How to have an autism-friendly Christmas in the North East, from relaxed pantomimes to quiet Santa's Grottos

It's a time of cheer and celebration - but for people who are autistic or otherwise neurodivergent, it can be a time of great upset and stress.

Crowds, queues, flashing lights, loud music and beeping tills can create sensory overload for some autistic children and adults.

As we head towards Christmas, the North East Autism Society (NEAS) has put together a round-up of relaxed festive events, shows and shopping for families with loved ones who are autistic, so they don't have to miss out on the fun.

Many venues have taken this into account and have provided quiet, relaxed or sensory-friendly visits that are tailor-made for the neurodivergent among us.

Kerrie Highcock, family development manager at NEAS, said: “Everyone should be able to join in the fun of the festive season, but for autistic people this can be a challenging time.

 “Adaptations to make events more accessible can mean the difference between a family having the experience or not being able to take part.

 “I have been lucky enough over the years to see the impact of such changes, including a local theatre staging a relaxed panto.

"Changes to lighting and sound levels and the option to move about made it such a success. Seeing people being able to just be themselves was amazing.”

The charity, which supports more than 6,000 people and their families around the region each week, has put together free festive toolkits and family fun packs which you can download at https://www.ne-as.org.uk/festive-resources

Autism-friendly events in the North East this Christmas

Quiet Santa’s grottos

Want to see Santa but can’t face the crowds? We’ve tracked down some sensory-friendly grottos where you and your family can visit the big man in peace.

This can involve allocated times to avoid crowds and queuing, subdued lighting and music, and staff trained to make the visit as accessible as possible.