Happy Yuletide!

These are the aspects of the transiting planets for December, 2006. Please keep in mind that the planets affect each person differently depending on the placement of his or her natal planets and astrological points. In general, however, we may say that we all are responding to a certain celestial climate as the transiting planets aspect each other. The time zone used here is PST.

Saturday, December 2:
Sun in Sagittarrius squares Uranus in Pisces -- A generous ego is afflicted by changing feelings. The holiday shopper can't make a decision. Confused urges.

Sunday, December 3 to Saturday, December 9

Monday, December 4:
Mercury in Scorpio squares Saturn in Leo -- Suspicious thoughts are at cross purposes with limited creative drive. Leave the sleuthing to the detectives who perform for us in the entertainment business. Our own efforts in those directions are likely to be skewed.

Full Moon in Gemini

Full Moon in Gemini is also on Monday December 4 -- This year's party moon finds itself in a T-Square (Moon in Gemini opposes Sun in Sagittarius) with Uranus in Pisces at the apex. Watch out for unexpected consequences from over-imbibing during this year's holiday season. Drinking and driving could be a cause of regret. Feelings expressed verbally could bring quixotic reactions, so be aware that people may not be quite themselves. Capricious emotions are fleeting.

Tuesday, December 5:
Saturn goes Stationary Retrograde at the 26th degree of Leo -- We have time to examine our past performances during this Saturn in Leo passage. Have we given form to our creative expressions? Have our leaders been honorable and generous and have they therefore earned our respect, or has theirs been a case of derelection of duty? Scrooge has his nightmares.

Tuesday, December 5:
Mars enters Sagittarius -- We take action to increase our generosity. The shopping season takes off with a big bang. Some of us decide to go back to school and to get that degree in higher education. Our leaders feel increasingly belligerent toward foreign countries and find ways to deploy soldiers for military action.

Thursday, December 7:
Venus conjunct Pluto in Sagittarius at the Galactic Center --
We are given to extreme feelings concerning our beliefs, philosophies, and the other nations of the world. Doomsday scenarios abound as corporate-funded think tanks promote the unthinkable: WWIII, a nuclear war to end all nuclear wars. Articulation of foreign policy is left primarily to the extreme elements of the punditry, who are allied with religious zealots.

A Dr. Strangelove atmosphere pervades as we are encouraged to stop worrying and love the bomb. More rational persons organize in the opposite direction to promote nuclear non-proliferation and Ban-the-Bomb movements arise once again.

Christmas shoppers will benefit by resisting urges toward compulsive spending.

Thursday, December 7:
Mercury enters Sagittarius -- We have a tendency toward expansive thinking. We may neglect the details in favor of the big picture. Thinking with beliefs rather than facts could lead us toward faulty conclusions. We may be uncritical of our own thought processes, and we may have a tendency toward circular reasoning, or putting the cart before the horse.

Saturday, December 9:
Sun in Sagittarius sextiles Neptune in Aquarius -- bringing an idealistic tendency for Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Men. We seem to hear the call from On-High to believe in our better instincts. Today would be a good time to attend a Christmas concert. Holiday spirit abounds.

Saturday, December 9:
Mercury conjuncts Mars at the second degree of Sagittarius -- meaning we just might go a little overboard with selfish thinking in regard to Christmas shopping, religious righteousness, and also unfortunately, military adventurism. A plan to attack a foreign country could be hatched, or a military plan that already exists could be put into action, and the idea could be couched in terms of religious and cultural necessity or superiority: toy-soldier thinking seems to incur no other consequences than heroics and glory.

Sunday, December 10 to Saturday, December 16

Sunday, December 10:
Mercury conjuncts Jupiter at the fourth degree of Sagittarius -- We are having a high, old time and a very merry holiday season, but our thinking is overblown and not very inclined toward any sort of reality check. We are generous to a fault and logic seems like a party pooper, so we're not sure we want anything to do with logic right now. Let's just be happy.

Sunday, December 10:
Venus enters Capricorn -- putting the brakes on the slap-happy mood of overindulgence and bringing some sense of taste and quality to our purchases. Let's buy less, but make the gifts those that will endure the test of time. Our feelings tend toward nostagia and auld-lang-syne. Holiday blues beset us with notions that we are all alone in the world and everyone else has a better time of it and is more prosperous and happy than we are. Charlie Brown finds his scrawny little tree, but at least he found it.

Monday, December 11:
Mars conjuncts Jupiter at the fourth degree of Sagittarius, increasing international tendencies toward bellicose actions, along with the widespread promotion of grandiose theories about why we should take a belligerent stance towards other cultures. Propoganda is outlandish. Watch out for over-indulgences of all kinds. Waistlines are having a tendency to expand.

Friday, December 15:
Mercury in Sagittarius squares Uranus in Pisces -- bringing with it a tendency to suddenly feel sorry for ourselves. Our moods change without warning and our thinking is unclear, based on beliefs rather than facts. We can't understand why others don't believe us when we complain. Be careful not to fly off the handle or have a tissy-fit over some small or imagined slight. Be aware that others may behave erractically and avoid responding in kind.

Saturday, December 16:
Sun in Sagittarius trines Retrograde Mercury in Leo -- We are fairly well satisfied with our past performances in the leadership department, believing we have generally acted within the constraints of our ideals, and we fully intend to go forward with full integrity of self. All is well on Santa's list as he finds much less naughty than nice. We believe in ourselves as righteous and honorable and restrained by civilized instincts, at least for the time being.

Sunday, December 17 to Saturday, December 23

Monday, December 18:
Sun conjuncts Pluto at the Galactic Center -- bringing with it an intense will to transform our cultural environment, for better or for worse. Some have chosen a path that includes dictates to exterminate other cultures, religions and countries of the globe. Genocide is presented as a cleansing mechanism. Others have taken the high road and are working to transform the cultural tendencies that lead to perpetual war and continual tragedy. We're at the turning point of survival for the planet and people are choosing up sides in terms of what they see as meaningful reform. Nothing less than our own suvival or our own extinction as a species seems to be the issue at hand. Extremism is magnified as do-or-die scenarios are presented for the future. Plutocratic forces succeed in consolidating international resources.

Tuesday, December 19:
Mercury in Sagittarius is sextile Neptune in Aquarius -- Our thinking is light-hearted, expansive, and opens doors for the brotherhood of mankind. Inclusive and idealistic beliefs may be articulated, but we have to put a little effort into our benevolent speech; otherwise the benevolence will remain unarticulated.

Tuesday, December 19:
Venus in Capricorn sextiles Uranus in Pisces -- Artistic remakes of old favorites help us to blend the old with the new. Electronic versions of classic childrens' tales, or newly designed versions of classic jewelry patterns will catch our fancies as we shop. We'll enjoy using electronic gadgetry to connect with old friends in new ways, and we especially enjoy the transmission of images.

Wednesday, December 20:
New Moon at the anaretic degree of Sagittarius gives us one last chance to apply our beliefs. Philosophical integrity helps us to grow.

Winter Solstice

Thursday, December 21:
Sun enters Capricorn -- Winter Solstice brings Yultetide celebrations. Fond memories secure the present times.

Thursday, December 21:
Mars in Sagittarius squares Uranus in Pisces -- Be careful not to overindulge in intoxicants because accidents are likely to occur.
Surprise attacks, both personal and military, with religious overtones could also occur. Best to keep a low profile. Better safe than sorry. Hold back from reacting to the erratic behavior of others. Awareness of motives is blocked by peculiar ideals.

Sunday, December 24 to Sunday, December 31

Sunday, December 24:
Mercury in Sagittarius trines Saturn in Leo -- We think we believe in the security of our leadership as we review the past.

Monday, December 25:
Mercury in Sagittarius conjuncts Pluto -- We believe in our entitlement to power as a world leader based upon our past performance of leadership, along with our philosophical stance of freedom.

Wednesday, December 27:
Mercury enters Capricorn -- Our thinking turns toward the practical and the useful. Time to organize our thoughts and our environments. Grandiose ideas shrink to workable size.

Happy New Year!

Sunday, December 31:
Mars in Sagittarius trines Neptune in Aquarius -- We take benevolent actions for our humanitarian beliefs. Nice energy for New Year's Eve celebrations. We look forward to the future with hope and goodwill.