Horoscopes by Holiday by Holiday Mathis

The philanthropic, helpful Aquarius moon rules Boxing Day, a holiday with origins in charity that honors those who spend the rest of the year serving everyone else. For those who don't live in one of the countries of the Commonwealth that celebrates the 26th of December, charity is still advised, as it will boost the good karma for all.

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You must be willing to fail big in order to win big. Over the next three days, you'll decide how far you are willing to go. You'll measure the stakes time and again to make sure you're ready to play at this level.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Every year a new cast of characters comes into the limelight. Some years it's your turn. Other years it's just not. You'll have the sense that your time is coming around again, and you'll be right.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). If you keep on doing something you really don't like or agree with, you can bet that there's a solid payoff for the behavior of which you are not yet conscious. That could change in the evening hours.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Romance and immaturity go hand in hand. The best way to discover this is to find out that the one you love loves you, too. It's an elated feeling, but don't forget: The greatest love is learning to love yourself.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You don't know why you're drawn to some people, but it's not a thing you need to question. Assume there's a reason beyond logic, and don't think too much about it. Your basic instincts will save you.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). What you want to do and what you wind up doing will be two different things for reasons that are difficult to figure out. But trust your instincts, especially when they urge you toward tenderness.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Persistence is the hallmark of successful people, though the most successful people also know when to back off and let the other person come forward. You'll strike the perfect balance.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You have about five different goals you'll be pushing toward over the next few days. When one doesn't appear to be moving along, you'll move to the next one.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Your mood will be light, so you may not be able to relate to those around you who seem to see everything as a life-or-death endeavor. Tonight, you'll celebrate a small victory.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You'll soon achieve a certain milestone. Right now, you're so close you can almost taste the victory.

Don't let up. Keep reaching because you can still get there before the year is up.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Someone you've always wanted to meet is not so far away from you now. Keep your eyes peeled, and don't be afraid to reach out. Risk rejection. You have to go through "no" to get to "yes."

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). For you, it's not enough to know that you'll get to a goal eventually or to trust that life will lead you there. You want evidence, and you want it now. You'll work tirelessly toward that aim.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 26). You'll be in a highly creative and productive mode. Within the next three weeks, one of your brilliant solutions to a problem will work once and for all. You'll establish friendships in February that perk up your social schedule all year. You'll get a raise or will raise money for a cause in March. You'll travel in July. Cancer and Virgo people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 24, 23, 1, 49 and 37.

LEO POWER RESOLUTION FOR 2012: Consider choosing just one this year, as you are more likely to keep a simple, singular intention than a series of demands written by your higher mind and distributed to the rest of Team You. You'll find this one easy to keep, and its benefits will be far-reaching:

Develop future-vision. No, it's not psychic power — though you might gain augmented psychic awareness by incorporating visionary techniques into your daily life. And you'll certainly have more successful outcomes. So how do you do it? Simple. Before you start your day, take five or 10 minutes to anticipate how things will go. Imagine each main event in the projector of your mind. See yourself as a confident and able star of the show, going through the motions of the activity. Doing this daily will help set you up for smooth interactions and less stress, with the added bonus of helping you remember and/or be aware of what you need to do so you can organize yourself accordingly.

LUCKIEST DAYS OF THE YEAR: January 3, 4, 5; February 1, 10, 11; March 13, 18, 30; April 23, 24, 25; May 7, 8, 9; June 15, 28, 29; July 6, 13, 28; August 7, 13, 14; September 1, 29, 30; October 7, 8, 9; November 19, 20, 21; December 4, 27, 28.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: Rock star of the written word, David Sedaris got his big break reading his essay "Santaland Diaries" on National Public Radio. The Christmas holiday has special power for him, as the sun boosts his personal magnetism this time of year. An intense Scorpio moon shows passion and insight, while Jupiter in Libra reveals that Sedaris' good fortune springs from relationships and art.

If you would like to write to Holiday Mathis, please go to www.creators.com and click on "Write the Author" on the Holiday Mathis page, or you may send her a postcard in the mail. To find out more about Holiday Mathis and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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