Keeping The Holidays Bright for Everyone: Support Through the Season

As the holiday season quickly approaches, we may feel excited, nostalgic, and ready to celebrate. As you prepare to gather with family and friends, put up your Christmas decorations, light your menorah, or celebrate a holiday that is meaningful to you, it is important remember that the holidays can also bring challenges and stress to some of the individuals that we have the pleasure of supporting.

Change

The holidays can feel very overwhelming and cause anxiety to some of the people who choose our services. This season may involve extra activities, visiting with extended family, or not seeing family at all. It may also mean increased sensory input and a change of routine. This may seem exciting and new, but for some of our individuals, it can be stressful. Many people thrive with routine and knowing what is going to happen each day. The holidays can change those routines by having time off from work, attending holiday parties, eating new foods, and having guests over to the home to celebrate.

Sensory

The holiday season is full of bright lights, festive music, gatherings involving big groups of people, and gifts wrapped in shimmering paper. For people with sensory challenges, this can be hard. A person with sensory struggles wants to experience all the exciting things that come with the holiday season, but when they happen all at once, it can be hard to process. Consider how to that person it might be too loud, too bright, or too crowded. A person may show that they are overstimulated by avoiding the holiday fun, but that does not mean they do not love the holidays just like everyone else. It should be our goal to create an environment that is special and magical, but not overstimulating. Make it so everyone can enjoy how beautiful the holiday season can be.

Relationships

The holidays can involve family. With family involvement, comes different family dynamics. Having people around who might not always be there can be overwhelming to some of the people that we support. Some of our folks might not have family involvement and may feel upset or sad because of that, especially during the holiday season. We must always show empathy and respect when it comes to the different family dynamics that might come with this season. We must remember not to show judgement towards anyone. Give the person support if they are feeling stress due to family or lack of family involvement. We need to listen and find out from the person what would be helpful to them. Would they like to create new traditions, visit with friends instead of family, or attend a festive holiday gathering to stay busy? A person might just need to know that someone is there to listen to them with empathy and compassion. We just need to meet the person where they are.

Tips

Consider these tips to help make the holidays less stressful for the individuals we support.

• Plan out activities ahead of time when possible. Because people may feel increased anxiety when their routine changes, it can be helpful to communicate early. Let them know ahead of time that something will be different with the schedule. If they are surprised by the change, it can make them feel anxious about the unknown. Provide the person with visuals or reminders so they know what to expect.
• Make sure you have what the person needs accessible at events or functions. For example, if a person is on a special diet, make sure you have food they can eat available. Make sure the person has their communication device present and ready, especially if they are interacting with new people. If they need extra sensory tools to help when they feel overstimulated, have those on hand. If you are in a different setting, those items might not be available. You want to make sure holiday plans are inclusive of everyone’s needs.
• Try to ensure the environment meets the person’s needs. For example, if a person does not like being in a crowd, attending a busy holiday parade might not be the right choice for them. An alternative might be to go and look at Christmas lights in the neighborhood or a drive through event. If a person is overstimulated by too much sensory input, bright candles or tree lights might not be a good fit for them. Finding holiday decorations that meet someone’s sensory needs can help ease the anxiety of the holidays, while continuing to bring the magic of the season to the person.
• Get everyone involved in the holiday fun. Ask the people you support if they would like to help decorate for the season with you. Check if they have any holiday traditions that are important to them. Show them you care about making the season special. You could also find volunteer opportunities to give back to the community. Find an angel tree to donate items to someone less fortunate. These opportunities can give the people you support a sense of giving and generosity during the holiday season.
• Try not to overschedule. It is OK not to attend every holiday gathering. Too many extra events may cause some people to feel overwhelmed and anxious. Check in with the person you are supporting and see what they prefer.
• Practice healthy coping strategies before the holidays get stressful. When a person is already feeling stressed or anxious, creating new coping strategies is difficult and not always successful. Practice coping strategies or produce new ones before things get busy and potentially overwhelming. Let the person know that you will respect their needs and feelings if something becomes a challenge. For example, if you go to a holiday event, and the person lets you know they are ready to leave, it is important to respect their requests.
• Do not set unrealistic expectations for the holidays. Check in and determine with the person you are supporting what a successful holiday looks like for them. If it looks like staying home, quiet gatherings, or not changing their routine, be OK with that. Your expectations for a successful holiday season might be different than someone you are supporting, and that is OK.
• Stay calm. The holiday season can be a little bit busy or hectic. It is important that we maintain a calm environment for the people we support. Knowing that they have a calm space to go to when things around them are potentially overwhelming can help ease anxiety.
• Do not forget to prepare to readjust after the holiday season is over. Just like we prepared our folks for the start of the holiday season, it may be helpful to prepare for the transition back into the post-holiday schedule. Talk to the person and let them know when things are happening. Write things down on a calendar or provide a visual schedule to help ease the transition. It is hard for everyone to get back into the swing of things after the holidays, but with respectful planning and communication, we can do our best to make it a bit easier.

Supporters

As a supporter, it is important to take care of yourself during the holiday season as well. As you put in the work to help make the individuals’ holidays special, understand that you are valued and appreciated. The holidays may also be a stressful time for you. It is important that you take time for yourself. Spend time with those who mean the most to you. Practice self-care. Take time to rest. Make sure your cup stays full so you can provide the best support. You matter during the holiday season.

Summary

Every person has a different history and experience surrounding holidays. It is important that we approach the holidays with that in mind. Our expectations may not be the same as the person we are supporting. So, always check in with those you support to see what a good holiday looks like to them. Some people may love the extra excitement, activities, and social interactions, while others might like things to stay routine and low key. If we meet people where they are, plan to the best of our ability, keep our expectations in check, we can help keep the holidays merry and bright for the individuals that we have the pleasure of supporting.