My family also has a rule that we do not travel or go other places for Christmas. We would welcome other family to our home on that day, but we are fortunate that my parents also live close by so any visiting family normally stays with them. I think it really helps to keep celebrations and events like that small. There is so much going on on Christmas morning. All of the presents, smells of food cooking, excitement, etc. I think if we mixed in a lot of other variables it could result in a meltdown.

My son seeks some types of sensory input, but he is also autistic and has trouble in social settings. This can cause him to have meltdowns rather quickly when in a complex sensory and social environment. Sometimes his reactions to things are not predictable, so it is better to control the environment to things that you know from experience they can handle. The last thing I want is for my son to not enjoy Christmas morning, especially if there is something I could have done to prevent any angst.