How to keep the magic alive for indifferent 12 year old

[Brightmoments]

Any tips for making Christmas special
/ magical for a 12 year old boy I have 3 children (12, 9 and 6 years old). My oldest has autism and used to be absolutely obsessed with Christmas but last year he was almost indifferent and I suspect it will be the same this year. I absolutely love Christmas. I had no idea if he still believes (I suspect not although he hasn't said) but I want him to enjoy the day.

He doesn't particularly like Christmas dinners. Is extremely picky with food. Doesn't have any hobbies except for gaming so writing an Xmas list won't be easy for him as he has everything he is interested in. I've brought Lego as he will build sets 1:1 with me of an evening but once completed he doesn't play with them (just collects them).

I've thought about getting smaller Xmas trees for the kids rooms as I think he will like having his own space to decorate. But is there anything else your preteens enjoy doing. I want to make things special for him. Any ideas? Activities? Food? Games?

My 12 year old likes a few decorations in his room - a small tree as you've suggested but also a light up snowman, a nutcracker soldier and a snow globe. He likes to arrange them on his chest of drawers in a sort of Christmas scene with the tree. He also loves tinsel over the top of the wardrobe etc! He also likes baking so we do gingerbread men, mince pies, yule log and Christmas decorated fairy cakes during the month, usually at weekends when we have more time. Loves a chocolate advent calendar too (used to be playmobil or lego). We do the panto every year and we go to the cinema to watch either a new film or a showing of the Muppets Christmas Carol. I also read a Christmas/winter themed book each night to the kids in December. Either a few short ones that we'd had for years or a longer one. This year I am going to read The Dark Is Rising or the Box of Delights to him.

The point of Christmas dinner is that it's a lovely feast to enjoy, but if he doesn't enjoy it then it doesn't work! Maybe you could ask him for his ideas of a great meal with a view to incorporating it or branching out a bit. Or maybe planning his choice of meal for Christmas Eve or Boxing Day.

Our older ones enjoyed coming over to the other side (when they worked out what was going on) and making Christmas magical for the younger ones. They enjoyed the secrets shared with adults .

Christmas dinner is a feast - so include things your DS likes even if they are not usual conventions.