UPDATE: A Coast Guard spokesman tells NBC News that members will get paid on December 31 as part of a short-term solution agreed upon by the Trump administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Coast Guard.
The days after Christmas are a time to play with toys from Santa and a time to be with loved ones.
This year season, it's become a time for concern for several local families.
"It's been a very stressful holiday season," Kayla Garcia said. "Normally when you'd be excited about Christmas and your child getting gifts from Santa, I was actually panicking, freaking out, considering taking gifts back to Target and Walmart."
Garcia is the wife of a Coast Guardsman and the mother of a young child. She says her family lives paycheck to paycheck, but they won't get a paycheck that's supposed to come on Monday.
Garcia's husband is working through this government shutdown, but he's not getting paid. Garcia said that it's hard, because while the pay is stopped, the family bills have not.
"I think just the stress of everything and trying to move money around, ask people for help, it puts a really big, I guess it takes a really big toll on your family," Garcia says.
The Coast Guard is the only branch of the military working without pay during this shutdown. When it does end, guardsmen will get paid for this time of work. But until the shutdown ends, Garcia's family will continue to face financial challenges.
"I anticipate a lot of struggles for my family, and most likely a lot of other families too," Garcia said.
