Christmas gift ideas for Autistic people/adults

Christmas is a-comin'! and I wanted to do a quick little post about ideas of gifts to give your autistic peers, specifically for adults, since it's probably easier for kids, but you might not know where the line is with getting things like stim toys for adults, so here are some ideas! Also just to start, feel free to skip over this if you just want to get to the ideas in the last minute present buying panic.

Of course it depends on each autistic person and their own needs, but Christmas can be scary and overwhelming for some autistic people, so first here are some suggestions on how to help your autistic peers feel comfortable!

1. Firstly, try and avoid any super bright or flashy lights. Some people might like it if they're sensory seekers, but for some people its might be overwhelming. Personally my favourite type of Christmas lights are the warm colours that slowly twinkle, rather than super bright white flashy lights. But again, it depends on the person. If you're unsure, just ask!

2. Opening presents can be scary for some autistics, since usually it ends up with us having all the attention on us as people eagerly watch us, so it may be nicer for them if there are several people opening at a time, or if you give them their presents in a more private setting. But of course, if you're unsure, just ask them what they would prefer.

3. Some autistics might not like opening presents at all, since some people really struggle with the idea of surprises. It might be less overwhelming and scary for them if you just give them their presents without wrapping it. This doesn't mean you just throw it at them, you can still present it nicely, you could use bows and ribbons or a gift bag to reach a happy medium. But personally I LOVE opening presents, I think its so exciting, so again, ask your autistic friend/family member what they prefer :)

4. This is a smaller point, but some wrapping paper might have sensory-no-no textures. Personally I like the more papery type wrapping paper over the squeaky plasticky type (I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it haha), so maybe think a bit more about your wrapping paper choice when wrapping for your autistic friend or family member.

5. Christmas is often a very social event, and that can be tiring for autistics. Don't feel offended if they need to escape to their own safe space for a while to recharge and collect themselves. Don't worry, they'll be ok, and they'll come back when they're ready.

6. Don't have high expectations for reactions to presents. Some autistic people express their happiness differently, so even if they're not flapping or squealing with joy, even if they're not smiling, it doesn't mean they don't appreciate your gift. Be understanding and don't get mad if they don't outwardly show their excitement and appreciation. They may not jump up to hug you, but I'm sure they're still grateful.

Hopefully that gives you some ideas of how to make Christmas a positive and enjoyable experience for your autistic loved-ones. Just because we're different doesn't mean we're not allowed to have fun over the holidays!

And now over to the gift ideas!

What to get your autistic loved-ones for Christmas!

1. Chew stims

Chew stim toys are often portrayed as childish, but there are plenty of options out there for adults that aren't super childish! If you find the right websites, there are plenty of options. stimtastic.co used to be an amazing site for chew stims, but unfortunately they have now shut down, however there are other site out there, like chewigem.com and there are some more adult looking ones on amazon. So long as they're made out of medical-grade/food-grade silicone, then it will be a great option for any autistic people who often chew as a stim (they may chew on their sleeves/collars, or their lip/inside of their cheek), or even people who aren't autistic but chew as a nervous habit. Its a good way to avoid harm from lip or cheek chewing, by diverting to a safe option made specifically to be chewed! if you're unsure of what designs to get, there are many out there that could be relevant to special interests, or there are other more mature designs, which I shall add below:

Those are just a few. The more mature designs are also more subtle so it can be worn out in public without screaming that its a chew stim, if people might be more shy about it.

2. Stim toys

Despite being called "toys", there are plenty of stim and fidget toys that aren't designed for kids. Some of my personal favourites are flippy chains:

Infinity cubes:

and tangles:

Those are all the more mature ones, but there are plenty of other stim or fidget toys out there that are mature enough for adult autistics. Some other options are fidget cubes/pads, acupressure rings, pop-its, fidget/spinner rings, just to name a few.

3. Pressure Stim Items

Some autistic people find pressure comforting, and there are many different ways to create such pressure. A common one is weighted blankets. They are exactly what it says on the tin: a blanket with weight. The weight means the blanket puts more pressure on you when you use it, which many find comforting.

There are also other weighted things that have similar effects but are smaller. Most notably, there are lots of stuffed toys that are weighted, which of course might be perceived as more childish, but lets be honest, there are plenty of adults out there who won't deny a stuffed toy. We're all children at heart.

Finally there's also the option of compression clothing. There are compression vests, which are basically just tight vests. I recently bought a compression glove, since I've always liked having things tightly wrapped around my hands, and i just generally like pressure on my hands/wrists.

4. Texture stims/Soft things

When it comes to textures, I LOOOOVE soft things. I'm always touching soft things. If i see something that looks soft, i will touch it. So of course for me, anything soft i will greatly appreciate. I feel like its pretty common for autistics to like soft things, its a nice tactile stim, though i would generally avoid velvet since that is a common sensory no-no (though i don't mind it). If you know the person well enough, you may know what their tactile stims are, and you'll have more of an idea of what to get for them.

5. Special Interest Items

The most fail-safe option, is to buy things related to their special interest. The only risk here is that either: they already have it; or they dislike it because it contains some form of misinformation. So basically just do a bit of research and make sure its not a cheap phoney item, and I'm sure they'll definitely appreciate anything that has any relation to their special interest.

And that's it! To be honest, buying for an autistic person shouldn't be too much different than other people. Just ask them what kind of things they want, and go off of that while baring in mind what their sensory needs might be.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, or whatever holiday you may celebrate, and show your loved-ones some love, however you like to do so, and most importantly remember to stay safe and care for yourself too!

Thank you for reading!