Santa and one of his reindeer left the sleigh at home for this undercover endeavor, and went to check in with local shopkeepers and business owners to see who is ready for the holiday season.

Some lucky Issaquah residents got a peek at Santa as he snuck around town, ducking in and out of stores and pausing for the occasional picture.

He even surprised a few children who weren’t expecting to see him until next month (and weren’t sure yet whether they’ve been naughty or nice).

A pail of candy canes won most over, though, and Santa continued his tour of local businesses.

He even stopped by Fisher Meats for dinner – and was relieved to find they don’t carry reindeer meat.

So, keep your eyes peeled (especially those of you in Sammamish) and you might catch a glimpse of Santa, too.