When do “The Holidays” even start? Is it Thanksgiving? Halloween? I’d say it’s definitely sometime before December 15th, right?

According to market experts there are several items that may be out of stock before the holidays (whenever they start) arrive. We might…MIGHT….be good on toilet paper, but nothing is a guarantee.

1.) SPICES

People started cooking from home a lot during the pandemic. No ME, of course, but some people did. Winter, it turns out, is already the biggest season for spice purchases. Combined with the fact that much of our spice supply comes from Mideast and Southeast Asia, the supply chain is already tighter than normal. We’re probably set for salt and pepper but, the more exotic the spice, the more chance there is that it will be hard to find in the next 2 months.

2.) Exercise Equipment

When gyms were forced to close there was a run on home exercise equipment. The supply chain hasn’t fully replenished since then. Online fitness sales have soared, sometimes by 600%, while many retailers’ shelves have been fairly empty. If you can find it in a store, get it now. If you need to order online, don’t delay as there may be a supply delay even if you go that route.

3.) Jigsaw Puzzles

I do a lot of jigsaw puzzles because I find them relaxing. I can tell you firsthand that in the first months of the pandemic, good jigsaw puzzles were VERY scarce at retailers like Target and Walmart. The suppliers adjusted over the summer and, in a way, it’s been a kind of mini-Golden Age for puzzles. There’s been not only a recovery in the puzzle supply but an uptick in the variety of puzzles in stores. But, with the weather getting colder and infections spiking you might be wise to stock up now while you can.

4.) YARN

This actually goes for lots of different craft supplies, but yarn especially may be hard to find. The U.S. along with China and New Zealand are the top producers of yarn and the shutdown has affected production in all of those countries. Also, as it looks less and less likely that we’ll be in the clear before Christmas, it won’t be surprising if another wave of people take up knitting. With a possible yarn shortage on the way, may I recommend popsicle sticks or uncooked macaroni as alternate mediums for your artistic endeavors instead?

5.) SNOWSHOES

Sorry, you just won’t be able to find a large cache of snowshoes in El Paso this year. Because...it’s the desert and it hardly ever snows. Der. However, even in states that usually have heavy snowfall, experts are saying there could be a shortage because gyms might be closed and people will be looking for ways to get their steps in even if there’s a 2 foot blanket.

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