The halls are decked, snow is on the ground and twinkling lights line the frames of many homes in neighborhoods across the city.

It’s really beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Problem is, it’s the end of January, people.

I understand snow and ice have all but buried many of us alive inside our houses over the past month. Taking Christmas lights down outside would have been next to impossible. In fact, the lights are still up on my house.

However, how hard is it to unplug the extension cord or flip the light switch?

We have no set rule in our house for when we dismantle the Christmas tree, but after many years, I’ve reached this conclusion: The moment you walk through the room without noticing it, it’s time to kick the tree to the curb.

Christmas trees should stop you in your tracks, if not literally, then emotionally. The day that stops happening, what’s the point?

This puts me at some disagreement with my housemates, one of whom has the opinion a tree should stay up as long as possible. The practical translation of that would be, “Until I’m back at college and don’t have to deal with taking it down.”