Birthdays and holidays

Thank you for everything you do! Your calendar and stickers have been a big help. I was thinking about how special events like birthdays and holidays can be a lot of fun but also might require some mental preparation- especially for those of us with disabilities. In my experience, I thrive on tradition but don’t deal well with routine changes. I have a few ideas for stickers that might help people with this. Please keep in mind that I am tackling this from my own experiences and from an American Christian viewpoint. I would love input from people with other faiths and traditions!

Can apply to many holidays

-I open presents

-_____ opens presents

-Gift exchange (everyone opens presents)

-Parade

-Party at _________

-Party at my house

-Special meal (x3)

-Dessert

-Barbecue

-Decorate the house (or decorate a room if the whole house is too overwhelming)

-Decorate outside

-Watch a holiday special

-Drink a holiday beverage (examples would be apple cider, hot chocolate, etc)

-Buy cards

-Fill out cards

-Buy gifts

-Make gifts

-Wrap gifts

-Fireworks

-Eat candy

-Get pictures taken

-Take pictures

Birthdays (both the individual’s and someone else’s)

-Birthday party

-Party games

-Sing “Happy Birthday”

-Eat cake

Halloween/fall

-Pick out a costume

-Pumpkin picking

-Hayride

-Carve pumpkins

-Haunted house/spooky attraction

-Put on my costume

-Costume party

-Trunk or treat

-Trick or treat

Thanksgiving

-Watch parade on TV (although maybe “watch holiday special” could be used for this one?)

Christmas season

-Decorate the Christmas tree

-Listen to holiday music

-Write a letter to Santa

-Meet/get a picture with Santa

-Look for my elf

-Look at Christmas lights

-Track Santa

-Leave out cookies and milk for Santa

-Leave out reindeer food

-See what’s in my stocking

New Year’s Day

-Ring in the New Year (watching the ball drop at midnight, etc.)

Valentine’s Day

-Make Valentines

-Buy Valentines (and fill them out)

-Exchange Valentines

St Patrick’s Day

-Make a leprechaun trap (I’ve heard of some families doing this)

Easter

-Dye Easter eggs

-Easter egg hunt

-Easter egg roll

-Meet/get a picture with the Easter Bunny

-Write a letter to the Easter Bunny (I know not many people do this one, so I’m okay if this idea is not used lol)

-Leave out carrots and water for the Easter Bunny

-Look for my Easter basket

-Open my Easter basket