Is Valentine’s Day the worst?

If you think Jumbotron marriage proposals are neato, you might not have any problem with the vision of romance marketed to the American public at this time of year.

But if you are skeptical about the genuine link between edible panties and love, well, it might help you to know that you are not alone.

Holiday creep is nothing new, of course. But a case could be made that the long lead-up to Valentine’s Day is America at its most insipid.

The geunine stuff of romance is difficult to package and sell. You can’t put sacrifice, patience and empathy in a box.

But in the meantime, you can buy some crap or plan a stunt.

Woo-hoo.