The abstract idea behind holidays is not something that is easy to explain to a ten year old that takes everything literally. 
When trying to explain the complicated concept of Thanksgiving to our Autistic son we resorted to pictures on the market board.
We tried to explain about the pilgrims, notice the hat. That went over his head (pardon the pun).
We then worked on the most obvious trait of Thanksgiving, the food. So my husband started drawing things we might see on the table for dinner that day. Our drawings were a little…unique.
The final effect put all together tells the story of a peacock/grouse hybrid that came through a wormhole and is facing his own demise as a dinner dish while the flying scribbled on toaster (that square thingie that was supposed to be sweet potatoes) flies to the rescue.
I don’t really know if we got the concept across, but he keeps pointing at it and saying “Thanksgiving” so maybe it worked.
adriana pridemore 
Interesting. Today I went to a class on theatre and autism. I learned a lot!
There is a lot to Autism. More everyday. I know I can’t keep up lol.