DATE: Sunday, November 16, 1997             TAG: 9711120048

SECTION: FLAVOR                  PAGE: F1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY KAREN SANTOS, VIRGINIAN-PILOT STAFF 

                                            LENGTH:   91 lines

MANAGING YOUR HOLIDAYS SIMPLE PLANNING CAN MAKE THE NEXT FEW WEEKS FESTVIE INSTEAD OF FRAZZLED

``Visions of sugarplums dance in their heads . . . '' but your head is spinning.

What's for Thanksgiving dinner? I have to bake 10 dozen cookies for the school party when? I can't believe I invited my co-workers to my house for a holiday brunch . . . What are sugarplums and how do you make them?

The extra shopping, cooking, entertaining and organizing for the holidays can bring on extra stress, but don't have a panic attack yet. We have tips and this big calendar to help you through the next 6 1/2 weeks. Jot the events for which you need to cook down on the calendar, than use it to plan your schedule.

For starters, ``People need to remember that all stress is not bad. The key is finding and knowing your signs and symptoms of stress and knowing when it's leading to distress,'' says Cindy Parker, a registered nurse specialist at Virginia Beach General Hospital who teaches stress reduction techniques to cardiac patients.

Most people think of stress as a negative, but stress in the proper balance can actually bring productivity, says Parker. In fact, low productivity can sometimes be the result of too little stress.

Individuals need to become comfortable with their stress level, Parker says.

To do that, Parker suggests, establish priorities and arrange tasks in order of importance. By giving yourself a deadline for completing a task it makes you get the job done but also limits the time you can spend on each task and helps avoid procrastination.

Using a ``To Do'' list daily and keeping it handy to jot down ideas keeps you on track. Seeing items eliminated helps you see your progress.

Also, set limits. Learn to say ``no'' without feeling guilty and don't be afraid to ask for help or delegate if you become overburdened.

And don't forget, says Parker, make time for yourself. Are you on an exercise program, eating right and getting enough sleep?

Parker suggests making a joy list, rewarding yourself with things you can do in five, 10 or 20 minutes that will help you relax.

In the midst of a busy day most of us don't allow ourselves to do something we enjoy. It's not spontaneous, planning will keep it in your schedule. Use your to do list to make sure it happens daily.

It doesn't matter what the list includes. It can be a warm bath, sharing feelings with friends or deep breathing exercises. The goal is to ``send your body the message that you're in control and you are going to relax,'' Parker says.

Roxanne Young, owner of Du Chocolat Chocolatier, board member for the Tidewater Chefs' Association and mother of two, says the key to getting everything accomplished is, ``keep it simple.''

Young's advice is to start planning menus early. To keep dinner in perspective, focus on theme and break the meal down into parts and ingredients.

Go ahead and begin shopping for nonperishable ingredients and keep a grocery list going.

Also, prepare as much as you can in advance.

``Bread dough, pie crust and sauces can be prepared now and frozen,'' Young says.

Also, chocolate for molds or truffles can be prepared and refrigerated a few weeks ahead.

Finally, everything will not go as planned so try to see the humor in a bad situation.

Like Young's theory on working with chocolate: ``It requires great patience but, you get to eat your mistakes and move on.''

Here are more tips to simplify holiday life:

Go shopping on off days and hours to avoid crowds. When making your grocery list, remember the wholesale clubs and food co-ops have large quantities.

Split errands with friends such as trips to speciality stores, seafood shops or florists for your holiday decorations.

Pick up film, video tapes and batteries now to avoid last minute trips to the store.

Arrange for house cleaning services early, companies become booked quickly.

And to make life in the kitchen quicker, use these tips we've gleaned from area chefs:

Keep at least three sets of measuring spoons and two sets of measuring cups on hand.

Invest in a small ice cream scoop for spooning out cookie doughs, truffles, etc.

Combine salt and pepper in a small bowl and scoop out both at once, as needed.

Keep confectioners' sugar in a shaker jar to sprinkle on cookies, waffles, etc. as you need it.

Divide recipes into tasks to be done as you have time. For instance, if making a batch of cookies is going to take hours, make the dough one night and refrigerate. The next night, bake all or just half the cookies. Finish baking a third night.

Now, take a deep breath, plunge ahead and enjoy the holidays.

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