December 2021 Horoscope: A Sluggish Sagittarius Season

This is certainly going to be an interesting holiday season with Venus, our planet of values and physical senses, going retrograde from December 1 through February 10. This will make people more cautious about how they spend their money amidst uncertainties with the economy. There is also a Mercury retrograde in January and that will keep our holidays sluggish. We have a solar eclipse on December 4 that will impact the mutable signs of Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo, and Pisces. Energies will feel scattered during that time. The sun enters Capricorn on December 21, the first day of winter. Mercury enters Capricorn, and Mars enters Sagittarius on the 13th. Venus will be traveling through Capricorn for a while as she goes retrograde there. Jupiter enters Pisces on the 28th. (Yes, there’s a lot of extra activity this month!) This will keep us on our toes as conditions shift and change directions. We will be more nostalgic during the holidays with Venus retrograde. Our traditions may be more important than we realize. 

ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19)
December is always a busy time of year for you, and this year will be no exception. Your career sector is very active, and it will likely lead you to take on leadership roles at the office and at home. You may be considering changing career directions or going out on your own. You are in an especially upbeat mood in the first half of the month, but you’re more no-nonsense in the last half. Partnerships will need some attention during the holidays, even if things are good! Friends and business associates can be very helpful this month, so don’t be afraid to reach out. With Venus retrograde in your sign, give yourself plenty of time to think about your decisions. It will be best to wait until after February 10 to make lasting decisions.  

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20)
This month, your career energies remain strong as you are working on future plans. There are plenty of opportunities out there, but you may be reluctant to make decisions with Venus, your ruler, retrograde until February 10. It’s obvious that you are ready for more personal freedom and choices in your life, especially as it relates to managing your career. You are ready to take a back seat during the holidays and enjoy the season in a more relaxed and celebratory mode. Friends and business-networking groups can be very helpful in supporting your choices. This is an excellent time to be connecting with friends and business associates from the past. 

GEMINI (May 21–June 21)
This is going to be a very active month for the Twins, particularly with the solar eclipse on the 4th. There is going to be a lot of focus on how you manage your partnerships. On the surface, it may feel like you are dealing with the demands of those closest to you. Internally, this is about establishing boundaries and not always trying to make others happy. This may really come to a head by the middle of the month. You are also very conscious about money and resources this month. This may be a time to update and renegotiate your business, personal, and romantic relationships. Your career arena is about to open up for you, but you may still be indecisive about what the right choices are. As with all the mutable signs, it’s best to wait until mid-February before you make a clear commitment.  

CANCER (June 22–July 22)
Work and health are at the top of the menu as December begins. You are more than ready to get your routines updated and back in place. You may be rearranging your office, improving your home-office space and your technology, and getting back into healthier eating and exercise routines. Relationships will be a key topic, as Venus retrograde will be occurring in your relationship sector. If you are in a good relationship, this is a time to enjoy past memories. For difficult partnerships, this energy brings the issues to the surface to be dealt with, one way or the other. You will definitely hear from people from your past. You are continuing to examine your resource base, looking for things to leave behind and new sectors to explore. You continue to work toward ridding yourself of debt. You will be more motivated to get your ideas out into the world. That only gets stronger as we venture into 2022. 

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22)
As December begins, you are in an upbeat holiday mood. You are wanting to share your sense of joy with others, and especially with your children and family. This is also a more creative and inventive time for you, both at work and in your community. You have been looking for a new outlet for your career, or possibly to find ways to disconnect from the grid. Your need for independence continues to be very strong. This can bring up some relationship issues as you redefine your personal and shared goals with your partners. After mid-December, you are more concerned about improving your health and dealing with chronic conditions. This would be an excellent month to restart an improved self-care program, even with the holidays coming up. New avenues for financing will be opening up for you as we enter 2022. 

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept.22)
This is the time of year when your home and family sector is always active. This usually brings you back to your past to help you determine what family means to you. For some, this is about the family members you have freely chosen to support. This could also be a time when you feel the need to move, improve your nest, or just open the windows to let Mother Nature in. The eclipse on the 4th impacts both your family ideals as well as your best public expression of yourself. You will want to be seen as smart, open to new ideas, and able to adapt to every changing condition. This may make others more aware of your presence, and may put you in line for new roles at work. Your creative energies are very strong in the last half of the month. You could easily turn a hobby into a career at this time. This holiday will be an especially good time to spend with your children, or to treat your inner child to the holiday she deserves.  

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 23)
You are busy connecting with friends and family to get ready for the holidays. Your schedule is busy, and you could easily take on too much by trying to do it all yourself. Your temper will be much shorter through the holiday season, as you are taking life more personally. You will be more nostalgic as you long for the days when life seemed simpler. You may want to invite friends and family to your house for the holidays to recreate that sense of support and comfort. Don’t be surprised if you hear from people you haven’t heard from in a while. You have been redefining your career goals this year, so you may be looking for new outlets, cutting back, or even retiring. You want to do something that provides inner satisfaction rather than just an income. You will feel more resolution by the middle of February. 

SCORPIO (Oct. 24–Nov. 21)
Finances and personal resources are the important topics as the month begins. You will have a tendency to spend money more freely this month to satisfy your needs. This can also be a good time to expand your presence in new markets. You are moving into a more creative time next year that is better for turning your hobby into something that produces income. This is also a better time for improving your skill set, teaching a class, and expanding your presence on the internet. Relationships have been somewhat unsettled this year as you and your partner work to get on the same page. You will find out this month if that has been successful. This is going to be a very nostalgic holiday time for you. Make sure you surround yourself with friends and family who love and support you! 

SAGITTARIUS (Nov.22–Dec.21) 
Happy Birthday to the Sagittarians! This is your personal new year—a time to consider your past goals and decisions, especially with Venus retrograde through the middle of February 2022. Normally you would be exploring your goals for the coming year, but you may have to delay those decisions. You will be much more eager to take on something new after midmonth. Your temper will be shorter, and you may have more on your plate than you are used to dealing with. Relationships will need attention, particularly during the last half of the month. Relationship issues are being activated by the solar eclipse on the 4th, and that continues to be strong through the end of January. You will feel ready to jump into some decisions, but it’s best to wait until mid-February to finalize things. In the latter half of the month, you are paying more attention to your spending during the holidays.  

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22–Jan. 19)
As the month begins, you are temporarily in a time of retreat. You will be choosing your company carefully, as you are more sensitive to how your environment (and negative people) can really shift your mood! With Venus, our planet of love and money, retrograde in your sign from December 1 through February 10, this will be a time of nostalgia as you remember previous holidays and hear from friends and family from your past. With this strong reflection process going on, you will also be questioning your relationships and your career path. For some, this can be the time to venture into something new, while others may be ready to cut back and find a better balance between their home and work. By the end of the month, it will be easier for you to speak your truth and share your ideas with others.  

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)
You are much more energized from the middle of November through the time right before December 25. Then you’ll be ready to take a rest from all the activity and spend some time alone or with a few trusted people. Your spiritual energies are being turned up from the latter part of December through the end of January. You’ve been reviewing your former beliefs and the evolution that you’re experiencing. You are looking for a spiritual approach that is more inclusive and accepting. Your career energies are getting back on track, and you are ready to focus on establishing better boundaries. In partnerships, you are wanting your partner to take on some of the responsibilities, even though it’s hard for you to give up complete control. Pace yourself—you have plenty of time before you have to make a decision to move forward. 

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)
December is always a time when your social and career energies are very active. And even with Venus retrograde through mid-February, you are already making plans to move your career forward by expanding your outreach. Your patience will be much shorter by midmonth. While you normally avoid difficult situations, you will feel more confident about yourself and your ability to be more direct and confrontational. You will hear from old friends this month, and you may be very selective about who you choose to respond to. Toward the end of the month, new opportunities are on the horizon. This can be a time to improve your skills, teach others, travel, and make your life more pleasant. Finances have been holding you back, but that situation improves in 2022. Relationships also improve if you are involved, or if you’re single and looking. It’s going to be a busy 2022.

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This article appears in the December 2021 edition of OutSmart magazine.