How'd you do with Christmas' social gatherings?

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How'd spending time with your family or friends and at other social gatherings go, and how would you rate your success at said events? This can be Christmas Eve parties for work or family, Christmas gatherings, spending the holidays running around with friends; whatever you did!

Just to get things started, I chose 4. Since I'd just got my diagnosis two weeks ago, I decided I'd do my absolute best to attend all family functions and be friendly and conversational at them. Though I was quite nervous before each, I'm actually pretty proud of myself; last year I completely avoided everything and feigned sickness. I also felt almost at peace with my poor eye-contact skills and didn't let the thought of that interfere with the vocal portion of socializing. Hope the rest of you found success and if not, any plans to give it a go next year?

Disclaimer: the word Christmas can be interchanged with whatever holiday event you celebrate.

Went like 3 but felt like 1.

I am not eggspected to socialize at family gatherings, so I did fine by not socializing. I ate food and helped with the dishes and cleanup.

My family's Christmas party is happening after Christmas. Last year my evil aunt humiliated me in front of some more distant relatives by asking all kinds of nosy questions she knew had embarrassing answers. I'm not looking forward to this year's party.

I've had a nice Christmas at home with my own family, though. Made decorations and cookies with the kids, had a good dinner; that's the stuff I look forward to.

None of the options applied to me. I was not very social (only just enough to not be awkward) but that was planned and necessary for me to feel good and cope.

Went away for the whole day to relatives and had several meals together etc. On the way there in the car I listened to music so shutting out any social interaction in order to "keep charged" for the lunch. That went well and I talked only a little to others and mostly "had lunch". Then I went for 1 hour walk by myself to recharge while others where socializing. This was planned and my family knew that (but they didn't know why/about AS, I just said I need some fresh air). I came back for cake etc and that went just like lunch, but was shorter. I then went next room and read for a while and then we left.

Couldn't have done it without the 1 hour break where I went for a walk. From experience I CAN do social gatherings if a) have my own solo time inbetween, b) know exactly when it is going to be over.

No gathering of any kind for me this year.

no gathering thusfar... only work. and it is absolutely dead here today

No gathering this Christmas, just like every other year, so I hadn't got to worry about that.

I had a shutdown and am currently nonverbal. Too much noise, too much activity. With no place to go I had nothing to do but shut down.

I selected "3"---went ok, but could have been better. I'm speaking of my wife's family---several of her cousins and children. My autistic son was picked on by two of his cousins. They caused him to run into my wife's parents' hallway wall and bust a large hole in the sheet rock. I saw what had happened and saw to it that the truth of the incident became known. I'm tired of him getting bullied by these cousins that are near his age. Last year they crashed and broke a remote control helicopter he had just gotten at Christmas.

I only go to my parents
otherwise I'm home for the holidays.

don't even ask me to attend a stranger gathering

Stranger=Danger! No way!

I make everyone feel bad anyway, they all know I'm not having a good time.
It's not fun for them either at that point.

I pretty much withdrew completely. Now to be fair, there is drama at every family gathering and I was getting a bad vibe.