Having a Sensory-Friendly Holiday Season for 2023

This time of year can be stressful for everyone, and particularly for neurodivergent and disabled people. The Easy Read Toolbox team has a wealth of lived experience. Most of us have our own disabilities and neurodivergence, and others have experience of their immediate family members.

Here we share our tips to reduce the stress for everyone involved in your holiday events.

• “My friends and I usually make a quiet space for anyone who needs a break from noise/socialising. Could be a bedroom with a puzzle or some colouring and comfy seating/blankets. We usually have rules around low/no talking and keeping the lights low.

• My other one is to buy some disposable ear plugs to give to kids (or even grown ups) who get overstimulated by noise at events or out shopping. I keep a few sealed sets in my handbag and have helped a few overwhelmed parents the past couple of years.”

 - C, writer.

• “Give yourself permission (to leave, to use sensory strategies. to not say sorry).

• Find sensory allies - people who have the same/similar sensory sensitivities to you and can relate so you can join forces in (and bond over) meeting your sensory needs together.”

 - Jacque, writer and facilitator.

“As a person who doesn't have sensory sensitivity:

• Ask the people you are inviting to events what they need? and be flexible with your solutions, trying and getting it wrong is better than not trying at all.

• Be ok that your event doesn't look like a hallmark movie

• Redefine your definition of success. Did everyone have fun? might be a better question than, Is my tree decorated perfectly?

• Be empathetic, your experiences may be different but you can relate someone feeling overwhelmed, over stimulated, over touched, physically unwell etc Use your empathy to help find solutions.”

 - Ladina, photographer.

• “Our family all makes and brings dishes that each of us like. We share, and there’s no theme to the food, but everyone knows there will be at least 1 or 2 things they like to eat!

• We usually celebrate our immediate family Christmas a few days before or after the 25th. This leaves the day for other families’ events, and means our event is much more chilled out and less stressful.”

 - Karen, founder.

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[Image description for above: 5 disabled people and 1 service dog are lined up, wearing Christmas themed socks. We can only see them from the waist down, except for Helga the dog. Logo.