Happy Christmas Eve to those that honor and celebrate over the next two days! I wanted to do a quick three card holiday weekend forecast to help with some of the upcoming holiday energy trends.  Here in the States that weather is looking like it will be quite mild in most places (though Colorado got quite a bit of snow in the last 72 hours) and I thought it would be helpful to see what the energy forecast may be looking like.  Will it also be mild?  I’m using Corrine Kenner’s Christmas Tarot for this reading and post.  The deck that I have is a majors only tech that Corrine put out several years ago as a digital download deck which I have printed on card stock and use.  She has posted on her website for the deck that a full deck would be released for Christmas 2011 but that doesn’t seem to have happened, which is shame because I absolutely love these cards!  Enjoy the reading!

This reading will consist of three cards in a somewhat non-traditional spread.  The cards will represent Gifts (what you can expect to receive spiritually and energy wise over the next couple of days), Gathering (the trends with family and friends over the holiday), and Reflections (inner feelings and musings with the holiday this year).

Gifts – Nativity
In the traditional tarot this card, card 13, is the Death card.  Death is connected to more than just the ending and passing of one state of being but it’s also about the rebirth and renewal on the other side of that change.  Here Nativity honors the birth aspect of death with the Biblical story of the birth of the Baby Jesus.  The Three Wise Men and a shepard are there to past their respects, Mary and Joseph look in in delight, and a cow is in the manger to give milk to Mary to feed the baby.  Everything is at peace and in a state of awe because of this new spark of life and everyone is ready to do what they can to lend a hand to make things as perfect as smooth as possible.

This is the thing about Nativity and the Gifts that this holiday shall bring.  This is a time to look forward, not look back.  With only a week left in the year you are being called to spend some time preparing yourself for a rebirth or renewal.  What things are you being nudged to bring into the world and manifest?  Maybe it isn’t that you need to create something yourself to give birth to but you may be the “wise man/woman” or “shepard” that needs to guide someone else to their destiny.  The Gifts for you this holiday are all about making changes for the better and presenting opportunities for you to find ways to pave a new future for yourself.

Gathering – Krampus
If you’re not familiar with Krampus, the Holiday Devil, be sure to check out the 21 Days of Yule post that I did about him recently.   Krampus is a character from Christmas folklore from Europe, originating from Austria, who serves as the other side of the coin to St. Nicholas.  Where St. Nick comes along to give the good boys and girls toys, Krampus comes to the bad ones, whipping them with switches and chains, and dragging the particularly bad ones away in a basket to eat for his Christmas feast.

With Krampus showing up here it’s a reminder to be on your best behavior with friends and family this year.  Don’t bring up things that you know are going to cause family arguments and do your best not to add any fuel to those fires.  Krampus, as a magickal figure, is a wonderful representation to help guide us away from the things that cause us to be bad or cause us to get into troublesome situations.  If we remember that Krapmus is waiting in the wings to make things even more difficult for us it can encourage us to keep things on the right track.  When you’re at your Christmas gatherings this weekend be sure to keep your focus on the positives, setting aside your differences, and just enjoying being with the ones you live.

Reflection – The Hermit
The ultimate card of reflection, The Hermit, comes through in this position to really emphasize what we received in the Gifts with the Nativity.  There is a new year and whole new world of opportunity on the horizon.  Santa, as the shaman and the Hermit here, sits on the hill and watches the sun setting, waiting for his time to move forward with what he needs to do.  This is a great remind about the stillness of this time of year and the fact that more than any other time Yule and Christmas are key reflection points for us. Below the Hermit are two rabbits, symbols of fertility and new life, healthy and happy, waiting to see what he’s going to do next.

This is a wonderful sign, a sign that there is so much opportunity and hope up ahead but there is a need to make sure that you have the right path chosen before you move forward.  The sack the Hermit carries is heavy and he needs to know where he’s going before he starts on his journey otherwise he may waste a great deal of energy in the process.  He is supported with his walking staff, so he has something to help carry him, but he still has to know what direction to head in.  Take time after the holidays have passed for you let yourself come to a point of stillness. Give yourself some time to meditate on what you want for your new year, what you want to find for yourself on that horizon.  And know that if you start out on the right foot with the right support you can make anything happen.

 May you have a wonderful and blessed Christmas!