Crossing the Threshold: December’s Final Lessons of 2025

Welp, 2025 comes to a close and whether you like it or not, we’re stepping outside everything that happened this year and trying to distill some kind of high-minded wisdom that’s actually growth-producing and not just nice-sounding idealism.

While you might be at the point of eye-rolling to hear an astrologer use the word “liminal” again, rest assured you won’t have to for much longer. But a liminal year it was, where life felt stuck in the bardo between a world that is no longer and one that is not yet.

In December, we perform the final steps of what has felt like a long process of internal surgery, mentally suturing vulnerabilities that 2025 opened with new understandings and beliefs that tie everything together. Other parts of our experience are already stretching into new frontiers, fueled by a readiness to say “no” to things we’re truly done with and expand beyond them, maybe for good.

The challenge is not to overheat by revving into fourth gear too quickly. We’re still moving out of heavy water energy which has felt like a deep sea exploration of invisible worlds–including our connection to the past, our subconscious, and the ideals that give us faith.

As we move through December, we feel that Sagittarian heat rising against our wet blankets. That fiery, initiatory energy inspires us with the nectar of possibility. We feel like we finally have what we need to begin producing our own luck again, but it’s important to stay patient, stay present, and take things as they come.

We start the month with a full moon in Gemini on December 4, 2025, a culmination of learnings flowing from November’s new moon. It squares the nodal axis, prompting us to locate these realizations within the larger growth themes of the year. Where can we divest from the mental noise that does not matter?

On December 6 and 7, Mercury trines Jupiter and Saturn, once again creating the grand water trine that has set the rooted backdrop of this fall. This is another opportunity to alchemize the intangible experiences of this year into understandings that give us focus as we move toward 2026.

On December 8, Mars squares Saturn. Our forward momentum slows under foggy circumstances that haven’t resolved. If you’re second-guessing where to direct your energy, that’s frustrating, but resisting the discomfort won’t help. The point isn’t to give up or to YOLO your way through. Appreciate the nuance and practice new forms of flexibility.

On December 10, Neptune stations direct and begins moving through the final degrees of Pisces. Neptune entered Pisces in 2011, marking a surge in collective interest in spirituality, astrology, and other topics previously dismissed as “new age.” In these final degrees, including Neptune’s re-entrance into Pisces in October, we’ve also seen the erosion of shared spiritual values and the porous boundary between saint and sinner, transcendence, and spiritual materialism.

On the same day, Mercury opposes Uranus, triggering unexpected discoveries or communications, perhaps connected to November’s new moon and Mercury cazimi. Mercury then trines Neptune on December 11, reminding us to be mindful of the thin line between ideals and deception. Another veil may get pulled in an unexpected way, revealing a new way of seeing.

Mercury then ingresses back into Sagittarius, returning to the sign it entered on October 29 before moonwalking back into Scorpio. There’s a buzz of things moving forward. Communication becomes more direct and we might notice less tolerance for wrestling with the logistics. The vibe is, “Who cares? Let’s just go for it and figure it out on the way!”

On December 14, Mars squares Neptune. Like the Mars Saturn square earlier in the month, this is a moment where, despite wanting to keep things moving, we’re wise to ensure clarity. The risk is acting on misunderstanding. It’s not that motion is blocked. It’s a call to practice the right kind of flexibility, sustaining action with awareness that we lack perfect information.

Things get serious mid-month, as Mars ingresses into Capricorn on the 15th. Enthusiasm crystallizes into duty. It’s not about how fast we sprint, but how focused we stay in the grind. We’re not satisfied with anything extraneous to the outcomes. Meaningful action. Tangible goals. No distractions. Mars is exalted in Capricorn and we may start to see results. But beware rigidity and tunnel vision.

On December 16, the sun squares Saturn and follows with a square to Neptune on December 20. With Mars informing similar themes earlier in the month, we must check our pace and remember the deep lessons of this year or we risk burning out.

The new moon on December 19 energizes fresh starts and a new orientation toward the possible. The motion picking up in other parts of life is felt internally. It’s not just curiosity to explore the new. It’s an imperative to channel the optimism of an explorer and begin a new adventure into life’s next phase.

Moving into the final days of the month, on December 21, Venus squares Saturn, a moment where consequences that might have gone unnoticed put pressure on certain choices. If self-gratifying indulgences or “worry about it later” pleasures have gone too far, this may be the moment they meet the “worry about it now.” This can apply to relationships and how we give to others, which sometimes requires clearer boundaries to reconnect with our own values. This may be further challenged on December 24 when Venus squares Neptune right before it ingresses into Capricorn. We need to avoid getting emotionally carried away and balance our independent wants with empathy for the needs of others.

December 21 also officially begins Capricorn sun season. We’re ready to take the wisdom embodied over the previous weeks and make it tangible. It’s time to set a weeks-long theme of using the discoveries of Sagittarius season to build a framework that supports a new sense of power, effectiveness, and commitment.

The year begins to close on December 30, when Mercury squares Saturn, marking a good time to check our grand ideas against the lessons of the year.

December 2025 is the perfect culmination of energies that will lay the foundation for an eventful 2026. Pay attention to the themes that arise in your life this month, and prepare to embrace the exciting changes that lie ahead in the new year!