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This week’s music Monday video is dedicated to all the people out there, including myself, who are struggling with the dark side of Xmas — Christmas depression. While Christmas is a wonderful time of year, it can also be very stressful and sad. My family history more closely resembles “Apocalypse Now” than “It’s a Wonderful Life” and family togetherness brings both painful memories and exhausting expectations. While I am fortunate not to be grieving the loss of a family member, I have a close friend that lost a family member on Christmas and know those who have lost someone close to them within the last few years. And then there is all the overspending! Who doesn’t feel some Christmas blues when they start thinking about their mounting credit card debt?

So I fight back with music. Years ago, my college roommate would wake me up in the morning (after she heard me hit snooze on the alarm clock for the 5th time) by cranking one of my favorite Beatles songs, usually “When I saw Her Standing There.” Within minutes my eyes would open and I’d be out of my bunk wiggling around the room. Today music still takes the edge off depression. This morning’s get-outta-bed prod was the UK house duo The Shapeshifters (known as Shape-UK in the US), with gospel singer Cookie on vocals, that got me moving.