Love. Love. Love. That day of hearts and flowers, chocolate and cupids is fast approaching. And for the last month I’ve been inundated with pink and red everything, everywhere I go. I’m all for love, don’t get me wrong. But I’ve barely recovered from the big holiday season and now I’m reminded that I need to spend even more to make sure that my special someone knows how much I love and adore him.

I’m not sure I can live up to the Valentine’s Day expectations that seem to be growing every year. When did Valentine’s Day become such a big deal? Used to be you could buy a mushy card professing your love, maybe whip up some heart shaped pancakes for a special breakfast in bed and top that off with an IOU for a back rub. Now, I feel pressured (not by my husband but society in general) to make a bigger, bolder, more expensive expression of my love.

Actually, it seems like this is happening with every holiday. The marketing and the hype starts earlier and earlier each year. There are Halloween costumes in stores at the start of September. The Christmas carols and holiday gift giving ads often start before we’ve even basted the Thanksgiving Day turkey. Back to school promotions start right after the Fourth of July fireworks have exploded.

Maybe I’m just more sensitive to all this because I spend so much of my day online and see tons of promotions and banners touting holiday goods. I realize that in order to sell seasonal goods you have to start reminding consumers early since many people seem to have such short attention spans.

In our upcoming April issue we explore strategies for boosting sales of seasonal goods all year round. But I’d really like to know if with all this holiday hype comes the chance of burning people out since we are now making such a big deal out of each and every holiday.

So start blogging and tell me what you think or give me your best ideas for holiday selling strategies that will keep people in the holiday spirit and wanting to buy. Don’t make me resent the Easter Bunny.