Helping a Child with Anxiety Enjoy Christmas

Christmas can be a wonderful time of year, filled with excitement and anticipation. But for some children, especially those struggling with anxiety, the holiday season can feel overwhelming. From the flashing lights and loud music to the changes in routine and the pressure to feel happy, Christmas can bring more stress than joy.

Understanding these challenges is the first step to helping a child navigate the season with greater ease. With a bit of planning and flexibility, you can create a calmer and more enjoyable Christmas experience for everyone.

1. Recognise the Signs of Anxiety

Children often show subtle signs of overwhelm before anxiety fully escalates. Restlessness, irritability, or withdrawal can indicate they’re finding it hard to cope. Paying attention to these signals gives you an opportunity to step in early, whether that’s offering a break, simplifying plans, or just listening.

For those looking to better understand anxiety and learn practical techniques to support children, exploring emotionalregulation strategies can be a helpful next step.

2. Reframe Their Feelings

Anxiety and excitement feel nearly identical in the body—racing thoughts, heightened energy, or butterflies in the stomach. Helping a child recognise this can be empowering. Shift their focus to the positive parts of the season, like opening presents or seeing friends, to associate these sensations with anticipation rather than dread.

This reframing approach is just one of the techniques covered in The STILL Method’s emotional regulation training, offering insights into how to help individuals navigate their emotions.

3. Simplify the Holiday Schedule

December is often packed with activities—school plays, carol services, family visits, and community events. While these can be wonderful, for a child with anxiety, too many commitments can lead to exhaustion and overwhelm.

Prioritise the activities that matter most to your family and give permission to skip others. For those working with children, understanding how to balance activity with rest is an essential part of supporting emotional well-being. Learnmore about tools for emotional regulation.

4. Stick to Familiar Routines

Routine provides a sense of security, especially for children with anxiety. While Christmas often disrupts the usual flow of life, sticking to familiar mealtimes, bedtimes, or morning rituals can help create a sense of stability amidst the excitement.

Routine and predictability are key themes in The STILL Method’s emotional regulation training, which explores how structure can reduce stress and promote calm.

5. Use Visual Planning Tools

Many children feel calmer when they know what to expect. Create a visual calendar with key dates—family visits, quiet days at home, or special activities like decorating the tree. Talking through what’s planned can reduce uncertainty and give your child time to mentally prepare.

Using planning tools like these is a practical way to incorporate emotional regulation techniques, which are a core part of The STILL Method’s training programme.

6. Adjust Expectations

Sometimes the biggest pressure comes from ourselves. We want to create the perfect Christmas, filled with magical memories, but perfection isn’t what children need. Focus instead on what works best for your family. Whether that means fewer decorations, quieter days, or skipping certain traditions, it’s okay to adapt the holidays to suit your child’s needs.

Meeting individuals where they are is a cornerstone of emotional regulation coaching, and The STILL Method trainingprovides the tools to help make that a reality.

A Calmer Christmas for All

Christmas doesn’t need to look like a postcard or a curated social media feed to be meaningful. By taking the time to understand a child’s anxieties and offering them tools to manage their emotions, you can help create a holiday season that feels joyful and safe.

If you’re looking to deepen your understanding of emotional regulation and gain practical strategies for supporting children, The STILL Method Emotional Regulation Training provides the perfect foundation. These skills aren’t just for Christmas—they can support well-being in every season.