Huffington Post Article: What’s the Best Holiday Therapy?

Check out my article on Huffington Post here!

I’m one of those people who thinks it’s ok to start listening to Christmas music at the beginning of November. You see, that officially starts the holiday season. What comes to mind, when you think of November? Fall leaves, the color orange, Thanksgiving, family and vacation. Immediately after Thanksgiving we are right into our Christmas plans.

I had a client comment on the fact that my studio radio was playing christmas music the week before Thanksgiving. He felt it was too early but I said “all through the year there are so many stressful things that we deal with. Music, has a magical effect of transporting you to a better place. Could you imagine watching the “Wizard of Oz”, without the soundtrack? and what would the movie “Frozen” be like without that darn song? Music has a magical way of scoring your life and suddenly making you feel happy and cozy and that everything is going to be ok.  All because Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis and Mariah Carey say so.”  He smiled and agreed.  Granted, the holidays bring a lot of stress on your time and your funds, we know that. That’s a given.

So why not get the most out of the holidays by scoring it with some of the happiest music ever written. We all have childhood pleasure moments from so many of these songs and no matter your status in life currently, these songs will have the power to bring you back to that simpler time. And here is the best part… It’s free!! That’s right, free joy.

And when people say Christmas is a “state of mind” this is what they mean, it’s that easy-going, love thy neighbor, tip more generously, forgive a little deeper, smile-for-no-reason, kind of season. That’s what the Spirit of Christmas is and what goes along with it is MUSIC. It’s the magical combo: Christmas music + Traffic = Tolerable.

Tolerance is what helps us get through the normal stress we encounter. Music never fails to shift my viewpoint to a more compassionate outlook. And trust me, I am so delightfully affected by Holiday Music that if it wasn’t considered completely wacko to start listening early, I would be pulling out my Mitch Miller Sing Along and the Carpenters Christmas Collection in July!