This story was produced by our colleagues at the BBC.

New York's feeling festive, from the magic of Macy's holiday windows to the glow of the Saks light show along Fifth Avenue. But behind the holiday sparkle, there’s a different story for many who rely on seasonal work. This year brings fewer jobs and fewer opportunities.

Across the Hudson at New Jersey's Garden State Parkway mall, marketing director Will Lewis told me shops are hiring, just not nearly enough to meet the surge of people looking for seasonal work.

“We had over 11,000 job applicants come out on a Saturday afternoon to our job fair, which, we have 35+ Garden State Plaza retailers at the job fair, but we filled on the day 150 positions,” he said.

According to the National Retail Federation, shops are expected to hire fewer than 365,000 temporary workers this November and December, the lowest seasonal hiring level in years. Yet, holiday sales are projected to top $1 trillion in 2025. So what's going on?

Inflation, tariffs, and rising costs are creating real uncertainty, making it harder for retailers to justify bringing on extra staff.

“We do see that this is one of the worst hiring years we've seen in some time,” said Cory Stahle, senior economist from the online job site Indeed.

“What we see is that the broader labor market has slowed down, and what that means is there are fewer opportunities for job seekers, so they're becoming more interested in these jobs, but that slowing labor market also means that employers are less interested in hiring those people,” he said. “And that's obviously a concern and a challenge, and it means that this is going to be a much more competitive hiring year for these seasonal-type jobs than it has been in years past.”

For some shoppers, the economic uncertainty means tightening their budgets.

“I feel like I'm spending less this holiday season, because I just feel like there's a lot going on money-wise in the economy, so I'm just trying to look for the good deals,” said one shopper.

Others say they won't let rising prices dampen their holiday spirit. “Big shopper, so I'm going to definitely shop the same amount. I'm not cutting back. I think we're going to be shopping more,” another said.

And with fewer seasonal workers, shoppers may face longer lines and a little less holiday cheer.