Friday December 14th - edited by Patty Greenall This week in Astro News: ~ Jonathan Cainer's Gift Guide ~ ~ Astro Fact ~ JONATHAN CAINER'S GIFT BUYING GUIDE Last week in Astro News Jonathan covered the "Fixed" signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius (Astro News Friday December 7th click here) Today Jonathan focuses first on the "Cardinal" signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn then on the "Mutable" signs: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces The Fixed signs: ARIES people appreciate effiency. They admire items which are cleverly designed and well-made. Indeed, if an item has such qualities, they will appreciate it even if they have little real use for it. People born under the sign of the ram may be hasty but their tastes are surprisingly refined. So, if you want to score a hit, choose something practical rather than decorative. Give them "tools of their trade" - whatever that trade may be. If you can't afford the set, get them one - of top quality. And don't worry if they already have it. Aries people have an amazing propensity to lose things so they'll be glad of a spare! Patty Greenall suggests: Adventure gift packs - Virgin has a selection of days out that include a flying lesson or bungee jumping, etc., hats, game of Risk, karate lessons, kitchen knives, toys, gadgets and games that are immediately useable (remember batteries), tool kit, tandoori cooking kit, Action Man, Pogo Stick. CANCERIANS are supposed to be easy to please. As all they ever want is a little reassurance, it truly is "the thought that counts" with people born under this sign. Really though, that's all the more reason to put some thought into what you give them. Cancerians, who will worry about anything if given half an excuse, often worry on behalf of the person who has given them a present. They may worry that too money much has been spent - or that they are now obliged to wear the scarf every day - or read the book from cover to cover. This may sound odd but, if you really want to score a hit, find out who your Cancerian now most wants to help or what cause they want to support. Give something that they, in turn can use to be of assistance to others. Patty suggests: Cosy jumpers, pearls, moonstone or opal jewellery, anything antique or silver, a locket for a cherished photo, picture frames, pocket photo album, lots of cushions, a new throw or eiderdown, camera, cook book or history book, handkerchief, game of Life, small pets, music and videos for reminiscing. LIBRANS don't mind what they get for Christmas provided they don't have to be asked. NEVER ask a Libran what they want for Christmas. You'll either get a list as long as your arm or a shrug of the shoulders. Librans are never quite sure what they want - though they are usually pretty clear about what they don't want. That requires them to make a choice. Indeed, if you really want to please a Libran, offer to find out what their friends want and then do the Christmas shopping for them. That way, if the gifts go down well, they can take the credit - and if not, they can blame you! Remembering also, that Librans enjoy making long, slow choices, gift tokens are more appropriate for this sign than they are for any other! Patty suggests: Classical music, fine jewellery, silk cushions, scented products such as candles, perfume, potpourri, flower pressing kit, vintage wine, sweets or chocolates, musical instruments, set of scales, compass, painting or paint set, Armani suit, dice for decision-making, flowers, lacy or silky underwear. CAPRICORNS are supposed to be practical and serious. In reality, this is not so but because so many astrologers keep pressing the point, Capricorns begin to believe it must be true. So too, do their friends who feel obliged to give useful, sensible items rather than thrilling, frivolous presents. Capricorn though, is NOT the sign of the sturdy mountain goat but the mysterious mythological sea-goat. Those born under this sign appreciate the exotic and have an attraction to all things sensual. They also appreciate items that are stylish and intelligently designed - so much so that, as long as it is a "classic" of its kind, you can give it to them safely and be sure of scoring a hit, almost regardless of what the object actually IS. Patty suggests: Timepieces - watches and clocks, dark chocolate, Granite statue or figurine, money counter, wallet or purse, black jumper from M&S, game of Frustration or Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Status Quo box set, mountain climbing gear, calculator, Range Rover, book of Who's Who. The Mutable signs: GEMINIS have an insatiable appetite for information. Reference works on almost any topic will please them. Don't worry about choosing a topic they are interested in. You can pick at random. Whether it's "Doorknobs Through The Ages" or "The Peanut Grower's Guide to Crop Yield in Zero Gravity" your Gemini friend will be grateful for this compendium of rare wisdom. Indeed, there's a high chance that they will say "That's amazing. I was think ing about this very thing just recently." Of course they were. There's not a subject under the sun that they don't ponder once in a while. Should a book or computer program seem inappropriate, you can pander to Gemini curiosity in another way. Get them night-sights or devices that can detect whispered conversations from a distance. If you dare! Patty suggests: Gloves, bangles, rings, manicure kit and/or selection of nail varnishes, Coloured crayons and paper, pens and stationary, lava lamp, a game of Twister or Trivial Pursuit, karaoke machine, microphone, megaphone, telephone, Hear'Say's new album, Latest edition of Oxford dictionary, book of text message abbreviations. VIRGOS enjoy finding fault. That's why it's so easy to choose them Christmas presents. You can get them almost anything, safe in the knowledge that they will enjoy working out what's wrong with it. Don't waste time looking for an item so perfect or flawless as to be beyond criticism. Nowhere in the world, for a Virgo at least, does such a thing exist! Look instead, for something that's patently full of mistakes; a collection of funny printing errors - or some device, imported from overseas, with dreadfully unreadable instructions. Alternatively, bypass the intellect entirely and make a direct, brazen appeal to Virgo sensuality. Give your Virgo a good physical reason to purr with p leasure. Patty suggests: Puzzle/crossword books or book tokens, health products, aromatherapy kit, exercise contraption or Yoga videotape, magnifying mirror (for detail), crisp new bed sheets, personal organizer, feather duster/tickling stick, Scrabble, garden implements, houseplants, soaps and shower accessories of any description. SAGITTARIANS do not need books about zen meditation. They live naturally in what eastern mystics call "the here and now." Or, so at least, we must assume. They certainly don't live in the past. Their memories are selective and erratic. Nor do they live in the future - to which they rarely give much thought. For Christmas, you can give them what you gave them the year before last. They probably won't remember and, even if they do, they will have lost it by now. Sagittarians have broad tastes. They can appreciate most colours, textures and styles. Even if they DON'T like a gift, you merely have to say "I bet you won't enjoy this." People born under this sign can never resist a challenge. Patty suggests: Books on travel, spirituality Feng Shui, atlas, subscription to a favourite magazine, latest sports gear, Harley Davidson, Fencing lessons (the legal type), comedy video (Eddie Izzard/Billy Connelly/Tommy Cooper), overnight travel bag, Hoola Hoop, game of Buckaroo, hiking gear. PISCES is a water sign. Christmas presents, therefore, which are associated with water will always go down well. Exotic drinking vessels or bathing accessories for example will be well received - as too, will a luxury yaught(!) If you can't quite run to that, here's a sure fire tip. Pisceans without exception, have a thing about their feet. They can never get them as comfortable as they want them to be. Offer them comfy socks, slippers or a foot spa. Or find a chiropodist who does gift vouchers - or, for even more fun, send them to a reputable reflexologist. Patty suggests: Anything listed for other signs, slippers, socks, pedicure kit, bedding, Non-alcoholic wine/larger, hip flask, kaleidescope, bubble bath, game of Tiddlywinks, Gabrielle's new album Dreams Can Come True, new toilet seat, theatre tickets, a day at a Spa, sleeping bag, fairy lights, gossamer curtains or nightwear, book of myths. Astro Fact An annular solar eclipse takes place today at 8:53pm. We won't be able to see it in the UK, as the sun will be set by then. Its path will be through Nicaragua, Costa Rica and the Pacific Ocean. Even there it's not going to be easily visible as with a total eclipse. An annular eclipse is 'total' but the moon is too far away from the earth for its shadow to reach the earth's surface. It's seen as a ring of light around the shadow of the dark moon. Meet Uri Geller - Friday 14th Dec 2001 only - Harrods, London You can meet Jonathan Cainer's friend and colleague Uri Geller who will be appearing in Harrod's in London tomorrow. Uri will be in the second floor Crystal Department from 1pm - 3pm, and again between 4pm and 6pm.