Making Magic and Miracles: A Different Sort of Holiday Recipe

By Beth McDonald


As a practicing psychic and astrologer, I see a lot of different clients for a lot of different reasons. Most of the time, people simply want help creating more effective personal strategies in order to solve problems or achieve goals. The holiday season is no exception. In fact, the stresses and desires of the holiday season often serve to make people more clear and committed than ever.

The holidays are a time of giving. And giving, and giving, and giving. Yet some of our favorite and most meaningful holiday gifts are the most simple. They are gifts that come from the heart. With that in mind, I'd like to share a recipe to help you cook up a simple, elegant and profound holiday season. Hopefully this will aid you in your quest to create magic and miracles this holiday season. And not get any burns in the process. In general, during the holiday season the heart rules. More than any other time of year, people's hearts are open. They're often stuck open like the throttle of a prize-winning Nascar vehicle. And it takes two forms. First, most people just want to find a way to be able to be as generous as possible with those they love without going into monstrous amounts of debt. Second to material generosity, there is also emotional generosity. Most of us also want to be as emotionally giving and magnanimous as possible without having an embarrassing meltdown over or confrontation with the more challenging members of the extended family. On the one hand it all seems perfectly reasonable.




On the other hand, it always seems to be easier said than done. It's especially hard for those of you who are fire signs and tend to be speedy and just a tad impulsive. Given that, here is your recipe making magic and miracles this holiday season.

First, be very clear about what your goals and objectives are for the holidays. And not just about budgets, timelines and shopping lists. Be clear on how you want to feel -- during and after your holiday celebrations. Based on that, chose specific actions that are likely to produce those results. Earth signs are really good at this. If you're not one, latch on to your friends who are and let them be a good influence on you.

Second, be realistic about your goals and objectives. If grandma's Alzheimer's Disease makes her highly likely to do inappropriate things, don't expect her to behave any differently because it's Christmas. It is not realistic so don't go there. Plan for it instead.




Thirdly, be clear with yourself about the lengths you are willing to go to in order to achieve your goals and objectives. Know what your level of commitment is. Know where the line is and don't cross it. Remember, most of us want to be more emotionally and financially generous than we can afford to be. That's what makes January the most popular month for bankruptcies and for going into therapy. Practice exquisitely good self care.

Fourth, have faith at all times in the divinity of the process. This is, after all, supposed to be about spirituality. Don't get too much in your head. If you find yourself getting wanky, you know you're over the line. To the best of your ability, do not be let yourself be stopped by perceived setbacks and failures, especially if you are having trouble finding a way to make your budget go as far as you wanted it to. Practice being grateful for what you have materially, physically and financially. Focus on the positive and apply the tenets of your faith in everything that you do.

Fifth, do the work. Perform all the necessary actions with due diligence no matter how creative you have to get. And, do get creative with it. That is where the fun is, although that part is usually easier for Leos and the water signs. Do these things, and your holiday season recipe should come out just fine: A warm and nourishing treat that all can enjoy with no need for aloe vera.

My friend Beverly says we are all the queen of something. What follows is a brief description of how each zodiac sign views and defines the joys of the holiday season, given its queenly domain.

Aries: Queen of Dashing Through the Snow.
Your Aries gal usually has energy to spare, even during the holidays. She is most likely to be the one who embarrasses the rest of us by having all her holiday shopping done and cards out by Thanksgiving.

Taurus: Queen of Don We Now our Gay Apparel.
Your Taurus gal will always be the belle of the ball. She is the It girl on the holiday party circuit. She will pretty much always look the best and be the most gracious (code for brings a great hostess gift and sends a thank you note the next day).

Gemini: Queen of Fa-la-la-la-la-la-lala- la.
Your Gemini gal is the ruler of fun but useless trivia. She can tell you the history of all the traditional holidays and the origins of their traditional observances. But, she can't get your gift or card to you before New Year's. Ever.

Cancer: Queen of Deck the Halls.
Your Cancer gal is guaranteed to have the most festive and well-decorated house in the neighborhood during the holiday season. She, or her husband, will be the first to get her lights and tree up and the last to take them down.

Leo: Queen of Royal Beauty Bright.
Your Leo gal is regal and resplendent at any time of the year, but especially at the holidays. For her, holiday joy is best attained by being worshipped and adored. She's the one in the tiara waving down at you from the high atop the parade float.

Virgo: Queen of Tidings of Comfort and Joy.
Your Virgo gal exemplifies service above self. She will be the one who has her whole family serving Christmas dinner at the homeless shelter, and smiling like she redeemed the Grinch the whole time.

Libra: Queen of Heavenly Peace.
Your Libra gal is the family peacemaker. She can be counted on to calm the crankiest member of your tribe. Be sure to place her strategically, between you and the problem, at the dinner table for Christmas dinner.

Scorpio: Queen of We Three Kings.
Your Scorpio gal is the power behind the throne. As such, she will ultimately be the one at the center of any holiday family psychodrama or political power play -- code for always be on her good side. You'll find her under the mistletoe.

Sagittarius: Queen of Follow Me in Merry Measure.
Your Sagittarius gal is tons of fun and the life of the party. Because of that, Sagittarians get more party invitations than any other sign. If you are throwing a holiday event this year, be sure to invite lots of them.

Capricorn: Queen of In Excelsis Deo.
Your Capricorn gal is the keeper of tradition. As such, her family will have pretty much the same holiday rituals and routines every year. She will be the one using her grandmother's recipes and her mother's china at Christmas dinner.

Aquarius: Queen of Following Yonder Star.
Your Aquarius gal is more independent and less traditional, especially spiritually. She'll be the one to put the turkey in the oven and take the whole family on a hike on Christmas day. That's where she finds her faith.

Pisces: Queen of Oh Holy Night.
Your Pisces gal wants connection and communion, with spirituality and with her dearest. She'll be the one to make her family go to midnight mass on Christmas Eve with her. And every single one of her living family members will be there, because they know that is what makes her feel loved.



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