The winter Solstice.
It marks the darkest day of the year, and the end of Sagittarius season. It's the space between the in-breath and the out-breath for the whole world.
It's a short period of time, but it is potent.
Not coincidentally, it is also the time of year we celebrate the birth of Christ.
I say "not coincidentally" because it was absolutely planned. No one knows when Jesus was born. There is so much speculation about when he was born but honestly, no one knows.
The planning was in the forced Christianization of the Pagans. the Pagans celebrated earth-based events. Christianity chose to leverage the holidays that the Pagans were already celebrating in order to make the forced Christianization of them more palatable.
Christmas trees, Santa Claus, wreaths, "Yule Logs" are all actually part of Pagan culture. Many devout Christians actually know this and refuse to have a Christmas tree for this reason.
Sagittarius' symbol is the archer. BUT the energy, the feeling of Sagittarius is boisterous, jovial, indulgent, giving, feasting, and abundant. Some great examples of this is Santa Claus, Dionysus, and the Ghost of Christmas Present.
The giving of gifts itself is Sagittarian.
Christ energy is notoriously Piscean-- unconditional love, going within to conquer evil and death, performing miracles, defying the beliefs of the time. Pisces season occurs just before springtime-- when many are celebrating lent. It is also the very end of the Zodiac and the "death" is conquered and the zodiac starts again. And one of the symbols of Christ is literally a fish. This makes more sense.
Today marks the Winter Solstice. It's the yule time. The darkest time of the year. Because it's the beat between breaths, it provides the necessary pause between boisterous celebrating and "back to work."
Once we have gone within for that beat, we are able to shake it up and be even more effective when it's time to go back to work with Capricorn.
If you are feeling like there is too much pressure on one holiday, take some time to celebrate today. Celebrate the beat between the in-breath and the out-breath. You are not actually dishonoring Christ if you "don't do it right."
Happy Yule.