Information and guidance summary

Higher Value and Aspiration during Christmas & New Year

Lived Experiences and Understanding

Understanding someone is not only about recognising their difficulties, but also about understanding how different situations—especially those beyond their control—can affect how they cope. Planning ahead is important and should be done by listening, communicating, and agreeing in a supportive way forward. This includes planning roles and expectations during busy times such as Christmas and New Year, without placing unrealistic demands on anyone.

From time to time, short check-ins help review progress, support needs, and any necessary changes.

Higher Aspirations

People should be appreciated for their strengths without taking advantage, exploiting and to using a person's difficulties to blame or criticise. Support and involvement should be fair and reasonable, without pressure or exploitation. The festive season can be difficult for many, so patience and understanding are essential.

No one’s difficulties should be used to dismiss what they say or make them doubt themselves. Instead, conversations should be open, respectful, and based on curiosity rather than pressure or interrogation.

Higher value

The voices of neurodivergent people with hidden differences must be listened to, respected, and understood. Their experiences, views, and insights matter and should always be considered within context. Everyone deserves dignity, respect, and protection of their human rights, especially when situations become overwhelming.

It is important to validate a neurodivergent person’s voice, particularly during disagreements, without judgement, control, or ableist language. If someone reaches out for support, they should never be taken advantage of or placed in environments or situations that make coping harder. Respecting personal choices and reasonable adjustments helps people stay organised, supported, and stable.

Top & Guides during Christmas & New Year

For Families & Close Friends
If you are spending time with a neurodivergent person as friends, family member, or other contacts, it can be positive if you plan any potential scenarios and circumstances that occur. Plan to enable time-out moments and for situations when it might be too much. Discuss in advance or on the day with a person with differences in developing ways forward. The situation changes and discusses with hidden differences some options. When being in contact, avoid going into deep discussions on issues about some which might affect their relationship with anyone

Regardless of any standards or expectations do not use this to pressurise or disrespect a person with hidden differences. Also, you must never use a person's difficulties to make unhelpful criticism or make any critical lecture. At times, you may disagree or may not fully understand what a neurodivergent person is explaining or sharing with you. However, you should never make a person’s difficulties feel inadequate in any way, even if their experiences are unique.

When a neurodivergent person is spending quality time with you, it is important not to focus only on their difficulties. It is equally important to recognise them as a whole person with specific strengths and attributes. However, these strengths should never be used to exploit, take advantage of, or push them beyond their limitations in a way that causes shame or distress.

In contrast, it is unreasonable and harmful to form distorted perceptions or judgments that imply a person’s difficulties are due to bad thinking, poor choices, behaviour, or discipline. A reminder: living with specific difficulties means having limitations in abilities and coping mechanisms. This is not a choice—it is a reality they live with. Plan your Christmas and New Year's as well as organise actions and tasks to be done, but also strategise on how you navigate yourself and manage at any gatherings.

For Organisations and Essential Services Supporting Neurodivergent People
Even when there is no immediate or visible crisis, difficulties may still exist. For example, neighbours or others may hold ableist or prejudiced attitudes. This can lead to abuse, hostility, or mistreatment, which may significantly impact how a neurodivergent person copes. Such behaviour can unfairly frame them as a burden or a source of shame.

This kind of mistreatment can also occur within certain family environments that hold intolerant or ableist beliefs—especially during significant periods such as the Christmas season, whether through face-to-face interactions or phone contact. Additionally, some neurodivergent individuals may be subjected to emotional dumping during family disputes, leading to high stress and mental health difficulties.

It is important to recognise that in some families, intolerance may be so severe that a neurodivergent person is demonised or viewed as betraying family values if they seek support from other family members, friends, or professional services.

For these reasons, it is essential to have clear procedures in place for situations that may escalate, including access to appropriate contacts and support services during the festive period.

For General Friendships, Acquaintances, and the General Public
Never make a neurodivergent person feel that their place in society is insignificant, even if their experiences are unique.

When a neurodivergent person is spending time with you or attending social gatherings, it is important not to disrespect their existence because of their difficulties. It is equally important to recognise and value their strengths and attributes. However, these should never be used to exploit, take advantage of, or push them beyond their coping capacity.

Similarly, it is wrong and inappropriate to make distorted perceptions or judgments that suggest a person’s difficulties are the result of bad thinking, poor choices, behaviour, or discipline. Living with specific difficulties involves limitations in abilities and coping mechanisms. This is not a choice, it is part of who they are.

For a Neurodivergent Person
When planning ahead for important Christmas dates involving quality time with family or friends, it can be helpful to plan and prepare routines, situations, and how you will organise and manage them. It is also important to prepare for different scenarios, including anything unplanned that may occur, along with adjustments and procedures that can support you.For a Neurodivergent Person
When planning ahead for important Christmas dates involving quality time with family or friends, it can be helpful to plan and prepare routines, situations, and how you will organise and manage them. It is also important to prepare for different scenarios, including anything unplanned that may occur, along with adjustments and procedures that can support you.


Also strategise on how you navigate yourself and manage at any gatherings.

Don't wait until situations go wrong which can affect your coping mechanisms. Always prepare in advance and strategise. This includes time out when needed and adjusting to different situations and circumstances around you.

It is important to be organised and prepared for every scenario during Christmas and New Year, especially if things go wrong when you could be at risk of phsycologically and emotionally untable and can be in danger of discrediting yourself. For Everyone 
.Christmas can be a joyful occasion to have some fun but never use this at the expense of hidden differences when they are seen at public places or social gatherings and parties.

Also strategise on how you navigate yourself and manage at any gatherings.

Don't wait until situations go wrong which can affect your coping mechanisms. Always prepare in advance and strategise. This includes time out when needed and adjusting to different situations and circumstances around you.

It is important to be organised and prepared for every scenario during Christmas and New Year, especially if things go wrong when you could be at risk of phsycologically and emotionally untable and can be in danger of discrediting yourself. For Everyone 
.Christmas can be a joyful occasion to have some fun but never use this at the expense of hidden differences when they are seen at public places or social gatherings and parties.

For Everyone 
Christmas can be a joyful occasion to have some fun but never use this at the expense of a neurodivergent person when they are seen at public places or social gatherings and parties

Shopping around the festive season can be busy to get some bargains whether it's Christmas shopping or the Boxing Day sale into the new year. However, we must not use this excuse to physically abuse or sideline a neurodivergent person when seen at any shopping location

.

With all the busy environments, think before we react impatiently if a neurodivergent person may struggle or take longer to navigate the access services or facilities at retailers, restaurants, cafes and other places of leisure. This also applies when a neurodivergent person is using public transport, regardless of the amount of other passengers nearby

.Also, you should never use your impatience to physically abuse or disrupt a neurodivergent person.

Festive Value & Aspirations

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.