BY JUDY E. BUSS

Special to The Press

A funny thing happens at this time of the year: we look forward to the holidays with great anticipation, dreaming of fabulous food, beautifully decorated homes, vacation time and festive gatherings with family and friends.

Then, as the holidays roll around, the same old same old reality sets in. Dreading all the extra work, shopping, decorating and cooking deadlines while also maintaining our daily work routine and chores.

A thought begins to sprout between our ears: “Can’t wait ’till it’s over so I can have my life back.”

This holiday season be kinder to yourself so you can actually enjoy the winter festivities.

Don’t be pressured by anyone, including picture-perfect TV and magazine images, to attend or host more events than you can comfortably accommodate into your schedule.

On a couple of sheets of paper create calendar pages for November, December and January and enter on them carefully chosen to-dos and events, including, yes, Superbowl.

Keep your holiday cooking and baking simple.

TV celebrity chefs have invisible elves doing prep work and cleanup for them.

Most of us are not blessed with such miraculous help. Early on put all the holiday baking and cooking recipes you plan to use in a file folder together with the two calendar pages you prepared.

Two weeks before an event, set aside a weekend day to bake and freeze a wholesome (not a fatty-sugary) sheet cake, cookies or cupcakes all in the same baking session.

You’ll have to clean a messy kitchen once, not multiple times.

Placing baking liners in each cup or on baking sheets makes cleaning them a piece of cake ... portion, wrap and freeze each serving.

Then thaw, heat and serve as needed.

If hosting a party, one to three days before that dinner, make certain recipes or parts of them in advance, such as chili, salad dressing, stew or cranberry sauce. Wash salad and cooking veggies, scrub potatoes clean for baking etc. Dry and refrigerate in plastic bags these ready-to-use vegetables.

Roasting nuts for various recipes can also be done ahead.

Consciously challenge yourself this season to find new ways to cut down on stress.

Lastly, be sure to plan and enter breaks into your holiday calendar — as in quiet time — allowing you to sneak away and chill out — happy and healthy holidays!

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Editor’s note: Judy E. Buss is a syndicated columnist, blogger, nutritional cooking instructor and speaker.