Astrological analysis

It's the office Christmas party season, and this year you need to be especially careful not to get trapped in a corner with someone you work with doing something you'll regret the next day. Why? Because Venus and Mars have got a bit of the festive spirit, too. Venus is moving through Capricorn at the moment, and Mars is still in Pisces - and when this pair are in these particular signs something odd happens. They start to find each other unusually attractive, far more attractive than they would if they were placed in any other signs. Reality will return when Mars leaves Pisces next Tuesday, and most definitely once Venus leaves Capricorn on the 21st, but for the next few days be careful what you do when you're under the mistletoe.

Why do we have mistletoe at this time of the year anyway? It's all to do with the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, on December 22. Mistletoe is a tree that grows in the sky - it has no roots, because it grows on other trees - and is therefore taken as a symbol of the sun, the great power in the sky. Traditionally, it should never be allowed to touch the ground in case that 'earths' its powers. Kissing under mistletoe celebrates the turning of the year at the solstice, and expresses the hope that as the days start to grow longer and warmer again, the love in the kiss will do the same.