This Christmas, Santa may be short on helpers.

Retailers are expected to add just 410,000 seasonal jobs for the holiday shopping season, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Since 2008, the industry has hired fewer seasonal workers than ever before.

Retailers warned in their most recent earnings reports that splurging by US consumers may be at an end, despite historically high inflation and recession rumors.

Customers at big box retailers like Target and Home Depot have shifted their money from discretionary purchases to must-haves, including groceries.

The American consumer is still spending, even though the economy is struggling. It’s just that they aren’t buying things that can fit into a stocking – such as international travel and dining out.

According to Challenger, most big names have not yet announced their hiring plans by this time of year.

For the holiday season last year, US retailers added 509,300 jobs. The number of seasonal jobs will increase by about 701,400 in 2021.

Among the major retailers that have announced hiring plans, Amazon is the only one that has announced it is adding 250,000 employees ahead of the holiday season.