New Year Resolutions, Seasonal Cycles and Time Management Tips

Use seasonal cycles to save festive time energy and money
(Also see a list of tips at the bottom)
As a student some years ago I was so busy during December studying for exams that the first opportunity I had to write Christmas cards was between Christmas and New Year. On other occasions I have written many Christmas cards to friends and colleagues and then for some reason have not been able to give them because the person went on holiday before I was expecting it or didn't come to the Christmas party as expected. This year, just before I went to a party in November I discovered several cards I had written last year but did not give. So I told the story and gave them in November, fortunately, the people concerned saw the funny side, they simply seemed to be pleased to receive a card and didn't judge the origin and I felt that at least I had given some cards out in time. Last year during the New Year sales I saw some packs of Christmas cards that I really liked on sale bought them with the valiant belief that I would actually write them and post them earlier than December. On the brink of carrying out my plan the prevailing mood over the postal strike seemed to be that those like me for whom writing and posting Christmas cards is an task rather than a joy, found a very good reason to abandon the idea so I hardly posted any and still have a large stock.
But it has occurred to me that In fact, it could even be a really good idea to take advantage of the sales to buy next year’s Christmas Cards and write them now for next year. If you are going through a time of change in your life, moving house, changing jobs, or at the end or beginning of a relationship, it can be difficult to know exactly who will be in your life next year, and of course, things may change for others including births, marriages and deaths. However, it may still be possible and worthwhile to try to write the cards to friends relatives who live far away enough for you to want to post the cards.
In fact, this may be the perfect time to write and send them if you are able to have some time off work. The pre-Christmas excitement is over; we are all more calm and reflective. There might even be astrological reasons why it is better to write as many cards as possible now, or even send New Year cards instead of Christmas Cards.
As we get older we can become increasingly aware of the cycles of our lives. Our own birthday and the birthdays of our friends and families seem to come round more quickly and we may remember more and more times we have shared with the same people. Our ancient ancestors did not have digital clocks or newspapers to tell them what day it was, so they found ways to mark time. They noticed changes in the constellations in the stars and the seasons and found ways to measure these perhaps by quarrying pieces of stone and moving them to specific positions in alignment with the rising or setting sun or the stars Since early times we have called upon rituals at specific times of the year to mark time. Perhaps we are trying to recapture good feelings we have experienced at parties at earlier times in our lives. As an adult you may try to put off your friends from ‘Happy Birthday’ to you or feel bored with hearing the same Christmas pop songs on the radio, but when we want to sing Happy Birthday, or sing Christmas carols we are really calling upon what seems like an fundamental human need to perform rituals and these often include some form of singing or chant. Perhaps we are all trying to recapture happy moments when we were children, perhaps there is something special about the feelings we evoke through repeating rituals, perhaps there is something special about the voice, and the quality of sound, (see www.jillpurce.com, and Paul Devereux, ‘Stone Age Soundtracks’.) but whatever it may be, we all feel we have the most special way of practising our seasonal celebrations and all of our celebrations tend to be slightly different. Perhaps because we are trying to re-invoke our earliest experiences and these are all unique, this has often led to religious and spiritual and cultural divisions and conflict rather than all the good times.
Those knowledgeable in astrology will be aware that our mid winter festival or solstice falls at the cusp of the end of Sagittarius and the beginning of Capricorn. With my limited knowledge of the qualities associated with astrology this seems to be striking. Many of the Sagittarians I know are party people, they tend to be intuitive and creative and artistic, they may play at least one if not several musical instruments, especially the mandolin or other stringed instruments, or be theatrical, or paint or draw. They can be quite talented as artisans or designers, they appreciate classic design or architecture and are more likely to be doing up an old house rather than living in a functional modern semi, and are more likely to be doing up a classic car like an Austin Healey rather than living in a practical little runabout. They do not tend to be focused on accumulating status and wealth, but on experience, play, fun and generosity. The emphasis is on form rather than function. In other words, it makes sense that Sagittarian time, from 21st November to 21st December or thereabouts is characterised by parties, music, pantomime, and seasonal traditions. By contrast, what I know about Capricorn nature is function over form, practical doing rather than play, feelings, or thinking and explanations. A purely Capricorn person is likely to work hard to achieve practical success and financial reward. They are more likely to live in a modern functional property, easy to maintain, minimal decorations, well-organised storage and with good access to all amenities. A Capricorn person may well be one of the least likely to want help with time management because they are likely to make lists of things that need to be done, and will tick them off until they are done, no problem!
So it is no surprise that we have a tradition of planning New Year resolutions at the beginning of Capricorn time (December 21st to January 21st approximately).
But these we can see that these two natures are very different, the Sagittarian is likely to want to provide all the ingredients for the party, and the Capricorn may be the one making sure the glasses are not broken, spills are mopped up and that there are plenty of dustbin bags. He or she will then clear up at the end. (For more accurate information about this or other aspects of astrology see www.astro.com).
So there we have all the ingredients for family disruption over Christmas. It is no surprise that Christmas can be one of the most difficult times for people. We want to party and spend all the way through December and through Christmas Day, we want to have fun and happiness right through to New Year’s Eve, but Christmas Day actually falls on Capricorn time, when the prevailing astrological clock shifts towards responsibility, practicality and duty. In the Christian calendar, while Saint Nicolas is still jovial and having a party, Jesus was born at the time as someone who needed to clean up after the party. Perhaps our ancient forbears recognised this when they marked their mid winter celebration on the cusp so that their main party was on the shortest day, 21st December, after which we would all get over our hangovers, knuckle down and get on with the long dark days of winter, but knowing that the days were beginning to get longer.
Time Management New Year Resolution:
• Buy an abundance of next year’s Christmas cards in the sales, - save time energy and money
• While you are taking down the Christmas Decorations, make a note of who sent you a card and write your Christmas cards to them first.
• Write as many Christmas Cards as possible now while you are still feeling guilty about those you haven’t sent! After all, it does feel good to give them as well as receive them to show people you care.
• Don't seal the envelopes in case of house move, or you need to add a new baby or partner.
• Write a list of who you have written cards to, Put them in alphabetical order somewhere you will find easily, count how many stamps you need and make a note of that on the list of recipients. Put a reminder in your calendar for September to take another look and confirm gaps.
• Take a well-earned break and reward yourself with some left over festive treats!