Holiday Wins Worth Celebrating

Because progress doesn’t need to be big to be real.

The holidays have a funny way of turning progress into an invisible sport — like if nobody saw it on Instagram, did it even happen?
But here’s the secret: the real wins don’t need spotlights or hashtags. They happen quietly, in the everyday moments where regulation, courage, and growth peek through the noise.
They might not look “festive,” but they are worth celebrating — because those tiny moments? That’s where the real magic lives.

Forget picture-perfect — this season, we’re clapping for the quiet wins that don’t make the Christmas card.

✨ One thing to remember

Holiday wins often look different for neurodiverse kids, teens, and adults — and they’re often quiet, subtle, or easy to miss if you’re only looking for the big, showy moments.

But the small wins?
They’re the ones that tell you the nervous system is coping, learning, trying, and growing.

A holiday win might be:
✅ A smoother transition than last year
✅ Saying “I need a break” instead of melting down
✅ Staying in the room for longer than expected
✅ Playing independently for a few minutes
✅ Recovering faster after getting upset
✅ Accepting help
✅ Eating something (anything!) at a holiday meal
✅ Trying on a new shirt without tears
✅ Leaving the house without a fight
✅ Sleeping a little better
✅ Using a coping strategy they’ve learned
✅ Being kind to a sibling
✅ Letting you take a single photo
✅ Saying “no” in a respectful way
✅ Sharing a moment of laughter or silliness

Nothing about these wins is small.
Each one is a sign of strength, resilience, and growth — even if nobody else notices them.

✨ One thing to release

Release the idea that holiday “success” must look like:
• perfect behaviour
• full participation
• big smiles in group photos
• sitting through the whole event
• loving every tradition
• eating the special meal
• looking joyful
• being flexible
• managing all the sensory input
• socializing smoothly
• staying calm through every transition

Those expectations belong in holiday movies — not real life.

Let go of the belief that the holidays have to be “fixed” or “perfect.”
Let go of comparing your family to families who aren’t navigating neurodiversity.
Let go of the pressure for everything to go smoothly.

Your child/teen/adult is doing their best, in a season that asks a LOT from their brain.

Your family’s wins don’t need to match anyone else’s.

✨ One thing that may help today

Create a Holiday Wins Jar — a simple, visual reminder that progress is happening.

Here’s how it works:
✨ Keep a jar, bowl, or box on the counter
✨ Throughout the day, write down even the tiniest wins on small scraps of paper
✨ Toss them into the jar
✨ At the end of the season (or whenever you need a boost), read them together

Examples:
• “Stayed calm when the doorbell rang.”
• “Asked for help instead of shutting down.”
• “Handled the car ride beautifully.”
• “Tried one new decorating task.”
• “Used headphones when overwhelmed.”
• “Didn’t fight bedtime as hard tonight.”
• “Laughed a LOT today.”
• “Recovered faster after noise.”

A Holiday Wins Jar does two beautiful things:
✅ It helps caregivers see the good in real time.
✅ It gives your child/teen/adult a concrete reminder of their strengths.

Because the holidays aren’t about perfection —
they’re about connection, compassion, and celebrating the wins that matter most.