The holiday season is a time when loved ones often come together to celebrate. However, for many people, it can be a challenging time that leads to exhaustion, emotional breakdowns, and excuses to avoid social engagements. There is a lot of pressure to make Christmas perfect. Still, in reality, it can be a stressful experience for those who struggle with social situations or feel overwhelmed due to sensory overload.
In this article, we share our top 3 tips to have a happy neurodiverse Christmas...
Practise self-care - Regulate
It can become challenging to manage emotions in a busy festive schedule. However, you can regulate your emotions by taking a break, engaging in sensory activities, doing things you enjoy, or practising mindfulness. You can avoid having meltdowns by regulating your emotions before they become overwhelming.
Don't feel you have to follow traditions
If your favourite meal is spaghetti hoops on crusty white bread, have it as your Christmas dinner. If you prefer not to cover your tree in lights that overwhelm your senses, stick to baubles. If you want Christmas songs on repeat all the time, then get that music playing! Social norms and traditions can feel uncomfortable, so do what makes you happy and tell others that it's what you prefer to do. It's your own tradition.
You are allowed to open presents by yourself
We all know the pressure that can arise while opening a gift in front of the person who gave it to us. Understanding the social rules in such a situation can be pretty challenging. Have I been too expressive? Have I not shown enough gratitude? If you receive a gift and prefer opening it back at home, or when you are alone, it's okay to say so. You can tell the gift giver that you are grateful and can't wait to open it, but you'd rather do it later. They won't mind if you don't unwrap it right then and there.
At Grace our expert team of Neurodiversity Advisers provides advice and support on all areas of neurodiversity, from help with understanding conditions and managing symptoms, to accessing support, services and funding. If you, your organisation or anyone you are close to is looking for support, get in touch.
Grace Consulting are the UK’s founding providers of expert independent advice on elderly care advice, special needs advice and neurodiversity advice.
Independence and client wellbeing are at the heart of everything we do. We listen, reassure and advise you on how to move forwards and find the best possible solutions for your unique life challenges.