Gift Giver
It can be difficult to find a personalized, meaningful gift for people with autism to give their families and friends. Consider some of these ideas that allow folks, even those with limited cognitive skills or motor abilities, to participate in the spirit of the holiday season by giving personalized gifts.
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Of course, some individuals with autism are very creative and capable of gift-giving without any assistance. But others need some help. As with all projects, the key to success is to encourage people with autism to complete as much of the task as they are able, only providing assistance or guidance when required.
+ Personalized photo greeting. Take a photo of your friend with autism wearing a red Santa hat. Encourage your friend to help print copies of the photo or order prints from a photo lab, and take him shopping for a box of holiday cards. If he is able to do so, he can sign the back of the photo or add a short personal note to the card. If needed, help him put the photo in the card and the card in the envelope before writing the recipient’s name on the envelope.
+ Homemade Peppermint Bark. Your friend with autism can go shopping for soft peppermint candies and white almond bark, the only two ingredients needed for this yummy treat. Let him unwrap the candies and put them in a quart-sized freezer zip-lock bag. He can crunch the soft peppermint candies by hitting them with a wooden mallet or smushing them with a plastic plate or plastic cup. Melt the white almond bark as instructed on the package, then immediately stir in the crushed candies. Pour onto a baking sheet lined with foil. Cool, then break into chunks. Put in sandwich bag tied with curly red ribbon. Attach a small card containing the recipe and your friend’s signature.
+ 9 Bean Soup Mix. Let the individual with disabilities choose 9 bags of dried beans/peas/lintels at the grocery store, then layer scoops of each type of bean into a wide-mouthed canning jar. Tie a ribbon around the lid. Add card with these instructions for cooking the soup: Wash and soak beans for 2 hours. In a heavy pot, saute 1 chopped onion and 1 pound ground sausage. Rinse and drain beans, then add to onion/sausage mixture with preferred seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic, canned tomatoes, etc.) Add 4 cups of water and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Serve with garlic bread or rolls. YUMMY!
TIP FOR THE DAY. Homemade gifts warm hearts and spread holiday cheer. Think creatively when making a plan for your friend with autism to make gifts for his family and friends.
NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com
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