Neuroscience, Inclusion & the Festive Brain: What This Season Really Lights Up
- Georgina Brown (hershe)
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Ah, the festive season.
For some, it’s twinkling lights, mince pies, and slightly-too-loud relatives.
For others, it’s a quiet walk, a sacred ceremony, or a break from inboxes and expectations.
For many, it’s a cocktail of joy and exhaustion, with a dash of existential crisis.
But whatever your December looks like, one thing’s for sure: your brain is having a moment.
The End-of-Year Brain
Let’s talk neuroscience.
December triggers a complex blend of neural activity:
The Default Mode Network kicks in with reflection, memory, and rumination.
The Amygdala goes on high alert (family dynamics, anyone?).
Oxytocin spikes with connection, or plummets with loneliness.
Dopamine craves novelty, comfort, and chocolate in equal measure.
It’s not just the season to be jolly.
It’s the season where emotions run high, habits are tested, and inclusion really matters.
Inclusion Is Not Optional in December
Let’s bust a few myths.
Not everyone celebrates Christmas.
Not everyone can afford the “festive spirit.”
Not everyone is feeling particularly merry.
The workplace (virtual or not) can often become a kind of unconscious neurological assault course this time of year:
Awkward party invites
Forced cheer
Endless "Secret Santa" debates
Assumptions that everyone wants mulled wine or loves the Queen’s (sorry, King’s) speech
Forced Westernised idealism and Christianity
But inclusion — real inclusion — starts by recognising that everyone’s brain brings a different map to this time of year.
What Neuroscience Teaches Us About Festive Inclusion
1. Mirror Neurons Need Nuance
Our brains are wired to mirror emotions. If someone’s hyped about the holidays, we feel pressure to join in — even if we’re not feeling it. That’s why “just join the fun!” can backfire.
NIMM nudge: Allow multiple ways to engage or opt out. Presence, not performance.
2. Predictability Calms the Brain
Surprises are lovely unless your brain is wired for anxiety. Predictability lowers cortisol. So that last-minute “dress-up in red and green!” email? May not land well for everyone.
NIMM nudge: Offer advance notice, options, and alternatives. Choice = safety.
3. Social Safety Trumps Traditions
The brain craves belonging. But it also detects threat — especially when someone feels “othered” by dominant cultural norms. Even a “joke” about who doesn’t eat pigs-in-blankets can be a neural micro-shock.
NIMM nudge: Focus less on tradition. More on connection, story-sharing, and collective meaning.
How to Include Without Overwhelm
Here are five festive NeuroNudges for your organisation:
1. Swap 'Merry Christmas' for ‘Season’s Greetings’ or ‘Wishing you warmth & rest’
It includes everyone — even those who don’t celebrate anything at all. Or for those that Christmas means something else in their faith.
2. Share stories, not just tinsel
Invite people to share end-of-year rituals from different cultures, families, or even just their favourite film.
3. Normalize rest
Celebrate breaks, boundaries, and brain recovery — not just productivity till the 23rd.
4. Reimagine the party
Offer introvert-friendly spaces, alcohol-free options, and inclusive menus. Not everyone wants “Jingle Bell Rock” at full blast.
5. Acknowledge the tough stuff
Loneliness, grief, overwhelm — they’re all amplified this time of year. A kind check-in might mean more than you realise.
What NIMM Brings to This Time of Year
The NeuroInclusive Maturity Model isn’t just about policies and metrics. It’s about the micro-moments that shape culture — especially when people are vulnerable.
This season is rich with opportunity:
To reflect
To rest
To rewire
To reconnect
And most importantly, to reaffirm that belonging isn’t seasonal.It’s a daily, brain-based, human need.
Final Word: Wrap It Up (Gently)
Whatever you do this December — whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali (earlier this year!), Solstice, Kwanzaa, or just enjoying a silent cuppa away from the chaos — remember this:
Inclusion is not about getting it all right.It’s about making it safe enough to be real.
So… light your candles. Or don’t.Bake your cake. Or don’t.Join the party. Or create your own quiet ritual.
Just be kind. Be curious. Be aware that everyone’s brain is doing its best.
And let’s go into the new year with a little more neuro-informed compassion.
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