Do you feel it? That creeping panic at the thought of another insane holiday season? It happens every year. Before you know it, your to-do lists need flowcharts and your life is a series of scenes outside a speeding train. As a result your neck is as stiff as a Brit’s upper lip and you can’t remember what it feels like to take a satisfyingly deep breath.

Don’t let this be you! Mark a spa day on your calendar now, before every time slot is double booked. Might I suggest SenSpa in San Francisco’s Marina district? Adjacent to the Presidio, the building is a former army barracks, making the interior a Zen oasis with a rustic edge. Don’t miss the dramatic, free-standing fireplace and new apothecary where you can design your own signature scent, choose a custom bath scrub or soaking salts (i recommend the pink pepper and fragonia), and have a private consultation with a Becca make-up artist. And don’t forget the rest of SenSpa’s wellness treatments, including massage, acupuncture, nutrition consultation, and loads of other indulgences that might just help you remember that the holidays are supposed to be fun!