Weekly Horoscope: December 26 - January 1

Love planet Venus connects with dreamy Neptune on Wednesday, December 28, at 3:31 AM: This is a creative, romantic planetary harmony. Relationships provide warmth and inspiration through cold weather, and there’s a sense of emotional idealism, and romanticizing.

Mercury retrograde begins in Capricorn on Thursday, December 29, at 4:31 AM. Mercury retrograde is a period that can signal delays, miscommunications, or a time to reconnect and reorganize things! Love planet Venus meets Mercury at 8:58 AM, encouraging us to reconsider how we value our work, our relationships, and our own feelings.

Venus, planet of love, meets power planet Pluto at 12:24 AM on Sunday, January 1. Look out for triangulations and subplots—either in your own relationships or others’. This is a powerful moment for transforming relationships; there’s no time for artifice. We’re beginning the new year ready to make changes that can feel intimidating!

All times ET.

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Venus connects with Neptune, which could inspire you to try on different costumes. You might decide to show your sparkle in an especially glamorous or romantic way! This can be a time when your mystique is heightened. This Mercury retrograde will find you reconsidering how you would describe your life’s work or legacy, as it moves through your chart’s house of career and public reputation. This is a time when you may be refining your title, and how you would describe your purpose and life’s work to the public. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your job itself is reconfiguring (although it could be!). You’re reshaping, redefining the role that you play in the public eye. As Venus meets Pluto, you might be reconsidering privacy in relationships, and how much you decide to make public.

There is a lot to wonder about as your planetary ruler Venus connects with Neptune, the planet of spirituality. You’re in a dreamy mood, considering all the possibilities for the future as you look out into the coming year. Where could you travel? What could you learn? The possibilities seem endless! Mercury retrograde begins in fellow earth sign Capricorn, which can find you reconsidering plans regarding travel and study. This can also be a time when paperwork and legal information needs to be revisited and revised. As Venus meets with power planet Pluto, you may be getting involved in some bureaucratic mazes. This also begins a new cycle of deep intimacy and understanding in your relationships—and yourself—on a molecular level.

Capricorn season has you looking at things that need to change or end. You’ve taken on a lot, and now need to find a way to delegate tasks to others, too. As love planet Venus connects with dreamy Neptune, you may wonder about payments and responsibilities, and there might be some confusion when it comes to pricing and the value of things. Your planetary ruler, Mercury, begins its retrograde in your chart’s house of shared resources, perhaps reminding you about money that is owed. This can be a period to revisit paperwork related to scholarships, grants, inheritances, or taxes (yay). You might be starting the new year reconsidering how to deal with taxes and shared finances.

There’s romance in the air! Love planet Venus connects with dreamy Neptune, inspiring a whimsical atmosphere for your relationships. There can be a spiritual, sentimental vibe to whatever is happening with your partners. You’re feeling sentimental about other people, extra sensitive! Mercury retrograde begins in your chart’s house of relationships, which can find you reconsidering how you define your relationships. This might could be a moment when people from your past pop back in to send seasonal greetings. Are you going to get back into it? As Venus meets with Pluto, you can be reminded of your habits or patterns in relationships. Mercury retrograde provides a second—and third—chance for you to think about and express what you want in love.

It’s a busy time for you and you’re putting in a lot of effort! You’re working, somehow, even though it’s a holiday. You put your energy toward spreading cheer and making sure you start the new year on a healthy foot. As Mercury retrograde begins in your chart’s house of work and lifestyle, you could be reconsidering the tasks you take on every day. This can be a moment when you are revisiting past new years resolutions, or looking back on the past year for a better understanding of what will make you feel more rested and effective in the coming year. Keeping track of your habits like sleeping, eating, drinking water, and working, can give you more insights into your body’s cycles.

Romantic vibes abound as sweet Venus connects with Neptune, the planet of dreams, inspiring a whimsical atmosphere for your friendships and romances. This could also be a powerful time for you to express your feelings through art or any other form of improvisation. Your planetary ruler Mercury begins its retrograde in fellow earth sign Capricorn, finding you revisiting past friendships, relationships, and creative projects. This can be a time when you’re thinking about what feels best for you, or at least ready to have a conversation about it. It’s OK to have to repeat yourself. Especially if things weren’t clear the first time. Mercury retrograde gives you three chances to get your point across.

Take time to consider your relationship to your lifestyle and your health. You might be intuiting what’s best for you now, but maybe it’s helpful to double check your sources. What are your daily responsibilities, really, and how can you finesse them smoothly? Your planetary ruler Venus connects with porous Neptune, which could find you feeling especially sensitive to substances, smells, or other sensations. Mercury retrograde begins in your chart’s house of home and family, and you’re reconsidering information about domestic matters. Old conversations from childhood, or with a landlord, could be coming back up; make sure everything is in order. Venus meets with Pluto, beginning a new cycle in family secrets and private   behavioral patterns.

You’re going to have time to think over what you want to say and how you want to say it as the planet of communication, Mercury, begins its retrograde in a very intellectual sector of your chart. Over the coming weeks, you’ll have more leeway for making mistakes, correcting mistakes, and just figuring out what you want to say. If you sign a contract around this time, just know that it’s not set in stone. Things will shift around and be corrected, which can work out in your favor. This is also a good time to read old journals or go through your email archive to get a sense of the past and how to move forward. You’re going through a transformative time during this Mars retrograde period. It’s OK to look back.

You’re in the mood to have fun and live your life with your planetary ruler, Jupiter, newly in fellow fire sign Aries, giving you extra zest. There’s still the real world to deal with, however. Mars retrograde continues to find you reconciling with relationships. Forgiveness in relationships is offered as Venus connects with merciful Neptune. This can find you ready to forget about whatever baggage and bury the hatchet. The planet of measurements and trade, Mercury, retrogrades through your chart’s house of personal resources, which may indicate some payment delays or hiccups with shopping. Alternately this could be an interesting time to bargain—you might be able to snatch something like an antique or vintage piece for a price that does not correctly reflect its true value!

You can be more sensitive as Venus connects with porous Neptune, inspiring sentiment and glamour. Try on different fashions or styles, even costumes. There’s an element of movie magic to this aspect. Mercury retrograde begins, which can find you reconsidering how you’ve previously defined yourself. Maybe you’re thinking of your identity or title in new terms. This is not a time to come up with something totally new, of course, you’re simply editing, reconsidering, or reshaping what’s already there. Mercury and Venus meet, and you’re considering your relationship to yourself. You could be reconsidering how you express yourself through fashion, beauty, or relationships. You’re reaching the core of your heart and finding what lies underneath everything as Venus meets with Pluto.

You’re making peace with yourself knowing what you don’t have time or energy for. With your planetary ruler Saturn in your sign, you have access to more discipline, focus, and integrity. Capricorn season can be a time of rest and solitude as the sun moves through a mysterious, spiritual sector of your chart. A silent retreat or some intentional quiet time could be good use. The planet of communication, Mercury, begins its retrograde in Capricorn, beginning a time for you to connect with your shadow and unconscious mind either through dream journaling or psychology. You can really go deep in your head right now in a way that helps you untangle your fears.

You’re ready to start the year feeling abundant and grateful for everything that you have as your generous planetary ruler, Jupiter, moves through your chart’s house of personal resources. As love planet Venus connects with Neptune, you could be feeling extra sentimental about your friendships, community, and all that is to come! This is also a time to imagine what different styles or fashions might look good on you. Maybe you’re slipping into another character or role. As Mercury, the planet of communication, begins its retrograde, you’re reconsidering your objectives or goals. Perhaps you’re looking back at what you’ve accomplished, or trying to reorganize your plan and figure out what works best for making your dreams come true!