It is time to think about you, dear Libra. You have always been busy taking care of others, but in December you must take time to take care of our own needs. Most of the migrating planets are now on the bottom half of your chart, under the horizon line, suggesting that you are ready to nurture your private life.

You seem to have been working on the structure or interior of your apartment or house, as Mars has been generating a lot of noise and commotion in your home sector since Mars entered Capricorn on September 27 and left November 9. You are not done yet, however, in that the new moon late this month, on December 29, will start the process up again. This looks like you’ve come as far as you can go now, and will stop, rest, celebrate the holidays, and resume your home-related project after the holidays.

That new moon of December 29 will help you in any way you like, from planning a move, to leasing, buying, or selling property. You may want to make a full-scale renovation or repair project, or on a smaller scale, to paint a room or buy a handsome piece of furniture. Whatever your heart desires, this new moon will help you get it done.

I say that because this new moon will come along with several of her friends – a supportive Mars, the planet of action, and Neptune, the planet of vision and right brain activity (affecting the appearance, design, and grace of your home). Pluto will be conjunct the moon, giving you motivation, financial smarts, and determination to get your project done. So while you are in a temporary pause, it will start up again at the very end of this month.

That’s almost perfect timing – I will help you to get your timing even better. Mercury is about to go retrograde, December 19 to January 8. Mercury is the planet that governs shopping, thinking, perception, judgment, contractual matters, and other communication arts. You will start to feel the approaching slowdown of Mercury as soon as December 5 or so, so I will advise you to buy things for your home, as well as all electronic computers, gadgets, and appliances, now, in early December, and make them the first items on your list. You don’t want to get into a tangle with Mercury retrograde. If you are buying a car, safety comes into play, so although there are all kinds of sales at year’s end, I would prefer you buy your car in late January – try your best to wait. Mercury will take time to ramp up his power, and that will take until January 27.

Now let’s go back to the start of December. Despite Mercury being retrograde, you will have plenty of sweet aspects to look forward to all month. Let’s start with December’s first week, when the new moon of last month, November 29, lit your third house of everyday matters. You are no doubt dealing with an overflow of email, phone messages, and meetings – that’s the kind of environment that a new moon in the third house usually creates. You might travel a short distance in the first week, and if you go to see a client who is based within a day’s drive, you are likely to come back with the order.

The third house, which is so accented for you now, is also associated with siblings, so you may hear about something your sister or brother (or possibly a cousin) is doing now that is making family news. Check in.

If your birthday falls on September 30 plus or minus five days, or if you have Libra rising, a natal moon in Libra, or a natal planet in Libra, Gemini, Aquarius, Aries, Leo or Sagittarius, with any of these on the list at 8 degrees plus or minus five degrees, you will benefit during the first week or so of December.

One of your very best days this month (more sparklers will come later) will be December 9 when Jupiter will be in Libra in perfect collaboration with the Sun, a rare and truly uplifting, dazzler day filled with good news. Use December 9 to make your biggest initiations. It’s one of my favorites for you! A friend may play an important part of the happiness you will be feeling that day.

The weekend of December 10-11 won’t be lighthearted. Saturn will make his annual conjunction of the Sun, making this an exhausting time. It is a meeting of fire (the Sun) and ice (Saturn) – not an easy coupling. Someone whose opinion you trust may criticize you, and you may feel completely deflated by the words you hear. Don’t lose your self-esteem – just vow to make any improvements you feel that you can logically do, but don’t beat yourself up. Being tired will make you super-sensitive to comments that you would normally not react to so strongly.

More travel is likely at the full moon, December 13, and a trip far from home is likely, but this time, the full moon is opposed to taskmaster Saturn, and Saturn is conjunct the Sun, affecting both the Sun and moon. The Sun rules your eleventh house of fun and friendships, and the moon is the natural ruler of your solar tenth house of career fame and honors. Both areas are not likely to go smoothly.

Yet Jupiter in Libra will be beautifully angled to this full moon December 13, and Uranus, based in your house of a close partner, will bring you a happy surprise from your significant other or from a business partner. This full moon is, admittedly, a high contrast mix of aspects, a basket of good and not-so-good messages.

This time of the year (on or near December 13) often brings invitation or parties, but if you would rather snuggle under the covers and treat yourself to rest and sleep, go right ahead. Travel will not go easily, and will likely bring delays, possibly due to weather, for Saturn is known to slow down all it touches.

Romantically, your best time will be when Mars tours Aquarius, from December 1 to 18. Within this period, Venus will enter Aquarius, too, from December 8 to January 2. This means that the two cosmic lovers, Venus and Mars, will both be in your true love sector from December 8 to 18, something that has not happened for years. Wow, lucky you! And this is happening at holiday time! This is so exciting! Circle those days as best for socializing, with a tricky full moon December 13 that will require you be alert about all that goes on. I explained that just now, above.

For romance, these are your best days. On Tuesday, December 6, Mars in Aquarius will reach out to Uranus in Aries, making for a romantic day with your one-and-only committed partner. Be spontaneous, and have a dinner out in a festively decorated restaurant.

This somewhat troublesome full moon of December 13 will fall in your solar ninth house, and that is where you are most likely to feel frustrations. The ninth house rules distant travel, publishing and broadcasting, legal activities, immigration, visa and passport, and all actions related to getting an advanced degree.

So for example, you may find an immigration interview to be detailed and somewhat difficult, but you can find a way to sail through the process. Or, or a qualifying exam you might take for college may be tough, but to your surprise later you will discover you did well. The key to this full moon is being thoroughly prepared.

If you are handing in a manuscript within four days of December 13, put it aside a few days prior to the full moon and go over it one more time before sending it in over full moon. It is amazing what you see in a written document that you can change to make it better after getting away from it for a while (a luxury I never have with Astrology Zone! I wish I did!)

Because this full moon of December 13 falls in an air sign like yours, Gemini 22 degrees, despite Saturn being out of control over that full moon, you will find a way to make it work for you. Gemini is highly compatible with Libra, and if your birthday falls on October 14, plus or minus five days, double what I just said. The same is true if you have Libra rising, or the natal moon in Libra or a natal planet in Libra, Gemini, Aquarius, Aries, Leo, and Aquarius, at 22 degrees, plus or minus five degrees – you, too, will find a way to make this full moon benefit you, despite the occasional frustrations.

Your best day of all will be December 25, a day that brings both Christmas Day and Hanukkah, and a day when your ruling planet, Venus, will be holding her own celebration, meeting with Jupiter, Uranus, and Saturn, all in one day! In each case, Venus, as always, will be gracious and elegant. Jupiter in fine attitude to Venus will bring a touch of luxury and ease, and may bring you a very beautiful gift, possibly of jewelry. Uranus will bring a day filled with unexpected fun, and Saturn will solidify long-range bonds made between couples. Wow!

The day before, on Christmas Eve, December 24, a very rare aspect is about to come up, and it will be one that will color all of 2017. The aspect will involve Saturn and Uranus, two planets very opposite in temperament. Uranus is impulsive and sudden in action, sweeping away all that it deems of no future value, while Saturn is very different. Saturn works to build comforting structure and stability to all the changes that you institute. This will be the first meeting between these two slow moving planets. Two more passes of these two planets are due, May 18 and November 11, 2017. Saturn takes 29 years to revolve around the Sun, and Uranus takes 84 years, so getting these two power-planets in sync is hard. After November 11, 2017, they will not meet again like this until 2047.

You have Saturn in your house of communication, and Uranus in your house of partnership. This suggests a partner (in business or marriage), or your sibling or cousin, could be instrumental in your personal growth. Let’s say you hope to publish a book – you will have an excellent chance of finding an agent under this trend. If you are looking to buy or sell a house, a broker may well be worth his weight in gold to you.

If you have an idea for an app, your sister might suggest a person to meet to get your idea to market. This would be a perfect time to launch a publicity or advertising campaign for your business, with such strong emphasis on communication. A middleman may come from many different areas of your life to link you to the right person to help you see success in an important communications project.

When Mars enters Pisces on December 19 through January 27, your office life will get very busy, and at home, your to-do list will grow. You won’t be able to slack off too much. By early January, you will have to hit the ground running.

Still, New Year’s Eve will belong to you. Venus will still be in Aquarius, the very best sign for Venus to be to enjoy love, and the transiting moon on December 31 will be in Aquarius too. As you see, it won’t be all work and no play at the end of December – just the opposite, before the work begins in January, with lots of emphasis on your home living situation starting up again. Until this happens, save time for giving your complete attention to the ones you love.

December will be chock-full of activities, the first of which may be a short trip on your agenda, and if so, it will turn out to be divine fun. Jupiter is now strong in Libra and will exert all energy to see you are pleased – possibly overjoyed – with events. If you are a Libra born on or within days of October 7, you are feeling the direct rays of Jupiter, so you are the happiest of all.

If you need to sign a contract, as a Libra, you are talented at negotiation that involves give-and-take necessary to reach accord. No matter what comes up in the first half of December, you’ll be very committed and passionate about the outcome, which is why you will succeed. Mercury is about to retrograde, however, so you need to be careful – either sign in the first week, or wait until late January.

Mars and Jupiter will be in ideal sync on December 1, a wonderful day for holiday festivities, indicating you may also be experiencing great romantic aspects. At work, you will be a virtual idea factory, leaving your team and client excited about the direction you are suggesting. By all means, voice your thoughts without hesitation.

Pace yourself this month, for on December 10, Saturn will conjunct the Sun, an aspect that may make you feel overwhelmed with things to do, and you’ll be tired. This will only last a day or two, but if you are criticized, you need not overreact. Take it slow, and get plenty of rest.

More travel opportunities may come up at the full moon, December 13, but with Saturn putting his fingerprints all over this full moon, there will be frustrations. If you travel, the location will be farther away than any traveling you do earlier in the month. You may take your trip spontaneously within four days of December 13. Still, despite obstacles, and there will be some, you have help from Jupiter and Uranus, so you can make it work for you. This has the potential for being a highly romantic moment of the month, especially if you hope to make an important commitment. If you are attached, attend a party or design your own celebration for friends with a touch of luxury – you will be able to weave a golden tapestry of a memory of love and fun.

If you want to shop for holiday gifts, do so the minute December opens, for Mercury will begin to retrograde December 19, and remain so until January 8. The frustrating part is that Mercury’s slowdown will be evident two weeks before it officially goes retrograde. If you have any gifts to buy, you need to have your most important people covered early in the month, especially if any of the items you hope to buy are electronic. Mercury rules the moving parts in all machines, so it’s a no-no to buy electronic items, including kitchen appliances, while Mercury is out of phase.

Christmas and Hanukkah fall on the same day this year, December 25, and this year, Venus, your guardian planet, will be supremely friendly to Jupiter, creating a rare and joyous atmosphere for love. (You will feel this glow even if you don’t celebrate either holiday.) Venus is now in air-sign Aquarius, transiting your fifth house of true love, and Jupiter is in Libra, and those signs are both air signs that blend perfectly with your Sun. This should be a holiday for the record books, and love will envelop you like the wings of an angel.

The new moon of December 29 will be in Capricorn and give you the time and motivation to work on projects for your home that you might have put off earlier in the year. If you want to buy new furnishings for your space, you will make beautiful selections, and with the Sun and Neptune so perfectly angled, you choices will create an artful scene, and many of your selections will be bargains. You will have two weeks in early January in which to complete your project, and turn your home into your castle.