Can you believe that December has 1,015 global holidays? Yes, that’s right! With so many holidays, December is internationally recognized as Spiritual Literacy Month and is dedicated to appreciating various belief systems. When it comes to celebration and holiday cheer, December is one of the most decorated months of the year. From the jingle bells that ring to rejoice over Christmas, to the Kinara lightings that commemorate Kwanzaa, December ushers in joy, giving, and togetherness for all walks of life.

Ultimately, December symbolizes unique festivities that honor an array of diverse spiritual beliefs, customs, and faith-inspired traditions. Whether it’s lighting a Menorah, decorating a tree, visiting a shrine, or sharing a feast, the holidays provide a universal reminder of the fascinating differences found across ethnic groups, religions, spiritual beliefs, and countries. Truly, the beauty of this special time of the year is that as the world reverences an assortment of holidays, we all find ourselves united in one concept—celebration.

By inviting Spiritual Literacy into the holiday season, the month of December empowers people to deepen their faith and honor the world’s spiritual differences. These same sentiments are found at Crestwood. We welcome diverse spiritual practices to support the recovery process for persons served, provide a Spirituality bibliography, and offer ongoing webinars to discuss the benefits that spiritual practices have on mental health. At Crestwood, we embrace the unique belief systems of our staff and persons served and strive to support each other in nurturing Spirituality and resilience. This approach develops a shared commitment to inclusive mental health care and fosters spiritual literacy across all of our campuses during the holidays and beyond.

The holidays hold many feelings of warmth, togetherness, and nostalgia. We reflect on the year’s events and find ourselves going down memory lane, recalling childhood memories, or those from recent years. Moments spent with family and friends around the dinner table, unwrapping thoughtful packages, or ushering in the new year with excitement and anticipation for all that lies ahead.

Yet even in the midst of holiday joy, life can hold hard moments. There may be challenging circumstances or unexpected sorrows that present themselves in the middle of the merriment. When this is the case, we can choose to hold on to hope, no matter how hard it may be. We can do this best when we have the support of others who hold the hope with us.

At Crestwood, we have a heart for holding hope for others. This holiday season, who will you hold hope for? Let’s all do our part in lifting each other’s spirits and notice the ripple effect of spreading kindness and compassion. Let’s all be beacons of hope.

Values are like mosaic pieces. When fused together they create a beautiful image that represents the nuances of our identity. Values are not always at the forefront of our mind but always influence our decisions. Oftentimes, our choices highlight our values by forging patterns around what we prioritize. Our values are the invisible drivers that navigate our habits, beliefs, behaviors, daily choices, and desires. They give us a sense of direction and authenticity, while also revealing what we believe is important.

During a season where many are focused on material gifts, what’s truly important to us and often mean the most, are the intangible gifts; the gifts that can’t be wrapped. Gifts that mirror our most cherished personal values. At Crestwood, we champion our values like Family, Enthusiasm, Flexibility, Compassion, Commitment, and Character. These values fuel our desire to provide mental health programs for persons served that establish greater stability, hope, and resilience in their lives.

This holiday season, take some time to survey your values and how much they mean to you. Consider making a holiday wish list where the only things you can write down are your most treasured values. Would you want more peace, more opportunities to be creative, more quality time with loved ones, greater self-compassion, more wisdom? What unique values are a part of your identity? How do those values influence your holiday season?