The Christmas and New Year period can be a busy and sometimes overwhelming time. For many autistic people, the changes to routine, additional social events and uncertainty about what is happening day-to-day can make the season more stressful than enjoyable. Leeds Autism AIM have created a new resource to make this time of year easier to plan for and navigate.
Their free three-week Christmas and New Year planner covers the full holiday period for 2025–26. It brings together all the key dates in one place and gives people space to map out what the next few weeks will look like. This includes:
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Clear dates for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day
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New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
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Information about Bank Holidays
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Space to write plans, appointments or downtime for each day
Although it looks simple, a planner like this can make a big difference. Having a visual outline of the festive period helps reduce uncertainty, gives more control over routines, and supports people to pace themselves. It can also be helpful for families, carers, support workers and anyone who wants to create a calm, predictable structure around what is often a disruptive time of year.
The planner is provided in Microsoft Word format, making it easy to type into, print or adapt. It fits well with Leeds Autism AIM’s wider focus on practical tools that support autistic adults to manage daily life and access information in ways that work for them.
Download a free copy
You can download the planner here
Three-Week Planner (link)
If you have any questions or would like to know more about Leeds Autism AIM’s resources, you can contact the team at [email protected].
