day of the contest, finds the santa, and submits their raffle entry, they would have entered 840 times–definitely increasing their chances of winning! Of course they might also be accused of stalking Santa.

Entries will be drawn randomly and an individual can only win one of the four prizes. If a name is pulled twice during the official drawing, the shopper will win only the prize from the first pull. The winners will be chosen in January and announced in the January Downtown Wheaton Shoppers' Club newsletter.

Here is the list of participating merchants:

• The Genuine Article
• Elements & Starrs
• Joe's Stride Rite
• Genghis Grill
• Ivy
• Paper House
• Wheaton LTD Fine Jewelers
• The Cellar Bistro
• Jeans & a Cute Top Shop
• The Stork's Cradle
• Uptown Girl
• Knippen's
• The Bleu Olive
• Wheaton Barber Shop
• Marquiz Salon
• Sushi Mono
• Community Bank Wheaton
• Suzette's Creperie
• The Bank Restaurant
• Carlson's Paint and Art
• Carlson's Hardware
• Midwest Cyclery
• Edible Arrangements
• Alpha Graphics
• Stones Jewelers
• Graham's Chocolate
• Serenade
• Studio 209
• Suburban Music