Celtic Tree Zodiac - An Interesting Twist On Horoscope with an Overview on Celtic Astrology Signs

Just like in Zodiac and Chinese Horoscope there's a list of birth signs in the Celtic Horoscope, where basic character traits for each sign are defined according to the birth date. Thanks to the fact there are 13 months in a Celtic Tree Calendar, so we have 13 different signs in Celtic Tree Horoscope, one for every month or moon or tree, according to the chosen point of view.

Let's be honest - this horoscope is a mixture of New Age beliefs and observations of druids, adapted to the Sun (not Moon!) calendar, what makes many astrologers to frown upon. Yet, sometimes the traits of the zodiac signs in Celtic Tree system pan out surprisingly correct. If not, they can be at least a fun addition to other horoscope knowledge.

Shall we begin with Celtic astrology signs?

Birch Moon (24 December - 20 January) - The Achiever

Ogham Letter: B - Beith
Animal: Stag
Color: White
Gemstone: Quartz
Element: Air, Water
Planet: Venus
Season: Spring, Autumn
Comparable Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

People born in the month of birch are known for their leadership skills and toughness but also charming and tolerant. Birch Moon sign in the Celtic Zodiac is known for ambitious and zealous people who are really never satisfied and are always ready for something more. They love challenges and sometimes prefer new beginnings to finishing (especially if routine) current tasks. According to the druid astrology they are best compatible with the signs of the Vine and the Willow.

Some famous people born in the Celtic Month of Birch (Beth):

24 December
Anthony Fauci
Ricky Martin

25 December
Annie Lenox
Isaac Newton
Sissy Spacek

26 December
Jared Leto
Mao Zedong

27 December
Marlene Dietrich
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Lous Pasteur

28 December
Sienna Miller
Denzel Washington
Woodrow Wilson

29 December
Charles Goodyear
Ted Danson

30 December
LeBron James
Tracey Ullman
Tiger Woods

31 December
Anthony Hopkins
Henry Matisse
PSY

1 January
Pierre de Coubertin
John Edgar Hoover
Jerome David Salinger

2 January
Isaac Asimov
Constance Lloyd

3 January
Cicero
Mel Gibson

4 January
Louis Braille
Jacob Grimm
Michael Stipe

5 January
Bradley Cooper
Umberto Eco
Marilyn Manson

6 January
Joan of Arc
Rowan Atkinson
Norman Reedus

7 January
Nicolas Cage
Lewis Hamilton
Linda Kozlowski

8 January
David Bowie
Stephen Hawking
Elvis Presley

9 January
Simone de Beauvoir
Kate Middleton (Catherine, Princess of Wales)
Richard Nixon

10 January
Pat Benatar
George Foreman
Rod Stewart

-------------------- to be continued -------------------------

Rowan Moon (21 January – 17 February) - The Thinker

Ogham Letter: L - Luis
Animal: Crane
Color: White
Gemstone: Peridot
Element: Fire
Planet: Sun
Season: Spring, Autumn
Comparable Zodiac Sign: Aquarius, Pisces

This is the most philosophical sign in the Celtic Tree Horoscope. A person born in Rowan Moon is full of creativity and idealism. Devoted to his o her cause can be extremely energetic and passionate, especially when it comes to a persuasion of other people. Rowan from druid horoscope is best compatible with Hawthorn and Ivy.

Ash Moon (18 February - 17 March) - The Enchanter

Ogham Letter: N - Nion
Animal: Seal
Color: Green
Gemstone: Coral
Element: Water, Fire
Planet: Neptune
Season: Spring, Autumn
Comparable Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Imaginative, intuitive with an artistic or scientific flare, a person born in Ash Tree Month is considered very liberal, with visionary characteristics, always focusing on the future. On the other side, An Ash can be pretty moody. It's a good partner to Reed and Willow.

Alder Moon (18 March - 14 April) - The Trailblazer

Ogham Letter: F - Fearne
Animal: Fox
Color: Red
Gemstone: Ruby
Element: Fire, Water
Planet: Mars
Season: Spring, Autumn
Comparable Zodiac Sign: Aries

Charismatic, confident, with huge motivational abilities, a person, born in the Celtic Alder Month is a born leader. He or she is the soul of the party, always in the middle of the action, with a huge social network. This sign has clear goals and supports its ideas. It doesn't stand evasive people and goes well with Birches, Hawthorns and Oaks.

Willow Moon (15 April - 12 May) - The Observer

Ogham Letter: S - Saille
Animal: Adder
Color: Yellow
Gemstone: Moonstone
Element: Water
Planet: Moon
Season: Summer, Winter
Comparable Zodiac Sign: Taurus, Gemini

Creativity, intelligence, intuition, and patience are the main traits of this Celtic Tree Zodiac sign. It's probably the most realistic sign of all, never going to extremes and always ready to learn something new. A person, born in the month of the Willow, can predict the consequences of certain actions and conditions better than others and is best compatible with Birch and Ivy signs.

Hawthorn Moon (13 May - 9 June) - The Illusionist

Ogham Letter: H - Huathe
Animal: Owl
Color: Purple
Gemstone: Topaz
Element: Air
Planet: Mars, Venus
Season: Spring, Autumn
Comparable Zodiac Sign: Gemini

This sign wears many hats and can surprise others with new appearances, ideas, or bits of knowledge every day. Born in the Wahthorn Moon are always curious and rarely lack energy. They are great listeners, inspirational speakers, and all in all, a popular company, highly adaptable to almost all situations. Hawthorn in the Celtic Horoscope is a good match for Rowan and Ash.

Oak Moon (10 June - 7 July) - The Stabilizer

Ogham Letter: D - Duir
Animal: Otter
Color: Black
Gemstone: Diamond
Element: Water
Planet: Jupiter, Mars
Season: Summer
Comparable Zodiac Sign: Cancer

The sign of Oak is the sign of strength. This kind of strength goes way beyond the individual. Those, who are born in this Celtich horoscope sign, often speak and fight for those, who don't possess enough confidence to speak or fight for themselves. Still, they are gentle, generous, helpful, and protective. This makes them great for mentors, teachers, and tutors. Among these so-called Irish Zodiac signs Oak goes best with Reed, Ash, and Ivy.

Holly Moon (8 July - 4 August) - The Ruler

Ogham Letter:
Animal: Cat
Color: Silver
Gemstone: Carnelian
Element:
Planet:
Season:
Comparable Zodiac Sign: 

Born in the sign of Holly seems to seek prestige, power, and status. They are known for special knowledge and unusual skills, supported by devotion to their goals which makes them natural leaders. However, a Holly sign can often become too easygoing and doesn't realize its whole potential. They pair well with people born in signs of Ash and Elder.

Hazel Moon (5 August - 1 September) - The Knower

Ogham Letter:
Animal: Salmon
Color: Brown
Gemstone: Amethyst
Element: 
Planet:
Season:
Comparable Zodiac Sign: 

People, born in the Celtic Tree Month of Hazel are smart, well-organized, and have a great memory, which gives them a competitive advantage from school years on. They are used to excelling in whatever they are involved in, but this doesn't always make them popular. Hazel can be a great partner to Rowan or Hawthorn.

Vine Moon (2 September - 29 September) - The Equalizer

Ogham Letter:
Animal: Lizard
Color: Pink
Gemstone: Emerald
Element:
Planet:
Season:
Comparable Zodiac Sign: 

The ability to see a certain problem from at least two viewing points, empathy, and loyalty make this Celtic Zodiac sign popular, especially among their closest friends and relatives, yet somehow contradictive and unpredictable to others. To be fair, they usually make great company due to their exquisite taste in art, cuisine, and luxury. They are the best match for Hazels and Willows.

Ivy Moon (30 September - 27 October) - The Survivor

Ogham Letter:
Animal: Goose
Color: Blue
Gemstone: Opal
Element:
Planet:
Season:
Comparable Zodiac Sign: 

Just like the plant, people born in the sign of Ivy know how to survive in even the harshest conditions. Empathy, grace, intelligence, and loyalty are their main characteristics. No matter what kind of challenges they face, they always find a way to get through. This charming sign makes a good pair with Ash and Oak.

Reed Moon (28 October - 23 November) - The Inquisitor

Ogham Letter: Ngetal (unity)
Animal: Hound
Color: Orange
Gemstone: Jasper
Element:
Planet:
Season:
Comparable Zodiac Sign: 

Curious and educated people born in the Celtic Tree Month of Reed are detectives, journalists, and scientists by nature. They have strong personalities and the ability to delve under the surface in search of deeper meanings. The main obstacle for Reed is to get out of his or her comfort zone, best partners are Ash, Oak, and Reed.

Elder Moon (24 November - 23 December) - The Seeker

Ogham Letter: R - Ruis (maturity)
Animal: Raven
Color: Gold
Gemstone: Jet
Element: Water
Planet: Saturn
Season: Winter
Comparable Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

The love for the freedom of people born in the Celtic horoscope sign can make an impression they are somehow unstable and wild. They love adventures and excitement, even for the price of their own security, often misunderstood by their environment and defined as outsiders. Yet an elder can be a great friend, always handy, ready to support, and especially good partner with Alder and Holly.

The Meaning of Advent, Its Symbols, and Celebrations

Advent is one of the seasons in the liturgical year. It's a Christian holiday celebrated all over the world by most Christians and numerous non-Christians as well.

Advent time is a time of anticipation of Jesus Christ's (re-)birth which falls on the night of the 24th of December and 25th of December. The season of Advent officially starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. This means it can fall anywhere between 27th of November and 3rd of December, so Advent time can last from 21 to 27 days, but for practical reasons majority of people celebrate it from 1st of December to 24th of December ending it with Christmas as the major holiday.

What is the Meaning of Advent?

The word advent comes from the Latin adventus (arrival or coming), meaning we anticipate the birth of Jesus Christ, or if we dig a bit deeper into the pagan origins, the birth of the Sun. As we know the Sun in the Western hemisphere is the weakest at the end of December (namely the 21st of December) when the days are shortest.

Short days mean low light and heat which causes cold and dark times which were very scary for people, and directly dependent on natural cycles. Such times were calling for some optimism, hope for the return of the Sun, the return of light, warmth, new life on Earth, and expectations of better times.

Such feelings are still present in the Christian religion where candles symbolize all that by their colors and light. Traditional Christmas wreath is another symbol of natural cycles, with a round shape and made of evergreen plants suggesting the eternal life cycle. The same is true for the Jesse tree, named after Jesse, King David's father, a direct descendant of Adam and Abraham, who is also the earthly father of Jesus.

In more generic cases the word advent can be used as the beginning of an event, somebody's arrival, or the invention of something important.

Let's not forget another Christian belief - one day Christ will return to Earth, which means in Advent time we are also anticipating and preparing for his second coming.

The Symbolism of Advent Colors

Each Advent Sunday is marked by a color with its own symbolism which can vary a bit. In some cases three purple and one pink candle are used, in others, a white candle is used as well.

The first purple candle is called the Prophet's Candle and represents hope, the second is the Bethlehem Candle symbolizing love or faith, and the third is the Shephards' Candle. It means joy, and the last is the Angel's Candle for peace. We often say Christmas time is the time of peace.

In other variations, the candles represent related feelings. The first is for expectation, the second for hope, the third for joy, and the fourth for purity. We often say about children, especially newborns, that they are pure, without sin, just like every new life is pure.

Similarly, all Advent Sundays are themed, which expands through the whole week up to the next Sunday. Let's see how Methodist Church explains it:

• The first theme is sometimes called God's people and it starts with the ignition of The Candle of Hope. In a dark place, a shining light brings hope.
• The second theme is Love, it starts with The Candle of Love and represents John the Baptist. As the first one, this candle is also violet.
• The third candle is pink and is called The Candle of Joy. It represents the mother of Jesus - Mary. The theme of this week is called Mary the Mother of Jesus.
• The fourth candle is in this case also violet. It represents the Prophets of the Old Testament. It's The Candle of Piece.
• There is also a fifth candle, placed in the center of the wreath and lit on Christmas Eve. It's white and is called The Christ Candle. Some Christians use five candles, but most use only the first four.
• As we can see, there is no unified symbolism, which reflects differences between individual parts of the Christian Church.

How We Celebrate Advent?

Traditional celebrating of Advent consists of fasting (for some all days in December till Christmas), praying, and repentance. This should be time for spirituality, meditation, thankfulness, and prayer.

Advent is also a time for different memorials and feasts, often intertwined with different holy days.

A more intimate tradition is the decoration of the Christmas tree. Some put it and decorate it on the first day of Advent, some do it only on Christmas Eve, yet most choose to decorate a tree about a week or two before Christmas and typically remove it a week after the New Year (when Epiphany is celebrated).

No matter how anybody decides to celebrate this holiday, Christmas is widely recognized as a family holiday when family members are gathered together even if they live in different parts of town, state, or the world. It's also time to meet old friends and make good deeds.

Especially among children advent calendars are very popular. Each day of advent can be marked as a chance for an activity, a charitable event, or an attempt to spread goodwill around. Advent calendars come in countless variations, sometimes as coloring sheets, boxes of candies, or collections of plastic toys.

If you want to present your loved ones with a gift of anticipation, we prepared numerous printable Advent Calendars with different themes, for more active or more passive kids.

While older ones can also enjoy these printable calendars, the market offers many more variations: from beer or whiskey lovers to music or yoga fans, from tea drinkers or makeup users to Sesame Street nostalgics or cheese foodies.

Hey, there are also Advent calendars designed as garlands with 24 sacks, made of burlap, where you can put a joke, a quote, or a small gift of your choice into each one of them.

And there are, of course, nativity scenes, depictiong the birth of Jesus, sometimes with real actors, but mostly static ones, with figures representing the major characters and symbols connected with arrival of Jesus among shephards and sheeps.

Advent Celebrations Around the World

In Europe wreaths and candles are an obvious choice, but the number of candles and their color may vary. Even the time of Advent can vary because due to different calendar the Orthodox Church celebrate Christmas only on the 7th of January, but some start the Advent season on the 15th of November, which means the Advent time, in this case, lasts the whole 40 days! Gathering near Churches and singing Christmas carols is part of the tradition in numerous parts of Europe as well.

An interesting celebration of Advent in England is Christingles. The word can be used for an item (an orange decorated with red tape, a candle, and sweets) or the service which typically includes readings, singing, and prayers.

In Australia Advent is specific due to summer time in the Southern hemisphere. Children have their summer holidays during December and many native plants are used as decoration, typically outdoors, often with lovely blooms and, with some luck, visited by colorful birds. Of course, reindeer are not Australian first choice - they of course prefer kangaroos!

Let's not forget millions of Christians in Asia, where Advent is typically celebrated by decorating homes with red paper lanterns and giving apples, often wrapped in colored paper.

Mexico, on the other hand, celebrates only nine days before Christmas (from 16th of December to 24th of December). This time is called Las Posadas (The Inns) and is dedicated to the journey of Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem. An important part of the celebration which is also popular in some southern parts of the USA is the precessions of children, led by a child dressed as an angel. A procession stops at some homes, where they got refreshments and small gifts.

Christians in Africa spend good parts of the Advent season in their churches, often including singing, dancing, and enjoying good meals. While you can find Santa in Ethiopia using a camel instead of a sleigh, Liberia doesn't recognize Santa Claus at all. Instead, there is a devilish character called Old Man Bayka, who is wandering around the streets begging for gifts.

We hope you enjoyed and got at least one good idea from our article about Advent, its meaning, symbolism, and celebrations.