The 12 Neurodiverse Traits of Christmas Special 2025 - Business Oddcast S01E16 cover art

The 12 Neurodiverse Traits of Christmas Special 2025 - Business Oddcast S01E16

The 12 Neurodiverse Traits of Christmas Special 2025 - Business Oddcast S01E16

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

 In words of social commentator, philosopher and glam rockstar Noddy Holder "IIIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttttttttttttttts CHRISSSSSSSTMASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!" Welcome to Episode 16 of the Business Oddcast! This week is a big seasonal bumper edition and we’re diving headfirst into the sensory overload, social pressure, and chaotic brilliance that is Christmas when you’re neurodivergent. From overwhelm disguised as “festive spirit” to food droughts, coat-goblin strategies, and the annual terror of Secret Santa, we’re breaking down the 12 traits that make this season feel… a lot. Stuart shares his elite spreadsheet engineering (including kitchen re-wiring for roast logistics), tactical party-napping, and why he’s entering his “Christmas turtle” era. Hannah confesses her hard limits around catch-ups, communal peanuts, and being manhandled onto a dancefloor by Anne from Accounts (justice for Hannah). Together, we explore routines dissolving into chaos, pressure to “see everyone,” gifting spirals, and why boundaries matter more than ever in December. Expect honesty, hilarity, and a whole sleigh-load of neurodiverse coping strategies. If the holidays leave your brain crying in a corner wearing noise-cancelling headphones, this one’s for you. Please share with anyone you think this topic might resonate with. Send any questions or suggestions to or contact us here: hosts@businessoddcast.com Don't forget to like and subscribe or follow along on the socials, see below timeline for details. Together we can build a healthier, happier way to work! ------------------------------------- TIMELINE 00:00:00 - Introduction. 00:00:35 - Hannah's Christmas jumper reveal 00:02:45 - End of the episode tease... 00:03:43 - TOPIC OF THE WEEK - The 12 Neurodiverse Traits of Christmas 00:04:53 - FIRST Neurodiverse Trait of Christmas - The Annual Review 00:06:58 - Top Tip - New Year's resolution; "aim low" 00:09:01 - Bad habits & nostaligic inflation 00:12:12 - Stuart's big crisp confession - SNIPPET 00:15:47 - SECOND Neurodiverse Trait of Christmas - Small Talk 00:17:34 - Oh, hang on... I've got a picture on my phone... 00:18:24 - Top Tip - Revolutionise party small talk, GUARANTEED Results 00:20:00 - The small talk high-wire juggling act now with added pop quiz 00:21:48 - THIRD Neurodiverse Trait of Christmas - MAX Sensory Assault 00:24:02 - Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitttts CHRISTMASSSSSSS!!!! 00:25:11 - Party Season: full of over-processed food and bad decisions 00:26:04 - Spending time in the shed and other avoidant behaviours 00:28:08 - FOURTH Neurodiverse Trait of Christmas - The Xmas Spreadsheet 00:32:30 - Shout out to my daughter and her octopus arms 00:33:20 - How to wreck your relationship with Stu at Xmas 00:34:01 - Late diagnosed, but always known... 00:34:21 - FIFTH Neurodiverse Trait of Christmas - The Work Party 00:36:12 - Hannah, come and dance... SLAP! 00:36:58 - TOP TIP - permission to haunt the exit like a Victorian ghost 00:38:08 - THe terror of the "Secret Santa"! 00:38:45 - SIXTH Neurodiverse Trait of Christmas - Present Demand Avoidance 00:41:20 - Stu's Mum's rage inducing ball of string 00:42:38 - Let me help you open the present... 00:43:26 - SEVENTH Neurodiverse Trait of Christmas - Let's meet up... NO! 00:45:09 - TOP TIP - How to avoid socially obligated meet ups... 00:46:14 - and... the other side of the coin... wait, what? 00:47:25 - BONUS TIP - Local event = target rich environment 00:47:48 - Stu's life goal - be rich enough to hire a body double 00:49:10 - EIGHT Neurodiverse Trait of Christmas - The Christmas Turtle 00:51:10 - The no decision day... 00:51:26 - TOP TIP - The Party "Holiday" 00:52:56 - TOP TIP TWO - The Zero Day 00:54:58 - NINETH Neurodiverse Trait of Christmas - The Routine Shuffler 00:56:32 - and yet feels like "One long, hideous festive groundhog day" 00:56:49 - TOP TIP - Divide the day into these three sections... 00:57:25 - Fancy a drink? Erm... It's 8am... 00:59:56 - TENTH Neurodiverse Trait of Christmas - The Food Drought 01:01:06 - Stu's Rant about Ready Salted Crisps 01:03:45 - Question: Stu... Communal grazing? 01:04:57 - Stu's story, it's nuts... 01:06:50 - ELEVENTH Neurodiverse Trait of Christmas - Buying Pressure 01:09:43 - TOP TIP - The beauty of the "regifting box" 01:12:57 - Hannah's friends brutal gift giving session 01:15:00 - Reuse, recycle, regift, revisit the Charity Shop... 01:16:35 - Gift exhaustion - when you got everything you want... 01:17:14 - TWELFTH Neurodiverse Trait of Christmas - Gormless Guests 01:18:35 - STOBBIT WITH THE FOOD QUESTIONS!!! 01:19:43 - Wrapping up the episode... 01:20:25 - A tease of what's to come in 2026... Our new studio Logo 01:22:08 - Next Weeks Topic - Neurodiverse New Year's Resolutions and Goal Setting. 01:23:00 - LENGTH ------------------------------------- RESOURCES https://bigmoosecharity.co - Emergency mental health support, Big Moose provides fast and effective therapy for people who are struggling. ...
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.