Is your Christmas tree still up? Is it still decorated for the season with memories old and new in the shape of ornaments? The day many people take down their Christmas tree and pack up the tinsel is the day after Christmas. Others wait until Jan. 6, Epiphany.

Whether your household is one to pack up the day after or enjoy the lingering scent of evergreen for a few more days, the real question here is: are you ready for Valentine’s Day?

What? Valentine’s Day?

Yes, Feb. 14 is just around the corner and according to some retailers, we should be prepared — so prepared, in fact, that we should have already been considering our Valentine’s Day gifts before New Year’s Day. For some of us, that means eyeing the aisle full of heart-shaped boxes before we even take down the Christmas tree.

It seems in the retail world these days that Halloween is now blending into Christmas, with a little speed bump in there representing Thanksgiving. Christmas then goes directly into Valentine’s Day, with another little speed bump thrown in for New Year’s. Valentine’s Day isn’t over before the Easter merchandise begins to slide onto, and off of, the shelves.

But before we go buying chocolates, or teddy bears with stitching that says, “I love you,” maybe we should take a breath and relax. Maybe we take a moment and reflect on the last celebration before we start on the next. Christmas doesn’t have to be over yet, in either heart or mind, or in the tree we have or haven’t taken down, regardless of the latest display of heart-shaped boxes.