
Festive Aspirations
This special feature provides information, guidance and encouragement during the festive season.
The festive season can be fun and at the same time it can be challenging or very stressful.
The information on this page is for individuals with hidden differences along with direct contacts including family, friends and other contacts during Christmas and beyond.


Expectation
Christmas can be a very stressful time for everyone, but it can also lead to particular expectations and standards on how to cope. This includes dealing with any levels of situations or climate when spending time with your loved ones during Christmas and New Year. However, if you make some preparations for situations that may occur, it can remove any pressure. This includes developing notes and reminders on how you navigate through the festive holidays with your relatives and close friends. Especially on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
In addition, if you are spending Christmas with your loved ones at their locations, then it is also important to prepare and organise how to cope with your loved one's environments.
This is important, especially when accessing items within tight places or handling particular items which are delicate or fragile.

Guidance for Hidden Differences during the days at Christmas
21st -23rd December
Plan with the people you are spending Christmas with how to cope and arrange a backup plan if you become stressed or anxious. Also, if you could face a potential situation, that might be too much. However, never wait until things go wrong; otherwise, not only will you be penalised, but you'll be to blame for spoiling everybody's Christmas intentionally or not.
Christmas Day and Boxing Day with families and friends can be a positive way for the festive season. It can have several levels of emotions and mindsets. In other words, different situations may occur that you may not expect, which might turn out very positively. However, there might be challenging or very negative situations which you may not be prepared for and do not have any procedures to manage. It may not be about how a person necessarily feels; it may be a specific circumstance, or someone might be extremely sensitive to something you may not understand. The important thing is you must make adjustment preparations when varying situations that can affect the people around you or when a specific unplanned situation occurs. You will also need to prepare for different levels of scenarios that could occur which can affect how you cope.
Another suggestion is to prepare a time out, which involves going for a walk around the area where you spend Christmas day, for this should only last about 10 to 20 minutes. Always walk around safe areas and never go beyond 20 minutes as you could cause other worrying and concerns
If you are spending time with a family or friend overnight now is the time to pack and get organised. To make sure not to get stressed about getting clothes and other items packed and organised, make sure you get clothes washed 5 days beforehand and get clothes ironed and packed two days before. This means you're not likely to be stressed on Christmas Eve.
24th - 27th December
Check your notes and reminders in preparation for spending time with your family and friends and to be organised to navigate your day with your loved ones during this Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Remind your family and friends you're spending Christmas with that you may have certain time-outs once or twice.
During the Christmas season and towards the new year, organise a list of the appreciated people to send Christmas greetings. Some could be mobile or video calls, sending emails or instant messaging (such as Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp). If you are making mobile phones or video calls, please do not get in touch too early or too late. Some people do appreciate contact at inappropriate times and like to have a quiet Christmas and New Year. So be considerate throughout the festive season.
If you find writing & sending messages very stressful then use digital note-taking apps for digital devices such as mobile and tablets. Also, use spelling and grammatical checking apps to reduce any writing errors. Then, when you are happy with what you've written, you copy the text and then paint it to the person you want to send a message to or use the note you have written as part of your phone call to someone.
28th - 30th December
The period between Christmas and New Year can be a challenging time for some. Especially if you had a negative experience or you are going through an unresolved situation that can affect how you feel. During this period of time, you need to have several strategies, including relaxation breathing techniques, regular outdoor walks in safe areas and preparing to go to specific leisure attractions where you feel comfortable.
You can also exercise specific hobbies. For instance, if you have a creative plan or practice your painting and drawing. Or practice Specific sporting activities in your garden or at an open park.
Try to use your contact lists and notes to get in touch with different people each day or every other day. However, don't react too persistently, if one of your contacts does not reply when there might be a reason which cannot be explained in the short term.
Towards the New Year
The period between Christmas and New Year can lead to reflective thoughts and feelings. If things do not so well as you planned or had a difficult situation that has happened never use your difficulties to blame yourself. Focus on anything you have accomplished within the past twelve months no matter how small or great. Use this to plan on what goals and targets you would like to achieve and accomplish for the following year ahead. Please note when you prepare goals and targets it is important not to use a large list or any goals and targets that are not realistic. Some of your ideas may be easier, and some make it harder. With hard ideas, you need to develop a focus list towards a particular goal or target. You could also use this idea towards your New Year's resolution.
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Extra information
Select on the title bars below which reveals additional information


Information and support helplines
Visit the Unity Forward's "in touch" webpage to access the online links

Useful projects & Features

Higher Aspirations
The introductiory feature on the background information on the importance of valuing a person with hidden differences and as a starting point to explore the websites projects & features.
Unity Forward
The information and encouregement feature
Postive Value
The staring point to value a person with differences
Valuing Hidden Differences
The project which informs the factors on valuing a person with hidden differences beyond understanding
Elements of Value
Exploring a positive sense of value

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Plus Value Awareness
Disclaimer
The information that has been provided is a family of suggestions guides based on the Project Director's observation and ground-level experiences. However some of the information guides created may not be appropriate depending on varying situations and circumstances. So always approach in provided information on this project with caution.
However the project director cannot be responsible for any errors which may occur.