As a retail specialist, I am supposed to be celebrating the seemingly insatiable desire for more. More clothes, more new cars, more electronics, more remote controlled gadgets, more new appliances, more new golf clubs, more new spas, more pools, more homes, more computers, and so on and so on. The consumer has fueled our economy for the last 10 years regardless of war, rising interest rates, attacks on our soil, Y2K, and a country split right down the middle politically.

This has been a boom time for retailing. Not for everyone, but for those clever enough to carve out their unique niche of the market. Certainly, the retail giants have thrived during this time period where more is good. They answered the more hungry consumer with more stores, more concepts, more locations, more channels to buy goods. Retail careers have been built on more. More business means more money, more promotions, and more bonuses.

I have made a living teaching people how to get more business, more out of their employees, more out of their advertising, and more out of their locations. I am dedicated to continue to do this but during the holiday season maybe it’s time to appreciate what we have, rather than what we want.

I have seen people and businesses make great strides this past year, but instead of being happy, they are focusing on what’s next, the more. Instead of focusing on what they did right, they are focusing, on what they did wrong or only on areas to improve. Whatever you are doing well, recognize it, celebrate it and expand it. Yes, do more of it.

Do I say these things because I just saw the original version of “The Christmas Carol” and like old Mr. Scrooge found my Christmas cheer? No, I say it because of a sobering thought that scares me about our retailing future. One of the major factors that fueled the economic engine was the housing market. It has fueled this economic boom. Speculators are buying and “flipping.” Two of my kids have each made well over $100,000+ on their real estate transactions over the last 5 years alone.

But I believe that those days are over. The real estate bubble has finally popped. Prices are actually coming down. Just go to any suburban community in the Northeast. There is a glut of homes on the market and a scarcity of buyers. Sellers are becoming very realistic about asking prices and are reducing their asking prices faster than ever before.

This is not a time for gloom and doom but it is a time to appreciate what we are doing and before we look for more, let’s first look for ways to secure what we already have. It will come back — it always does, but I think a little belt tightening is the order of the day.

I speak from a personal basis because I have had my home on the market since Labor Day without an offer and with $50,000 worth of price reductions. This was on a house that was priced appropriately to start. My community in suburban Boston and it has more than twice the inventory of homes on the market today than a year ago.

This has to have an effect throughout the economy. Be prepared and don’t get caught saying, “I wish we had more of the good old days”. Have a wonderful and prosperous season with more than you ever thought it could be.

Happy Holidays to all!