Tis the Season

2025 Year Ahead Spreads

I have mixed feelings about this time of year. The pressure of decorating and gifts makes me anxious and each year I try to do less without making myself depressed I haven’t done enough. When my kids were small it was a no brainer. They were going to get a good Christmas, meaning a tree and decorations and lots of presents. Chris and I did a good job. As the kids became adults a couple of years we’ve dialed back to a smaller tree and not as many gifts and it hasn’t felt like quite enough, as if we were getting a C in participation. Balancing what is enough with emotional stability and physical stamina can be a challenge. I do know that a tree is a requirement, and though I’ve lobbied for an easy to assemble lighted fake tree for years, Chris and the boys won’t have it. So a real tree it is. But this year I will be reducing the conspicuous consumption of buying “stuff” to make sure everyone I love gets a great gift. I’m moving to a model of gifts of experiences and services, which not only reduce the “stuff” aspect of the holidays, but actually put people in contact with other people, be it a restaurant or a massage or a gift certificate for gas or groceries, or maybe even a tarot reading.

This all being said, I have been a retailer in a variety of capacities for thirty-five holiday seasons. I ran a toy store, managed a bunch of different Starbucks, became a buyer for Starbucks, bought for drugstore.com, bought for Eddie Bauer for a number of years, and finally settled into my own bookstore business, which we’ve had since 2004. I know retail, I’ve breathed retail and it has been my career. I remember the Starbucks tradition of corporate employees working in the stores over the holidays, and being thirty-nine weeks pregnant with Jacob, shoveling beans and restocking mugs and chocolate. I love buying and selling. I love picking a product that sells out. I love exposing customers to new books, creating my own merchandise, working during the two weeks leading up to Christmas (and this year Hanukkah begins on the same day!), bustling, zipping around, buzzing to the point, yes, of exhaustion.

But it drains me, and taking care of my personal holiday season becomes quite a chore. But I do it, knowing if I didn’t do it I’d feel down, and I’d be letting those I love the most down as well. And on Christmas Eve, when I honor my late mother by making one hundred of her delicious salmon cakes, which are devoured by the four of us by Christmas afternoon, and we sit around in pajamas opening small gifts which make us smile, talking to family around the country all day, I’m always glad to have made the effort.

Year Ahead Spreads

When I launched my tarot reading business a few years ago, having read cards off and on since childhood, I wasn’t entirely sure what I could take on, how big I wanted it to be, and it has become exactly what I wanted and needed out of a side hustle—it is connecting, nourishing, and even though I’m already busy with what I just spoke of above, my very favorite part of December and January is the year ahead tarot spreads I collaborate with clients in creating for the coming year. I’ve learned that this is a practice for everyone, and can provide guidance and structure and support throughout the year.

It begins with talking about a card of the year. Some people know right away which card will go in the middle of the spread, what essence they want to capture, how they want to feel in the coming year. For others it takes some discussion, some winnowing down. Then we lay out twelve cards in a circle, like the numbers on a clock, photograph them to refer to later, and talk about general themes by quarter, with a more detailed look at the January to March time frame. I then provide a written piece summing up my thoughts about the spread with some questions to consider. With regular clients we return to it each time we meet to see what has happened and whether it is creating meaning for them.

This year, as a thank you to all subscribers, paid and free, I’m offering year ahead spreads for $50, a 50% discount from my regular rate, because I want to expose as many people as I can to this wonderful process, and also help people feel strong and supported as we move into 2025, which so many of us feel anxiety about, after the election results of November. To take advantage of the discount, please contact me directly at hanna.mc@comcast.net to set up a time to meet.

If you are interested in knowing more about what I do as a tarot card reader, you can find my web site here, and don’t hesitate e mailing me with any questions.

For most of us, the holiday season is a mixed bag, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Over the next couple of weeks I’ll try to share practices which have been useful for me as I navigate this busy time. Please take the time to rest when you can, remember what is truly important to you and act accordingly, and if doesn’t need to be done, don’t do it!

As always I am so grateful for your readership and support.

xo Hanna