Thanksgiving Away from Home: Navigating Unfamiliar Spaces with Autism

When Thanksgiving Isn’t at Your House

Celebrating Thanksgiving at a relative’s house or another location adds layers of complexity for my daughter with autism. Unfamiliar bathrooms, different furniture arrangements, strange smells, and lack of her usual comfort items all contribute to dysregulation.

Challenges of Unfamiliar Spaces

• Don’t know where things are (bathroom, quiet spaces)
• Different smells, sounds, and sensory environment
• Can’t access usual regulation tools and comfort items
• Furniture and layout feel disorienting
• Lack of control over environment (can’t adjust lights, temperature, noise)

Strategies for Thanksgiving Away from Home

• Visit beforehand if possible. A preview visit lets her see the space when it’s calm.
• Bring comfort items from home. Her blanket, stuffed animal, favorite snacks—pack them.
• Identify a quiet space upon arrival. Ask the host for a room she can use for breaks.
• Pack sensory tools. Headphones, fidgets, weighted lap pad all come with us.
• Show her photos of the location. Visual preparation reduces anxiety about the unknown.
• Plan arrival and departure times. Clear timeframe: “We’ll arrive at 1, leave at 5.”

Ezducate Social Stories

• “Thanksgiving at Grandma’s House”
• “Celebrating Thanksgiving in a Different Place”
• “Bringing My Comfort Items”
• “Finding a Quiet Space in Someone Else’s Home”

You Can Say No

If celebrating away from home causes significant distress, it’s okay to decline and celebrate at home instead. Your child’s wellbeing matters more than tradition or family obligations.

Prepare for Location Changes with Ezducate

Ezducate

Ezducate provides social stories about celebrating holidays in different locations.

Subscribe at www.ezducate.ai.

EZRead

EZRead offers reading tools for children with autism and learning differences.

Visit www.ezread.ai.

Navigate Thanksgiving away from home. Subscribe to Ezducate at www.ezducate.ai and visit www.ezread.ai.