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Hear for the Holidays!

Plan ahead to ensure the best communication experience while celebrating.

For most people, the holiday season is a festive time full of family gatherings and parties with friends. But for one in seven Americans with hearing loss, these events are often challenging social settings that can cause stress, anxiety and listening fatigue.

Our Hear for the Holidays plan is designed to empower guests and hosts to have more enjoyable, communication-friendly gatherings— inclusive of the growing number of people at all ages with hearing loss.

If you’re a guest with hearing loss, plan ahead:

A group of people sitting along a table
Where you sit and your surroundings matter
A woman looking over on a balcony
Give yourself a break to refresh
  • Arrive at gatherings relaxed and well-rested to hear your best
  • Sit toward the middle of the table, where you’re able to see everyone’s face and lips for speechreading
  • Choose a seat with a wall behind you to avoid background noise and distance yourself from a bustling kitchen, if possible
  • Select the appropriate sound setting on your hearing aids or cochlear implants
  • Use assistive listening technology like smartphone apps or a remote microphone if you have them
  • Sit with an ally who understands your hearing loss and can help you
  • Have conversations one-on-one in other rooms, or away from the noise
  • Give yourself frequent breaks, as group settings are tiring physically and mentally
  • Don’t bluff—tell the other person you didn’t hear and ask them to repeat
  • Accept that even though you won’t hear everything, neither will anyone else!

If you’re a host, here are ways to accommodate guests with hearing loss:

A hand turning down the music volume
Keeping the volume low helps everyone communicate
Two friends talking away from the noise
Speak clearly and slowly while facing each other
  • Keep background music low and turn it off during dinnertime when conversations are key
  • Spread out to multiple smaller rooms to promote quieter conversing environments
  • Use smaller round tables that allow guests to hear dinner table conversation and see faces for speechreading
  • Skip large centerpieces that block faces and visual clues
  • Avoid dim lighting—ensure lights are bright enough to see faces
  • Model good communication by speaking clearly while facing guests, and avoid talking while chewing or drinking
  • Do your best to minimize household noises during conversations—running water, dishwasher, dogs barking, kids playing nearby all interfere with listening

If you have hearing loss, you’re not alone! The HLAA community of support is here to help. We invite you to join our fight for accessible communication and hearing health care for all.