I read with mixed emotions about the U.S. Postal Service’s decision to suspend Operation Santa because of a “privacy breech”. The letters written by children in need were removed from volunteer perusal until officials could structure a system to ensure safety. Part of me was furious that one person could derail Christmas for thousands of children, regardless of his/her intent. 

The logical part of me analyzed the story from an astrological perspective. (Yes, I consider astrological analyzing to be logical!) Although the new structure may not be perfected for the duration of Operation Santa ’08, it will provide  a safer (although more sterile) system.

Santa Claus is a Jupiter father archetype. Oftentimes Jupiter is viewed as the “great benefic”, the source of luck and success in a person’s horoscope. Jupiter can also represent your relationship (or lack of) with father. A Jupiter influence shows exuberance, an inability to be moderate, a hunger for knowledge and new experience. The image of Santa Claus roving all over the world on Christmas Eve, doling out gifts and eating cookies and milk at every stop is the essence of Jupiter.

But Pluto is in Capricorn now, not Sagittarius (Jupiter’s natural sign).  Pluto went into Capricorn the evening before Thanksgiving, and the pressure built until Black Friday when a temporary worker at Walmart, Jdimytai Damour was trampled to death.

Capricorn has ushered in the need of a structure to contain the Sagittarian rush. No longer a free-for-all, lines must be drawn. Pluto in a sign is transformative; wherever it is traveling through your horoscope is up for change now. And strong Sagittarian institutions like education, legal and religious had their floors shifted over the last decade. Now it’s time to rebuild and implement new structures. A “privacy breech” is a red code for a Pluto transit. Time for a makeover for Santa.

Will he become a model for eating organic food and slimming down to be more responsible for his overall health? One thing is for sure, Operation Santa will be handled in a way that protects children while installing a more secure system. Although it won’t be as direct as the old system, the press it will get and the web outreach to schools and corporations will probably expand the amount of children it actually serves. 

The Jupiter father may be more fun when he’s around than the boring Saturn father, but neither in its purity is an ideal. A Santa Claus who runs his operation in a more Saturn way while retaining his Jupiter image, may actually get to spend more time with Mrs. Claus and the elves.

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