How the Autism Stole Christmas

Autism had taken a lot from our family, and now it had taken Christmas…

Before starting this blog of my own, I occasionally wrote guest posts for other blogs. It was the great reception from these experiences that made me (start) to think that (maaaaybe) I could do this too. (I take a lot of convincing.)

This article is a throwback from Christmas 2018. It appeared on a friend’s blog (no longer active) under the title How the Autism Stole Christmas; in a regional publication called Hope Magazine, under the title Invisible Christmas; and (my biggest claim to fame yet), it appeared under the name How the Autism Changed Christmas on the popular Autism Blog: Finding Cooper’s Voice.

This story is a small glimpse into the world of an Autism family. Mine.

It was written with sadness, but also with hope.

I am so thankful that Christmas 2021 is looking night-and-day different in our home.

Things have changed.

Sensory needs are being met in other, healthier ways.

My boy is growing up.

We occasionally do perfectly normal things.

And I don’t take even a second of it for granted.

Please head over to Finding Cooper’s Voice to read the entire article, and consider giving it a subscribe or a Facebook like while you are there. Kate, author and mom to Cooper, has been a source of encouragement and hope for me for many years. Let’s show her some love for Christmas!

How the Autism Changed Christmas

“I took my Christmas tree down on December 10th.

Yes, you read that correctly.  On a day when the slowpokes haven’t even put theirs up yet, I was taking mine down. 

I took down the glittery balls. 
I took down the ribbons.
I took down the lights. 
I stuffed them all in a big tote and dragged it to the basement with hot tears in my eyes...”

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