’Tis the season to be hiring.

Local retailers are hiring seasonal help to get them through what is expected to be a slightly better holiday shopping season than last year.

For Margaret Hutcheson, owner of Horsin’ Around at Pony Village Mall, this season is an opportunity to recoup losses incurred throughout the recession. She hired one part-time temporary worker, instead of the two or three she’d normally bring aboard this time of year. She’ll put in extra hours herself.

“Even if the economy does pick up, the money that was lost earlier this year, we have to make up for this holiday season,” Hutcheson said.