This blog post generously contributed by Kimberley MacGillivray 

The Holiday Season is a time of great JOY, whether your family celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, or something else! We celebrate with lights, family gatherings, Christmas music, and sugar cookies. Some students are negatively affected by all of the sensory experiences that come with the celebration of the season. These overwhelming feelings can result in a lot of tears and/or unexpected behaviors because the child is not able to verbalize his or her feelings at the time. Here are some tips to help those students feel calm and joyful throughout the season.

• Provide a visual calendar or schedule of the events that will be happening over Christmas.
• Keep activities short, and/or allow for some downtime between activities.
• If you are going out for a Christmas event, explain what will be happening ahead of time.
• Develop a nonverbal or verbal cue that allows the child to let you know they are beginning to feel overwhelmed.
• Read social stories or look at pictures from past Christmas experiences to help prepare them for the upcoming events.
• When you are at an event remember it is okay to leave early.