Christmas and holiday communication board: free printable

Who it’s for

Children and adults who talk with pictures, a speech device or a few words, through the winter holidays: at home, at school parties and on visits to family. The board puts Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year side by side, because many classrooms and families mark more than one, and nobody should have to talk about a holiday that isn’t theirs.

How to use it

1. Make it yours. Cross out what your family doesn’t celebrate, or glue a photo over it: your tree, your menorah, your kinara, Grandma’s front door.
2. Talk about what’s coming. Holidays change the routine. Point as you plan: “First car ride, then visit family, then cookies.”
3. Point while it happens. Candles as you light them, sing as you sing, wow at the fireworks.
4. Keep it where the action is: on the table, in the car, in the bag you take to a party.
5. Listen to too loud, I need a break and all done. A party that ends early can still end well.

Opening presents

Opening presents comes with rules nobody says out loud: wait for your turn, open it, look at it, say thank you, even for socks. Page 2 shows them as four steps. Go through them before the day, then point to each step as it happens. Things to say has quick words for the moment: wow, I like it, what is it?, and help me for tricky tape. The Thank you for my present! card can be handed to the person who gave it.

Gift tags from the person

The gift tags let the person give, not only receive. Cut them out, punch the hole, write the name on the From line together, and tie the tag on with ribbon. Deciding which tag goes on which present is a real choice: hold up two tags and ask, “Which one for Grandpa?”

What’s on the board

Holidays

• Christmas
• Hanukkah
• Kwanzaa
• New Year
• a party
• visit family

Things we do

• presents
• candles
• Santa
• cookies
• hot cocoa
• sing
• dance
• snowman
• sledding
• snow
• fireworks
• car ride

Talk

• hi
• thank you
• I like it
• wow
• my turn
• your turn
• wait
• help
• more
• all done
• too loud
• I need a break

Page 2 has the four steps for opening a present, six things to say (wow, I like it, cool!, what is it?, help me, all done), five gift tags and a thank-you card.

Printing tips

• Print page 2 on card stock, so the tags are stiff enough to tie on.
• Laminate page 1 and keep a copy in the car for holiday visits.
• Visitors coming? The greetings and conversation board has words for hellos and small talk, and the wait cards help with all the waiting.
• Hosting the big meal? See the Thanksgiving board for words at a busy table.
• Going to a holiday service? The church communication board has words for the service, the steps of going, and a quiet bag list.