It was meant as a silly remark three weeks ago, in the midst of the Womens March on Washington:

“You know who should be worried? Big-box chains like Walmart. They have millions tied up in Valentine’s Day merchandise. That’s only three weeks away — and no one will be in the mood to celebrate.”

It turns out the big boxes might be worried. Valentine’s Day spending was expected to decline by about 10 percent this year, according to national trade groups — although it’s unclear there’s any connection to the march — or to the presidential power transfer that prompted it.

Total U.S. Valentine spending was expected to reach $18.2 billion in 2017, down from a record-high $19.7 billion in 2016, according to the National Retail Federation, which conducts an annual survey and forecast of Valentine’s Day spending.

NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay called the decline a “market correction” driven by simple demographics, including an aging population and fewer people celebrating the holiday.

Of 7,500 people surveyed, 54 percent said they plan to celebrate the lovers’ holiday tomorrow; that compares with 63 percent 10 years ago in 2007.

Here’s another stark fact: Divorce filings spike about 40 percent each year right after Valentine’s Day. Attorney groups and others site two types of filers: the delayed New Year’s resolutioners and the “waiting to exhale” bunch who determine from their spouse’s actions on Valentine’s Day whether to reconcile or go ahead and file.

But the rise in divorce filings happens every year. It has nothing to do with the current political mood.

As for the drop in 2017 Valentine sales, the survey was completed Jan. 11 — a full nine days before the march, although the planning was well under way by then.

So is it worthwhile to even try drawing a link between current political upheaval and an interruption in the culture’s thoughts of romance? Well, let’s wait and see how the actual sales figures turn out.

Or not. Maybe the sales figures simply aren’t that important an indicator. Maybe the noteworthy take-away is this: The most cherished elements in a love relationship are respect for the individual and intimacy of communication, not how much you spend on the gift.

Maybe that’s one of the reasons why the organizers of the women’s march stressed their intention not to prioritize any particular issues, except to say that women’s rights are civil rights.

Here’s how one of the co-founders, a Brooklyn-born Palestinian named Linda Sarsour, described the movement:

“We are creating another opportunity to talk about what are the issues that impact women. If you are a Mexican woman that is about to be deported to Mexico, how important are your reproductive rights at this moment? So it’s being able to not prioritize but to believe we lead intersectional lives.”

In today’s political and cultural climate, listening intently and respectfully to a loved one might be the highest priority and best Valentine gift of all.

—TAH