The Leo moon brings a whopping dose of heart to the day's festivities, and the Capricorn sun shines on our traditions. Pulitzer Prize-winning Aries Ellen Goodman wrote, "Traditions are the guideposts driven deep in our subconscious minds. The most powerful ones are those we can't even describe, aren't even aware of."

ARIES (March 21-April 19). You respect words and have a rich vocabulary. You'll pick up a few more choice terms as you spend time with a book or in conversation with a particularly expressive someone.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). If you never reflect on your past, you won't have an understanding of how far you've come. But if you spend too much time reflecting, you won't go anywhere new. Strike a balance.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). You have an excellent imagination, though today you won't have the luxury of letting it run wild. You'll need to tame it in order to concentrate on the important business of the day.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). You like order, but you're not a slave to it. When things get out of place, don't rush to clean up the mess. Savor it first. It's evidence that change and growth, essentially life, have happened.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You have been known to leave your belongings in other people's territory. This reminds them of you after you have left. But will the remembrance be positive? That depends on what you leave behind.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). The work that's before you is rather exacting. Luckily for everyone involved, you find this kind of thing relaxing. In one afternoon, you'll get through what would take others a week to accomplish.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Your public image gets a boost now. You don't mind being the center of attention, especially when you are the one most qualified to explain or exemplify the main reason for the gathering.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You are highly responsible and wouldn't dream of shirking your duties. However, when someone offers to handle a responsibility, there's no reason why you shouldn't share the burden.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). There's a time to say "let's go" and a time to say "no, thanks." You're no stranger to trouble, but you know better than to seek it out. A friend who is less experienced will need your guidance.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Though you usually find it appropriate and necessary to put business first and emotions second, your heart is softer now — so soft, in fact, that you may be able to feel the feelings of others.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You don't like to talk a lot and draw attention to yourself. However, there are times when it's important for you to speak up — like today, when you have the information that everyone else needs to know.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You tend to be quiet around people you don't know, especially when those people are boisterous and rowdy. As much as you'd like to join the party, you have to first be sure that it's a party worth joining.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (Dec. 24). The friendships that mean so much to you make for laughs, fun times and travel. But you're also more business oriented than ever. You find goals that excite you and pursue them with passion. Your vision becomes more real because of the work you do in January. Greater freedom is yours in March. Leo and Scorpio people adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 8, 2, 14, 32 and 49.

WEEKEND LOVE FORECAST: ARIES: You'll get rid of what is unnecessary in order to make room for the new. TAURUS: You ask questions with a positive theme and get answers that draw people in close. GEMINI: A challenging person will make you work hard to win his or her heart — then again, you love a challenge. CANCER: Others are drawn to your comfortable, beautiful home. LEO: You admire someone who has lived through rough times. You make his or her life easier. VIRGO: You charm your beloved because you are courteous, well mannered and genuine. LIBRA: You'll have much to contribute to the conversation because you're up on the times. SCORPIO: Your drive is so attractive to a certain ambitious someone. SAGITTARIUS: You're easy to talk to, and someone will open up to you like never before. CAPRICORN: You are exciting because of the control you have over your emotions. You can be warm or cool, whichever the situation calls for. AQUARIUS: Trusting others consumes less energy than doubting them. PISCES: You're often lucky, and if you're not, you smile and shrug it off knowing there is always next time. Because of this habit, you'll be luckier still.

COUPLE OF THE WEEKEND: With the sun in Capricorn and the moon in Leo, these two signs come into the spotlight. This is not a coupling that is so easily figured out. But when they work together to establish rules and routines on which they can agree, they collectively become a force in the world that is greater than the sum of its parts. Together, they become healthier and more creative, popular and successful than they were alone.

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.