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How to celebrate the Holiday Season with a Loved One with Autism?
As the holiday season approaches, it’s essential to recognize that celebrating the holidays with autism can be a joyous but also challenging experience for everyone involved. Caregivers and individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can enjoy festive gatherings filled with laughter and connection, even when faced with specific issues. While the holiday season often brings additional stress and chaos, it’s entirely possible to create wonderful memories that honor the unique needs of those on the spectrum.
For many, preparing for the holidays with autism can feel daunting. The traditional hustle and bustle can sometimes lead to increased anxiety and overwhelm. However, with thoughtful planning and proactive strategies, we can ensure that the festivities remain enjoyable for everyone. This blog post from ABA Centers of America offers valuable tips and suggestions to enhance your experience of holiday celebrations with autism, allowing you to embrace joy and inclusivity.
Join us as we explore how to make this holiday season a time of connection, acceptance, and happiness for individuals with diverse developmental needs. Together, we can transform the holidays into a beautiful celebration that resonates with everyone’s spirit.
Why the Holidays with Autism Are Stressful for Many
The distress commonly experienced by those celebrating the holidays with autism includes traits that can impair one’s ability to understand traditions, societal concepts, and social cues, and, in many cases, facilitate a preference for only experiencing what’s known and familiar.
Additionally, as described by the CDC, sensory processing ailments and rigidity, among other features related to variances in the brain, contribute to how those with autism behave and communicate, impacting how they experience holidays and life overall. So, even practices like gift-giving or the concept of Santa can be confusing or even unsettling to those with ASD.
7 Tips to Stay Festive and Have Fun Planning!
Research Autism-Friendly Holiday Activities Ahead
Plan and research autism-friendly activities to ensure everyone can participate in festivities. It can be helpful to explore autism blogs discussing others’ shared experiences surrounding the holidays with autism. Pinterest boards and other resources are another great way to find inspiration and embrace fresh traditions that recognize your loved one’s abilities and talent without focusing on limitations.
Small acts like softening the holiday music, curating the playlist, considering food allergies, and describing events before they occur can also help your neuro-unique loved one celebrate the holidays with more confidence while experiencing less sensory overload or triggers. If the event you plan to attend isn’t autism-friendly, consider attending ones that are, or prepare ahead for potential challenges that may arise wherever you will be spending the day.
Great Places to Visit during Holidays with Autism
Your holidays with autism may not look like everyone else’s, but that doesn’t make them any less meaningful or memorable. Fortunately, wherever you live, many incredible autism and sensory-friendly options in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, autism-friendly game rooms or park attractions, cruises, shopping times, and family photography sessions can be accommodating to help you enjoy the moment.
Set Expectations with Your Family Before Holiday Events
Proactively setting clear expectations with your family before the festivities begin is essential to ensuring you limit surprises or misunderstandings that can lead to unwanted consequences for loved ones with autism and others attending. Communicating plans and allowing room for others to ask questions addresses everyone’s concerns and diffuses grievances or mistakes before they happen.
In many cases, it’s best to explain to your family why certain holiday traditions may be stressful for your neurodivergent family member so everyone understands your requests. Encourage those celebrating with your child to remain open-minded about how you’ll observe the holiday and how it may differ from previous traditions.
Lastly, always clearly explain that autism is a severe condition, like any other medical diagnosis, requiring compassion, support, and acceptance on behalf of everyone to improve the health of the person with the diagnosis and the family that supports them.
Prepare Your Child for Changes Around Holidays
For children with autism, routine changes can significantly impact day-to-day life. A typical trip to the grocery store or picking up a package at the post office can lead to tantrums, meltdowns, or other complex behavioral expressions that warrant unwanted attention due to ASD. Increases in the demonstration of maladaptive behavior are not uncommon for those with autism during holidays, as new activities and events disrupt a child’s regular schedule.
To prepare your child for these changes around the holiday:
- Communicate what will change, when, and why when possible.
- Talk to your child about what to expect during the holidays, including traditions or concepts, and why people celebrate the holidays the way they do.
- Consider implementing social stories or visual aids to help your neurodivergent loved one understand why the holidays are important to many.
If your child receives ABA therapy, like many with a diagnosis of autism, include their treatment team in teaching about holidays. Your child’s certified Behavioral Analysts (BCBA) and Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) can help describe the events more seamlessly and ensure you use literal language to improve your child’s understanding.
Create an Environment That Considers Neurodiversity.
Creating a calming environment during the holiday season is vital to helping reduce stress and uncertainty. Electing to decorate with visually attractive decorations that do not blink, make loud noises, or are overtly overstimulating can make a big difference in making those on the spectrum more comfortable within their environment.
Designate a Safe Place Where Your Child Can Regulate, Wherever You Celebrate.
Holidays with autism can quickly feel dangerous when unfamiliar surroundings, crowded spaces, and unexpected sensory experiences are an aspect of the experience. However, one way to help reduce that stress is by creating a safe place or corner where your child can retreat if the sensory stimulation becomes debilitating, wherever they may be celebrating.
Ensuring your loved one has a place to retreat in the event of triggers is instrumental to keeping them healthy and safe if there’s a chance the atmosphere may be intense, even if only providing temporary relief.
If you are hosting or attending your event outside of your home, kindly request the host designate a sensory space for your child. When discussing what the area should entail, explain what your child needs and why it’s essential. Additionally, be open to being collaborative in the process.
In many cases, knowing a space exists to relax and feel secure, if necessary, makes a world of difference to children experiencing the holidays with autism. It also assures that their needs are recognized, matter, and that it’s okay to take breaks.
Remember Your Self-Care and Recharge!
While the holidays with autism may be stressful for the person carrying the diagnosis, experts suggest that no family member goes unaffected if one component of the family is neurodivergent. It’s important to remember that taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of your loved one with autism. Don’t forget to set aside time to relax and recharge during the holidays.
Caring for yourself is necessary, leading to significant, scientifically validated, better parenting responses. So, take the time you need to do the things you love.
Celebrating the Holidays with Autism Can Be More Magical than Ever!
The holiday season can still be enjoyable for families with children and teens on the spectrum by taking these extra precautions. Help prepare your child or teen for holiday festivities by following simple steps like those explored here. You and your family deserve to enjoy this time together, and we know you can with some expertise, care, and dedication.
Together, we can make the holiday season more inclusive, inviting, and a time to remember for all the right reasons.
More about ABA Centers of America and How We Can Support Your Family through Autism and the Holidays!
Are you feeling overwhelmed about the upcoming holiday season with a loved one on the autism spectrum? Don’t worry.
ABA Centers of America can help support you and your loved one on your ABA journey towards better holidays and daily experiences. Our expert ABA team serves families with autism through ABA therapy, also called Applied Behavior Analysis, an evidence-based behavioral approach to autism symptom management.
We proudly serve families in regions of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and beyond. Call us at 844-923-4222 today or contact us here and let us support your family with our tailored ABA therapy approach to autism care.
Let us help you transform this holiday season into a joyous one for your diverse family. So why wait?
