Hello world! Welcome back to another blog. As the festive day is tomorrow, I thought I’d share out my experience on how to make a Christmas for those living with autism a special one and not to get overwhelmed.
As we all know Christmas is a day of joy, laughter and spending time with loved ones. But for those on the autistic spectrum it can be a different story. The loud music, the opening of the presents, the chaos of cooking Christmas dinner and not knowing what’s happening when. It can get a bit much. So here are some of the ways I handle Christmas Day without getting overwhelmed. And what I give now is just how I handle it personally as everyone is different.
A schedule: This may seem a little thing but for me it’s very important. These include when the family is coming over, and most importantly what time the food will be ready. For me I need some notification on what’s happening when and that if there is going to be change I need some warning, with an hour minimum. Especially when it comes to the food.
Having regular times out: What I mean by that is yes it’s nice to be surrounded by family (as that’s what Christmas is all about) but along with the chatter, the music and the smells of the food cooking it can get my brain going in and out like the hocky cockey. So having a space for me to take a break is important as then when it comes to having food with everyone else I can enjoy it relaxed and peaceful
Talking about my special interests: That is one I’ve experienced. So for me whether I talk about the wonderful world of the arts, a new tv series, anything to do with darts (my favourite sport to watch) or my other hobbies outside of acting, that’s when you find me at my most talkative. So don’t be afraid to have those special interests at the ready and for families having loved ones on the spectrum, be ready for those and know that we are at our most comfortable when talking about our special interests
Having boundaries: These include not feeling pressure about thinking that you must join in any games or make conversations. Yes Christmas is about having fun but we want to do it our way. So if we don’t want to get as involved in the games after dinner we shouldn’t force ourselves or if we want to have dessert on our own, that’s also fine. And be sure to make it clear to your loved ones, especially when occasionally if they give you hints to “smile more” or “be grateful” or “you should be more involved”.
And those are my ways of enjoying Christmas without getting overwhelmed. As mentioned before everyone is different, but I’m hoping that this read will help those who want to make their Christmas less overwhelming and think about their own needs and for families who have loved ones on the spectrum to make sure they don’t get overwhelmed by the events of the big day.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and see you soon for another blog. Until next time…
This is The Autistic Actress signing off :)
댓글