Christina Massari

Winter brings many joys—snowy landscapes, cozy evenings, and festive activities—but it also brings unpredictability and opportunities for flexibility. Snow days, icy roads, school closures, and unexpected cancellations can disrupt even the most well-planned routines. For neurodiverse children, who often thrive on predictability and structure, these disruptions can be particularly challenging.

The holiday season is often portrayed as a time of joy, connection, and celebration. Commercials show glowing families around dinner tables, social media feeds filled with matching pajamas, and conversations at school or work often center on plans for travel and festivities. But for many families, the holidays are not only complicated—they can be painful.

Winter can be a magical season—snowflakes, cozy sweaters, hot cocoa, family gatherings, and holiday lights. But for many families, especially those raising neurodiverse children, it’s also a season of added chaos. Suddenly, there are boots, coats, hats, gloves, scarves, snow pants, extra socks, and jackets cluttering entryways. The laundry seems endless. School bags get lost under piles of holiday gifts.