Capricorn
December 22-January 19
December 2009

MONTHLY OVERVIEW:
Take it slow for the first three weeks of December. It’s the end of your solar year, a time to wind down and complete unfinished goals. You may feel sleepy or solitary, taking a pass on the first wave of holiday parties. With strict Saturn in Libra (your career sector), you may be spending long hours at the office this month, perhaps even working through the holidays. Family ties could be strained or tested, especially with your father. Fear not, though: when the Sun moves from Sagittarius into Capricorn on December 21st, your astrological clock resets. The holiday spirit kicks in, and you’re ready for new adventures.

There will be plenty, especially on New Year’s Eve. That night, a Cancer lunar eclipse draws a bold line between you and your most important relationships. Are you in or are you out? This dilemma started back in July, when a Cancer solar eclipse realigned your partnership priorities. On that night, four planets will be in Capricorn, including transformational Pluto. You’re transforming from caterpillar to butterfly, which is shifting your relationships by association. However, Mercury will be retrograde (backward) in Capricorn from December 27th-January 14th, making it hard to think or communicate your needs. Avoid making drastic decisions during this time if you can help it.

LOVE & ROMANCE:
Is it time to let go, or should you work through a longstanding issue? It’s a tough call in December. Love-planet Venus is in Sagittarius, your twelfth house of healing and completion, until the 30th. A buried yet familiar source of pain could resurface. You could find yourself lured into an unhealthy yet seductive old dynamic. You know that person who could never really be there for you…the one who tempted you with unavailability? Capricorn is an achievement-oriented sign, and while this serves you professionally, it can be your downfall in love. Why not love the one you’re with, instead of striving for the one you can’t have…who doesn’t really want you back?

Your answers may come around New Year’s Eve, when a lunar eclipse falls in Cancer, your relationship sector. Momentum that’s been building since July reaches a breaking point. An engagement or a breakup are both equally possible. Or, you may simply have an epiphany about what you truly want from love. Perhaps you’ll “surrender to the domination of commitment,” as a wise teacher once put it. Yes, commitment is a choice, and when you choose one path, you give up other options by default. Ask yourself, Capricorn: do I want to spend my life looking for greener grass over my neighbor’s fence? Or am I willing to be happy with the garden I have, and tend it with all the care in my heart?

MONEY & CAREER:
Expansive Jupiter has spent all of 2009 in Aquarius, your work and money sector, flinging open new doors—recession be damned. Many Capricorns found stable work and opportunity amid the economic crisis. December is Jupiter’s last full month in Aquarius, so scoop up any golden eggs while you can. Energizer Mars is also in Leo, your wealth sector, from October 16th until June 2010. This brings exciting opportunities to invest, sell property or make a lump sum of cash, perhaps through residual income.

The holidays awaken your giving spirit, so find a way to serve near the December 2nd Gemini full moon. Volunteer to serve dinner at a shelter, write a donation check, or go caroling through the children’s ward. If you’ve been working on a detailed project, the days around this full moon give you the focus to finish.

After the 20th, dial down the risk-taking. Mars will go retrograde until March. Use this cycle to pay off debt, reduce your tax liability or sell assets. Your ruler Saturn, the planet of challenge and restriction, is now in your career sector until 2012. Take only measured risks that are well-calculated and backed by a solid plan. Follow your mountain goat instincts: one sure-footed step at a time will get you to the peak. Don’t be afraid to stumble—a crucial lesson awaits each time you dust off your knees and keep going.

HEALTH & FITNESS:
Rest up, Capricorn. You’re due for some deep emotional healing this month, so keep a therapist or wise mentor on speed dial. A deep, gut-wrenching “ugly cry” (as Oprah calls it) leaves you feeling peaceful and empty. The Sun is in Sagittarius through the 21st, and during this time, helps you say goodbye to that which no longer serves you. Tap into the power of feng shui and clear your space of clutter, old clothes and whatever you’ve outgrown.

The December 2nd full moon illuminates your health sector. If you’ve been working on your well-being over the last six months, you could see major payoff for your efforts. This full moon helps you kick a bad habit, and energizes your commitment to good health. On December 16th, the Sagittarius new moon squares off with shocking Uranus in your communication sector. You could have a sudden blowup, perhaps with a sibling or friend. This is a moment of truth: is this person too toxic to keep around, or can you make peace? Take a couple days to cool down, but make your boundaries crystal clear before you agree to move forward.

Lucky Days: December 8, 17
Money Days: December 11, 21
Love Days: December 4, 31
Off Days: December 1, 16

- Horoscopes provided by The AstroTwins