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The winter holidays: Whether you love ‘em or hate ‘em, they can make this time of year uniquely stressful. Time spent with family can dredge up painful memories or require you to set (or enforce) difficult boundaries. Costs associated with holiday travel and gift-giving can add up fast. Not to mention, the new year looming large is a recipe for anxiety. In fact, a November 2023 poll of more than 2,000 people conducted by the American Psychological Association found that nearly nine in 10 people report a trigger for stress during the holidays. If you’re in that camp, you might benefit from better understanding how you process and cope with stress, which can be explained in part by your personal astrology.

Especially this year, seasoned pros and novices alike can gain something from looking to the stars, as December’s cosmic forecast contains tricky transits like a Mercury retrograde.

Why your astrology can shed light on how you experience holiday stress

For the uninitiated: In astrology, your sun sign (which is the sign where the sun was located when you were born, and what people usually mean when they refer to your zodiac sign) represents your personality and core identity. You can examine the qualities associated with your sun sign, as well its house placement and any aspects it forms to other planets in your chart, to better understand what activates your ego or stresses you out, and how you manage under pressure.

But, you’re also so much more than your sun sign. Other placements in your birth chart can also provide valuable information about how you handle stress. (To pull up your full chart, use a free online generator like this one.) In fact, “feeling emotionally under pressure during the holidays is an ideal time to prioritize your moon sign,” says astrologer Rose Theodora.

“Feeling emotionally under pressure during the holidays is an ideal time to prioritize your moon sign.” —Rose Theodora, astrologer

In your birth chart, the moon relates to “emotions, habits, family, and self care,” says Theodora. This celestial body is the “memory storehouse” of your chart, and its placement by sign, house, and aspect when you were born speaks volumes about how you instinctively react to stress. Your moon sign also reflects what you need to feel safe and, in turn, how you self-soothe. It’s an especially helpful placement to channel in situations where you might be feeling triggered.

Theodora also recommends taking a peek