New York ? Anne Goodwin, who usually finishes her holiday shopping by Thanksgiving, has already mapped out a strategy for getting the hot toys this season for her three children and 12 nieces and nephews.

“It’s very annoying when you can’t find the gifts that you want,” said the New York resident, who has jotted her list of must-have toys in a special notebook. “That’s why I try to shop early, and get them when I can.”

The annual ritual of nabbing the holiday season’s most popular toys is often a nerve-racking experience, but this year, Goodwin and plenty of other parents might feel more frazzled than usual.

Labor problems at West Coast ports, including a 10-day shutdown, have raised the possibility of merchandise shortages this holiday season, particularly in the toy industry, which gets most of its products from Asia and relies on suppliers to deliver on short notice.

Many stores planned in advance and got merchandise into their warehouses earlier this fall, but their big worry is that they won’t have time to reorder best sellers, particularly sleeper hits. That could end up disappointing children – and toy retailers, whose holiday season accounts for 50 percent of their annual sales.

“We always chase product to the end (of the season), but now there’s an added wrinkle to the chase,” said David Novitsky, vice president and divisional merchandising manager at KB Toys Inc.

So far, there’s no obvious “must-have” toy, but retailers such as KB Toys, Toys “R” Us and FAO Schwarz report some products are already in demand.

Julia Paganucci, 6, from New York City, brushes the hair of Mattel's Rapunzel Barbie. Rapunzel Barbie, popular since it reached stores in September, is expected to be this year's hottest toy overall, according to Play-Date Inc.

Tom Conley, president of the Toy Industry Assn., acknowledged big challenges ahead for the industry, particularly because of the expected shortages. But he’s also worried that parents will feel too financially strapped to splurge on toys, although he said the industry tends to be less vulnerable to economic woes than other categories.

“We are concerned. Toys are not recession proof, but the toy industry usually fares better than other categories,” Conley said. “Kids come first.”

Goodwin said she would cut her own expenses before spending less on her children. She plans to spend about the same this year as last year: $1,200 each for each of her two eldest children – 16-year-old Emily and 12-year-old Alexandra- and $500 on her 3-year-old son Jack.

Still, merchants worry that there are plenty of other consumers, burdened with financial worries, who will be forced to spend less on toys. After all, parents pulled back on buying clothing for their children for back-to-school, resulting in a disappointing season.