The Decorations Dilemma

Why holiday décor can be beautiful… and completely overwhelming.

Every December, living rooms across the country quietly transform into sensory obstacle courses. The lights twinkle, the candles flicker, the snowmen sing — and somewhere in the background, a nervous system starts quietly whispering, “Who moved my house?”

Decorations are meant to bring joy, but for many neurodiverse individuals, they’re more like a full-time job for the senses. The same sparkle that feels magical to some can feel like static electricity to others — constant, buzzing, and impossible to escape.

It’s not a lack of holiday spirit — it’s just self-preservation in a sequined landscape

✨ One thing to remember

Holiday decorations change the entire sensory landscape of a home — and for neurodiverse individuals or those with FASD, that change can feel massive.

Think about it:
• New colors everywhere
• Flashing lights
• Moving décor (snow globes, dancing Santas, trains)
• New smells (candles, pine, baking)
• Cluttered surfaces
• Crowded walls
• Sparkle + shimmer + shine
• Textures that don’t usually exist
• Noise-making ornaments
• Inflatable decorations outside
• Furniture shifted around
• Visual “busy-ness” in every direction

The environment they’re used to — their safe, predictable, familiar home — suddenly looks, sounds, and smells different.

That’s a LOT of sensory input layered onto a season that already overloads the nervous system.

For many people with sensory sensitivities, decorations aren’t “festive.”
They’re stimulating.
All day.
Every day.

Even decorations they love can still dysregulate their system.

✨ One thing to release

Release the idea that holiday magic can only happen if the whole house is fully decorated.

Let go of:
• “We have to put up all the decorations.”
• “It won’t feel like Christmas unless everything is done.”
• “Everyone else’s house looks festive.”
• “They should be used to this by now.”
• “It’s tradition.”
• “We have to do it all at once.”

Decor doesn’t equal joy.
Connection does.
Regulation does.

And honestly?
Most holiday homes are decorated for visitors — not the people who actually live there.

If a calmer environment helps your person (or your whole family), your traditions can evolve.
You are not failing.
You are adapting — beautifully.

✨ One thing that may help today

Try a Low-Stimulation Decorating Plan — gentle, intentional, and sensory-friendly.

Ideas:
✅ Decorate in small chunks, not all at once
✅ Let your child/teen/adult choose where decorations go
✅ Start with one room — not the whole house
✅ Use warm, steady lights instead of flashing ones
✅ Keep pathways clear
✅ Reduce clutter by decorating fewer surfaces
✅ Avoid scented candles if smells are a trigger
✅ Replace noise-making ornaments with quiet options
✅ Let them help set up a “calm corner” free of décor
✅ Pack away decorations that feel too loud, bright, or distracting
✅ Create “holiday-safe zones” where the house still feels familiar

It’s okay if your holiday looks simpler than someone else’s.
It’s okay if you decorate less, decorate differently, or decorate later.
It’s okay if your home prioritizes regulation over aesthetics.

The real magic isn’t in the glitter.
It’s in the safety, connection, and peace you build inside your home.