In the Charles Dickens story "A Christmas Carol," the apparition of Marley, burdened by chains of greed, influenced Scrooge to embrace the generous callings of the day. Saturn angles Uranus in the sign of money conjure visions of Christmas surprise unique to each of us. May better angels prevail, singing, "Peace on earth, goodwill to all."

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You'll put something together — a puzzle, the clues in a mystery, two people you think should know each other. The assembly you manage will be fantastically lucky.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You'll instigate the fun. You'll address the challenges of the day by taking initiative, showing drive and fleshing out the details of your imagination to great effect.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Thinking about the future can be much more pleasurable than the reality you find when you get there. All the more reason to indulge in the pleasure of dreaming.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). There's joy in going along for the ride. Giving in to the decisions of others will bring surprises and fun. Tonight, dollars will not be the currency that buys the good stuff.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You'll want to control the experience you're about to have, but it's precisely your lack of control over it that will make it fun. Tonight, you'll reveal something about yourself in a comfortable, open environment.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You're respected. You will say what others have said before and get a completely different reaction. People want to act on your ideas because of who you are.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You expect much of yourself, and you're capable of delivering on those expectations. The team will help, and you will also help the team — so much so that by the end of the day, your own agenda will be a distant memory.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You'll get requests that seem forward, but it's only because you are so comfortable to be around. Your lack of pretense makes people feel they know you better than they actually do.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Your cosmic gift is easy social rapport. Focusing on the needs and wants of others takes the pressure off of you — no need to come up with an agenda, and you'll enjoy the results more than anyone.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Your mind holds expansive visions and you've been dreaming a little bigger and more colorful, too. It is now possible to bring your fantasies into a real-world scenario.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You'll be casting someone for a role. The one who is best for a job may defy the typical criteria. You'll make wise decisions with sound reasoning behind them, though even you may not fully understand what the reasons are.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Despite all you've experienced you still have the hope of the innocent and the faith of the uninitiated. Because you see life as precious, wondrous and beautiful, others around you see it that way too.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 25). As part of a tight group, you'll know a side of life many never will. Entranced and fascinated, you'll find the danger in beauty and the beauty in danger. Create solid daily balance; the thrills happen intermittently on their own schedule. Financial luck and hard work go hand in hand, giving you more leeway. Gemini and Aquarius adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 4, 20, 11, 40 and 15.

COSMIC QUESTION: "Will I get what I want for Christmas? I'm a 44-year-old Sagittarian woman who just wants a kiss under the mistletoe from a certain someone born 11/5/1972."

With the moon in your sign tonight you have a better than average chance of capturing the attention of your special one. You'll be able to get onto his emotional wavelength and lead him to the place where the mistletoe hangs. Were that really all you wanted for Christmas you would be mighty satisfied indeed. However, your needs and desires go much deeper. The adventure of being in love again is what's really at the top of your list. Is this Scorpio a sound prospect for you? Read the signals he's already sending off — they likely won't change, and he's practically incapable of lying. It all boils down to the chemistry and rapport between you that was established in the first 10 minutes of meeting. If you feel like your initial connection was tinged with magic, you should proceed with your approach. If not, enjoy your kiss under the mistletoe and look forward to a new year of new prospects.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: The king of Margaritaville is a Christmas baby famous for bringing to the world a certain relaxed state of mind. Jimmy Buffett didn't just write beach songs; he created an entire lifestyle brand that involves shirts, drink blenders and even furniture. With the sun, moon and Mars in powerhouse Capricorn, in spite of his laid-back artistic style, Buffett has a serious mind for business.

Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.

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