Idioms can be tricky to understand, especially when you take language literally - like I often did when I was young and growing up. In this collection of winter-themed stories, I’ve explored idioms through the lens of misunderstanding and connection. Each tale features an autistic character navigating the quirks of figurative language, with a little help from those around them. Let’s dive into these adventures of understanding and growth!
Out with the Old, In with the New
Letting go of the past to make space for fresh beginnings, new opportunities, and growth while cherishing what has shaped us.
Break the Ice
A cosy living room scene with a group of people chatting in the foreground, where someone holds a plate with a large ice cube, explaining its symbolic meaning, while another listens thoughtfully.
Snowed Under
An autistic young person misunderstands the phrase "snowed under" and brings a snow shovel to help, only to learn it means being overwhelmed with tasks. They then assist with buffet preparations, easing the workload for a festive gathering
As Cool as a Cucumber
An engaging dialogue where Alex learns the meaning of "as cool as a cucumber" through humour, practical examples, and a warm connection with Sam, exploring idioms in a relatable way.
The Snowball Effect
A playful and visual exploration of the idiom "snowball effect," where Alex learns how small actions can grow into bigger outcomes through Sam's snowy demonstration and relatable examples.
It’s New Year’s Eve. The living room is cosy, dimly lit with warm lights, and filled with the faint murmur of voices from an adjacent dining room. In a corner of the room, a boy named James, who is autistic, is sitting on the floor, completely absorbed in his favourite gadgets and toys, all carefully arranged and lovingly maintained.
From the dining room, a distant phrase catches his ear, "Out with the old, in with the new!"
James suddenly pauses, his hands still on a gadget. His brow furrows. He looks at his toys nervously. His breathing quickens. “Out with the old... in with the new?” he whispers to himself.
He picks up one of his favourite toys, holds it close. At the same time, he scans the room with wide eyes.
Meanwhile, in the dining room, the adults continue to laugh and chat, toasting to the new year. One of them is Sophie, who is empathetic and patient. She notices James isn’t present, and so momentarily excuses herself and heads to the living room.
On entering the living room she sees James clutching his toy, visibly unsettled.
“James? What’s the matter?” she gently asks him.
James, hesitant, looking down, replies, "Out with the old, in with the new. Do I... do I have to give my things away?”
Sophie sits down beside him, her voice soft and reassuring. “Oh, no, James. Not at all. That phrase doesn’t mean you have to get rid of your toys or the things you love and enjoy.”
James looks up at her, still unsure. “Then... what does it mean?”
Sophie answered, “It can be one phrase people use at New Year celebrations. It’s about making space in your heart and mind for new ideas, goals, and adventures. Like when you try something new, but you still keep the things you already care about.”
James tilts his head, thinking. “So... I definitely don’t have to forget the old things?”
“Not at all,” Sophie went on. “The past is important. It helps us remember what makes us happy and what we’ve learned. ‘In with the new’ can mean to be open to new things while appreciating what we already have.
James looks at his toy, a small smile forming. “So I can still keep this... and maybe try a new game later?”
Sophie gently ruffles his hair. “Yes, absolutely! Want to come join us and see what new things this year might bring?”
James nods, his smile growing. He places the toy carefully back in its spot, then takes Sophie’s hand as they head to the dining room.
In a warm living room, a group of six people sit awkwardly on couches and chairs. The atmosphere is tense as they wait for someone to start a conversation. Among them is Charlie, an autistic individual, sitting quietly with a thoughtful expression.
The host comes in, sits down, and claps their hands. "Right then, who's going to break the ice?"
Charlie looks puzzled and tilts their head slightly. He glances around the room, then speaks earnestly. "There's no ice to break. Is there supposed to be some?"
At that point the group exchanges confused looks. One member, Jess, notices Charlie’s expression and leans forward kindly.)
"Charlie, what do you mean?" Jess gently asked him.
Charlie replies, "You said we have to break the ice. I don’t see any ice. Are we supposed to break some ice?"
A brief, awkward silence follows. Some people stifle chuckles, but Jess frowns at them and speaks up.
Jess then turns back towards the group, and calmly tells them, "Hey, wait. It’s just that Charlie’s processes things differently compared to the rest of us."
Turning to Charlie with a warm smile, Jess says to him. "When we say 'break the ice,' it’s a figure of speech. It’s a phrase that means starting a conversation to make everyone feel more comfortable. But I believe I can help explain it better to you."
Jess gets up and walks to the kitchen, returning with an ice cube from the freezer. They hold it up for everyone to see.
"Okay, Charlie. Imagine this ice cube is like our silence right now. Inside it are all the conversations we could be having."
Jess places the ice cube on a small plate in front of Charlie. She then asks him, "What do you think happens when we break the ice cube?"
Charlie stares at the ice cube thoughtfully, then speaks more confidently. "The conversations would be out, wouldn't they? It could be like water spilling out when ice melts or breaks."
Jess replied, "Exactly! And when the ice is gone, people talk more freely, and it feels less awkward."
Charlie nods slowly, a small smile appearing. "Oh, I think I understand it now. Breaking the ice means starting conversations so things aren’t stuck."
The group looked at each other, smiling in approval at the explanation. The tension in the room starts to lift. One person speaks up.
"Well, in that case, I’ll go first. Let me tell you about the time I tried to make ice cream and ended up with a frozen block so solid, I needed a hammer to scoop it!"
Laughter erupts, and the group begins chatting naturally. Charlie looks at Jess, who gives them an encouraging thumbs-up.
Charlie says quietly to Jess, "Thanks for explaining. That was... helpful."
Jess smiled. "Anytime, Charlie. You’ve just helped us all break the ice."
The living room was quiet. A young autistic character, Sam, sits alone, fiddling with a puzzle. At the same time, voices filter through from the adjacent kitchen.
"We're so snowed under with everything for tonight!"
Sam's ears perk up. They pause, trying to process the words. A flash of realisation crosses his face. He says to himself, “Snowed under... like in the weather forecast earlier.”
Sam then stands abruptly and immediately heads for the door to the garage. There, he opens the garage door and scans the space. Soon enough he spots a snow shovel. He takes it with him back into the house holding the shovel. A couple of people, Alex and Jess, are setting up decorations and food platters in the background.
There, Sam says in earnest. “I found the shovel. I'm ready to help with the snow.”
Alex and Jess exchange a confused glance.
“Snow?” Jess asked.
“You said you were snowed under. I heard the weather forecast too,” Sam continued.
Jess stifles a laugh, realising the misunderstanding.
Alex then joins in the conversation. “Oh, Sam... "Snowed under" doesn’t mean real snow. It means when one may have too much work to do.”
Sam frowns. “But there’s no snow?”
Alex smiles and points out the buffet preparations to Sam. There are platters, trays, decorations scattered everywhere. “See? We're snowed under with all this.”
Sam looks around, their brow furrowing as they process. Then, his expression softens. “ So... you're overwhelmed with all the preparation for the party later?”
“Exactly,” replies Jess.
Sam considers this for a moment, then lifts their head with determination. “I’d like to help with this kind of snow.”
Jess and Alex exchange a warm smile. “That would be amazing, Sam. Thank you.” Jess was ever so grateful at this offer of help.
Sam puts down the snow shovel, rolls up their sleeves, and begins organizing plates. He carefully places napkins and silverware on the table. Alex and Jess smile as Sam suggests a better way to stack the cups. In quick time the room is gradually transformed into a festive, organised space.
Later, that evening the party is in full swing. Guests mingle, enjoying the buffet. Sam, on the other hand, sits off to the side, watching on with quiet satisfaction.
Jess approaches him with a plate of food. “You really helped us dig out from being snowed under today."
Sam smiles faintly. “I think I get it now.”
They share a warm moment as the party continues around them.
Alex and Sam are preparing snacks together. Alex is slicing vegetables carefully while Sam arranges snacks on a plate. Alex pauses and looks at Sam. “You seem really calm today. Is there a reason?
Sam, smiling, replies, “ I guess you could say I’m as cool as a cucumber.”
Alex looks puzzled, putting down the knife. “Cool as a cucumber? Do cucumbers have a special temperature? Are they cooler than other vegetables?”
Sam laughs gently. “Not exactly. It’s just an idiom. Want me to explain?”
Alex nods. “Yes, please.”
Sam picks up a cucumber from the counter and holds it up. “So, cucumbers are naturally cool to the touch, even on a hot day. People noticed that and started using ‘cool as a cucumber’ to describe someone who stays calm and steady, no matter what’s happening around them.”
Alex thinks for a moment. “So, being calm is like being as cool as this cucumber?”
“Exactly!” replies Sam. “Like right now, you’re carefully slicing veggies without rushing. That’s pretty cool, both literally and figuratively.”
Sam cuts a slice of cucumber and hands it to Alex. “Here, feel this”.
Alex holds the cucumber slice, noticing its coolness. “It does feel cold. So, when people say someone is ‘cool as a cucumber,’ they mean they’re steady and collected, like this cucumber feels?”
Sam approves of Alex’s response. “Yes, you’ve got it. And it’s often a way to appreciate how someone handles things smoothly or without rushing.”
Alex nods. “Yes, that makes sense. But what if someone gets really a bit unsure of what to do during a particular task? Would they be, like, ‘hot as a pepper’?
Sam chuckles. “That’s a creative way to think about it! Maybe we should add that to our list of new idioms.”
Alex grins, taking another slice of cucumber. “I like this one. It’s funny to think about vegetables describing people. Are there other idioms like this, Sam?”
“Oh, yes, lots! Like ‘full of beans.’”
They both laugh together, enjoying the light-hearted moment as they continue preparing food. The camera lingers on the cucumber slices, neatly arranged on the plate.
Alex and Sam are dressed in their winter clothes, including warm coats, scarfs and gloves, standing in the snow. Alex closely inspects a small snowball in his hands. “This snowball is really small,” he says. “I'm not sure what you even do with it?”
Sam smiles. “Well, you could throw it, or... you could roll it down the hill and watch it get bigger. Have you ever heard of the phrase "snowball effect"?
Alex replies, “I think so. Does it mean something about snowballs?”
Sam pauses momentarily before answering. “Well, sort of. It describes how something small can get bigger and bigger over time, like this snowball might if we roll it down the hill.”
Sam kneels down and pats the snow into a slightly larger ball. “Watch this. I’ll roll this snowball a little, and it’ll pick up more snow.”
He rolls the snowball down a gentle slope. Alex watches on as it gathers more snow and becomes larger.
“It’s getting bigger!” Alex points out. “Is that what you mean by the snowball effect?”
“Exactly,” replies Sam. “It’s a way to explain how small actions or events can lead to much bigger results over time. Sometimes it’s a good thing, like learning a new skill.”
They sit on the picnic table, each sipping hot cocoa. Sam gestures with his hands as he talks. “Imagine you decide to practice drawing for ten minutes every day. At first, it’s just a small habit. But after a month, you’ll have improved a lot. That’s a positive snowball effect.”
Alex thought back to something from last year. “Oh, so it’s like when I kept planting seeds in the garden last spring. At first, there were just a few flowers, but then there were so many!”
Sam listened to this, very intrigued.”Exactly! That’s another great example. It works for ideas, and habits too. Even a little kindness can grow into something big too.
Alex grins and picks up another snowball. “So, if I keep rolling this one, will it take over the whole yard?”
Sam laughs. “Only if you gather lots of snow, and a lot of patience! But then again, that’s the fun part of a snowball effect. I can be all about how much energy you put into it.
Alex stands, deep in thought. “I like this one I’ve just made. It’s starting to make more sense now. But what happens if the snowball hits something?”
Sam smiles. “Then it most likely stops growing. That’s another part of the lesson. Sometimes some things can only grow so far before they need a new direction.
They both laugh and throw snowballs gently at each other, enjoying the moment.
Thank you for reading these winter idiom stories! I hope these tales brought a little warmth to your day and offered a fresh perspective on the challenges, examples, and joys of understanding language. I’d like to hear your thoughts!
Which story or idiom resonated with you the most?
Do you have a favourite winter-themed idiom or a personal experience with one?
Have you ever had a funny or meaningful moment involving misunderstood phrases?
Feel free to share your insights, experiences, or feedback in the comments. I’d love to continue the conversation!
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