Depressed about lack of Christmas decorations

[Psycena]

I’m an autistic girl of 21 years and over the last two days I have felt incredibly low about the fact that our Christmas decorations are still not up. I love Christmas and my parents were going to put the decorations up this weekend but they were too busy. They haven’t put them up today either so I don’t know when they will be up. They won’t let me go in the loft and help put them up.

I know this is a pathetic thing to have low mood over but it’s what I’m feeling. It’s so grey cold and gloomy and it feels as though it might as well be January with the lack of festive lights.

Tell me I’m being pathetic or unreasonable or not. I haven’t told anyone I’m feeling low about it. How should I get over it??

Because her parents have said not to go in the loft & put them
up by herself.

Agree that you're a grown woman.

Hope you find some cheerful room decorations anyway!

🙄🙄yes, they said this weekend just gone.

do people NOT actually read OP's posts these days ???

ITS 2022, do people still have NO idea about autism???.

I've been looking at Christmas decorations today. Asda had small artifical Christmas trees for £10. B and Q had box sets of decorations with 25% off. Both places had sets of lights, but my favourite lights were the retro ones I found in Aldi. I also have great fun making my own paper chains with scrap paper and a stapler. Happy hunting and hopefully your room will look more sparkly soon.

Good idea! You can choose yourself a few bits and bobs.

apologies. I read OPs post several times as well. I'll blame my menopause brain

Op just tell them

🎄🎄🎄Yes, go and buy some lovely things for your room. Also as pp said, if there are any charity shops near you there are loads of bargains at this time of year - I found some excellent things the other day, including little tabletop trees.🎄🎄🎄

Hope you get something nice for your room.

When I was 16 yrs old I bought a Royal Doulton Snowman figurine with my very first pay packet and added to it every month whether it was Christmas or not.

This was over 35 yrs ago and I get so much joy of getting them out every year now.

My wonderful parents are long since dead but those very precious figurines, musical boxes etc take me back to a very precious time.

Start your own traditions OP, you are never too young really.

Get a tree and decorations for your room.

There's a staggering lack of autism understanding on this thread.

I love Christmas and my parents were going to put the decorations up this weekend but they were too busy. They haven’t put them up today either so I don’t know when they will be up. They won’t let me go in the loft and help put them up.

I suspect this paragraph is the crux. Lack of plan, differing from the norm, people not doing what they said, difficulties communicating plans / needs / wants, lack of control over stressful situation, escalating anxiety. Classic autism anxiety.

It doesn't matter that it's 'just Xmas decs and go and buy some' - it could be about doing the washing up.

Oh just go up, you're not a god damn toddler

.

We do present differently, that's why I was patient in my reply. But I wouldn't want to be patronised or treated differently either (it happens!) which is why I never tell anyone in real life, or online usually, if I can help it.

My autistic daughter is your age and alway really wants decorations up asap. I get your excitement.

Say to your mum you'd love to help decorate the house. And just do your room for now. As other have said Home Bargains do fairly inexpensive decorations, I noticed that the Range do a good starter pack too. But by far the best and most affordable decs are in Home bargains.

Lots of people don’t put their decorations up until much later.

Your parents were too busy last weekend which is not their fault.

I wanted to do mine this weekend but I was too busy too.

What were they busy doing?
Is it something you can help with so that they’ll have more free time this weekend.

Good idea to put decorations up in your room! It should help with the gloomy feeling. Perhaps you could ask your parents to agree a date they will put them up in the rest of the house so you can feel more settled about that.

MissMaple82 - Another poster who doesn't have a clue about autism.

Make some yourself with whatever you have. Coloured strips cut from magazines or any bright paper around , make a paperchain, glueing or sellotaping the links. Silverpaper (kitchen foil) stars for your window. Use whatevere you can find and have fun with them!

How is your relationship with your parents? Are they not very understanding?

Can you offer to help? It might prompt them.

But not every person with autism is the same. Some struggle with change of routine more than others.
The OPs parents are allowed to be too busy to put the tree decorations up on the day they were supposed to. We don’t know why they are too busy, it could have been a family emergency, they might have needed to make up time at work. It’s okay for them to not be able to accommodate a strict routine every single time, I’m sure they try their best to make OP feel comfortable.