On November 22nd, the sun entered the high-spirited sign of Sagittarius, giving us a helpful lift after a very emotional Scorpio season. This December, the cosmos are encouraging us to reflect on how we can generate greater optimism, especially during challenging times. The end of the month culminates on a particularly sweet high note, with expansive Jupiter—Sag’s ruling planet—moving forward and inspiring us to dream big in 2024.
Check out December's key astrological dates to make the most of the upcoming month:
December 1—Mercury Enters Capricorn: December starts off with an ambitious mindset as Mercury moves into serious Capricorn and enables us to get organized before Mercury retrograde arrives on December 13th! While it’s not the most festive placement for Mercury, this energy can help us work hard now to play hard later in the month. December 4—Venus Enters Scorpio: Over the next few weeks, our focus on relationships becomes more intense and concerns about shared resources rise to the surface. This is an excellent time to deepen the intimacy in a relationship or discuss serious financial goals with a partner. Just make sure to wait until 2024 if you’re planning on signing any contracts, as Mercury complicates legal documents from December 13th to January 1st.
December 6—Neptune Direct in Pisces:
Since June 30th, imaginative Neptune has been in reflective mode, encouraging us to look at our creative aspirations with a more practical focus. While the sobering quality of this transit can be grounding and eye-opening, it can also cause serious creative blocks. Thankfully, Neptune moving direct will dissolve any doubts that are inhibiting our dreams, intuition and artistic expression. This is also a great time to combine creativity with compassion and brainstorm ways to support those in need.
December 12—New Moon in Sagittarius:
Celebrate the last new moon of 2023 in Sagittarius style by broadening your horizons! Take advantage of this expansive energy by signing up for a course, planning a trip or adopting a new spiritual practice. As this moon connects with energetic Mars, it’s also an ideal time to move your body in new ways; go ahead and challenge yourself to learn a sport or spice up your workout routine.
December 13—Mercury Retrograde in Capricorn: When Mercury moves backwards in Capricorn, holiday fun could become interrupted by a need to complete unfinished projects. While it may be tempting to ignore your duties at this time, it’s important to put paperwork and patch repairs at the top of your to-do list—at least before Mercury slides into Sagittarius on the 23rd.
December 21—Sun Enters Capricorn/Winter Solstice: The magic of winter arrives when the Sun shifts into Capricorn! This is the official beginning of the coldest season in the northern hemisphere and it offers us a chance to slow down and reconnect with our inner spirit. During this period of deep self-reflection, you may receive wise intuitive guidance about who you want to become in 2024, and how you can build the life you've always dreamed of. December 23—Mercury Retrograde in Sagittarius: As Mercury backtracks into free-spirited Sagittarius, we’re putting closure on our projects and finally letting our hair down for the holidays. Just be careful not to undo your hard-won progress for the sake of cheap thrills. And keep in mind that holiday travel and dinner conversations could hit some bumps at this time. It’s a good idea to pause before you leap or speak! December 26—Full Moon in Cancer: December’s cozy full moon in Cancer could feel somewhat melancholic after the holiday hoopla, but it’s providing an opportunity for some major emotional release. Boxing Day is a great time to curl up on the couch and sob to a sappy Christmas movie. December 29—Venus Enters Sagittarius: The last days of the year feel super celebratory, thanks to social Venus hanging out in fun-loving Sagittarius! Go ahead and plan something extra special with your group for NYE! December 30—Jupiter Direct in Taurus: 2023 finishes strong, courtesy of Jupiter completing its four-month retrograde in Taurus. After some deep reflection around our values and resources, we can move forward with greater confidence about investing in our passions in the year ahead.