The festival season has arrived, bringing with it bright lights, festive gatherings, excitement, and hope for many families. For some children and adults, especially those with sensory sensitivities or neurodivergent profiles, the same celebratory elements can pose hidden challenges.
In this article, I’d like to explore how to honour the joy and traditions of the festival season while caring for sensory needs and well-being.
I’ve always loved the festival season. Growing up, winter celebrations were full of excitement, colour, and connection. Visiting family and attending multiple social gatherings over a short period of time felt novel and exciting for me. For some children, however, the same lights, sounds, and smells that embody festive joy can easily feel overwhelming, and that’s worth exploring.
What Makes the Festival Season Sensory-Heavy?
Holidays often combine many sensory inputs: bright decorative lights, music, crowds, new foods and smells, textured clothing or scratchy outfits, and lots of new experiences. These can overwhelm children whose sensory systems are more sensitive than average.
A change in routine, more events, altered meal or sleep times, and increased travel, all add unpredictability, which can add stress on top of sensory load.
When many of these triggers coincide (lights + noise + smells + change + social demands), the “sensory storm” can feel intense, even for children without a formal diagnosis of sensory issues.
With that in mind, it helps to look more closely at what exactly makes holiday environments so sensory-intense.
The Cost of Overload: Stress, Dysregulation & Emotional Impact
Sensory overload or disrupted routines during holidays can lead to emotional or behavioral stress: irritability, fatigue, difficulty focusing, meltdowns, or emotional dysregulation.
For children who rely on routine and predictability, unexpected changes like irregular mealtimes or unfamiliar surroundings can be especially hard.
Over time, repeated exposure to overwhelming stimuli without support can make holidays less joyful and even anxiety-provoking for children (and by extension, for families).
Fortunately, there are practical steps families can take ahead of time to reduce the intensity and smooth out the experience.
Preparing Ahead: Tools to Build a Sensory-Friendly Holiday
Use visual or written holiday schedules (on the fridge or in a calendar) to map out what’s happening – visits, events, downtime – so children know what to expect.
Talk with children in advance about upcoming plans: who’s coming, where you’ll go, what might be loud or busy and giving them a chance to mentally prepare.
Let children have input: ask what traditions or parts of celebrations they’d enjoy versus what might feel like too much. This empowers them and reduces pressure.
Then, when celebrations are underway, these preparations become invaluable anchors for children navigating busy holiday days.
During Festival Events: Strategies to Manage Sensory Overload
Create a “sensory-friendly kit”: noise-cancelling headphones or ear defenders, sunglasses (if lights are bright), comfort items (soft blanket, favourite toy), fidget toys, and familiar snacks to help a child self-regulate.
Designate a “quiet spot” or retreat space (at home or at a gathering) where your child can go if overwhelmed. Make it clear there’s no pressure to stay in noisy or crowded areas.
Allow agency and choice: give permission to skip parts of events, arrive late or leave early, or take breaks. Flexibility is more important than “doing it all.”
If travelling or attending multiple events, try to preserve small parts of routine where possible – consistent bedtimes, familiar meals or snacks, downtime to decompress.
Of course, not every tradition needs to stay the same across the festival season, sometimes adjusting expectations makes space for real connection.
Adapting Traditions: Flexibility Over Perfection
It’s okay, and often kinder, to rethink traditions: shorten celebrations, pick simpler or quieter activities, or skip events that feel too overwhelming.
Focus on what truly matters for your family: comfort, connection, calm. A smaller, calmer holiday may offer deeper meaning than a frantic, overstimulating “perfect holiday.”
Use this as an opportunity to create new family rituals, ones that reflect your child’s needs and bring joy in ways that feel manageable.
This kind of flexibility often works best when paired with clear communication and a shared understanding among everyone involved.
Encouraging Empathy, Understanding & Communication
Talk openly with extended family, friends, and guests about your child’s sensory needs, share what helps (quiet space, headphones, breaks), and what may feel overwhelming.
Teach or prepare simple ways your child can signal they need a break, for example: “I need a quiet moment,” “can we sit over there?” so they don’t have to explain in stressful situations.
Reinforce the idea that comfort and inclusion matter more than meeting external expectations. Families succeed when all members feel safe, seen, and supported.
With awareness, empathy, and a willingness to adapt, it becomes clear that holiday success isn’t about doing it all – it’s about what works for your family.
Redefining Success
Festivals don’t have to be “perfect” or look like picture-book celebrations to be meaningful. What counts is connection, comfort, understanding, and care.
When families combine planning, flexibility, empathy, and attention to sensory needs – holidays can become inclusive, calm, and genuinely joyful for all members, regardless of neurotype or sensitivity.
When the lights go up and plans begin to pile on across this festival season, take a moment to pause. What does holiday joy really mean for your family this year? Maybe all you need is a quiet corner, a familiar snack or routine, or a shorter get-together to find that magic.
