Some of you know I live in northwestern Wyoming just outside USA’s Yellowstone National Park. My little town is in Big Horn Basin, which is actually a huge valley between Big Horn Mountains on east and Absaroka Mountains on west.

Last Saturday night weather turned cold, and famous (or infamous, depending on your viewpoint) Wyoming wind howled all night long. In morning I awoke to a hushed landscape.

The wind had calmed, and mountains and valley were covered with a bright and beautiful blanket of freshly fallen snow. Even though it was only October 24, it was a winter wonderland. Winter comes early in this high country.

But I love winter. It’s my favorite season. Although, since we have readers all over world, I know for many of you this time of year is advent of spring and summer.

Anyway, snow reminded me of upcoming holiday season. Thanksgiving (in USA) comes next month. And then, of course, Christmas in December. Since I can first remember, I’ve always loved those two holidays, especially Christmas.

I’m no longer a Christian in any traditional sense. But my large Italian family always made a big deal of Thanksgiving and Christmas. I have many warm and wonderful memories of growing up in that loving, nurturing environment.

Whether you celebrate either of those two days or not, this certainly is a time of celebration for many. And for me, at this point in my life, every day is a time to celebrate. But November and December are special because many folks besides me are also in a celebrating mood. But not everyone.

This year I’ll spend Thanksgiving and Christmas alone. My son and daughter-in-law are in Africa for a couple of years. And most of rest of my family is back in eastern USA, about 2,000 miles away. Also, I have work commitments which will keep me in Wyoming this holiday season. But I will be going back East in early January for a belated holiday celebration with my family.

It's around this time of year, late October, maybe a little earlier, when Christmas starts to show itself in many, many readings. What I'd like to share with you are which key tarot cards to look out for that can depict Christmas, and type of events going on around it.

One of most pertinent tarot cards for depicting Christmas is Ten of Coins as it symbolises what I call "hierarchical family". This is Mum, Dad, brothers and sisters, grannies and grandads, aunts and uncles, cat, dog, new boyfriend, difficult wife, screaming babies, noisy toddlers and long lost relatives. If they are in any way related to your family, whether through blood or marriage, then they are symbolised by ten of coins.

The Ten of Coins tarot card not only depicts people but also family values, beliefs and dynamics. This, along with actual people, is what starts to become important when predicting what type of Christmas any individual is likely to experience. One member of family might desire a traditional Christmas dinner while another might want something less exacting.

The next most important card is Nine of Cups. This tarot card symbolises parties and get togethers in which people generally have a few drinks, socialise, and are friendly and animated.

Put Ten of Coins together with Nine of Cups and we find a lovely fun filled Christmas.

Next one needs to take into consideration which family member this reading is for, what part are they playing in family festivities?

One woman had Ten of Batons leading up to Ten of Coins and Nine of Cups. The Ten of Batons in Tarot symbolises excessive burdens and responsibilities, running around after other people and forgetting about oneself. This woman was mother of all mothers, from October until early January busy shopping, cooking and organising so that her extensive family could have a wonderful Christmas. When I suggested that she might wish to share burden she came up with two comments: that she preferred to have people come to her home, and that she was only one who was capable and that no-one else would bother.

Looking at Christmas from another perspective was a reading for a woman whose sister-in-law was much like previous woman. She had her Christmas day shrouded by Three of Coins reversed. This card symbolises being weak willed and subservient, an unwilling servant who does not have ability to stand up for their own needs. "My husband wouldn't dare defy his sister and not go to her Christmas do," she said wearily. "I just keep quiet and get on with it."

There are many other characters within any family, here are just a few examples of what I have seen, and what kind of gifts they might, or might, not appreciate.

The Queen of Swords: This card is traditionally "The divorced, widowed, embittered woman." Around Christmas time she generally shows her face as unpopular wife of a much loved son, mother-in-law, or a much older woman, such as a grandmother, who is on her own in life. Gift type: Usually this type of person is never satisfied with anything. If you give them a gift voucher they say you haven't bothered, if you take flowers they complain that they will die and shed upon their floor. Best to take them a bottle of wine and get them drunk. This might exacerbate their poison tongue but it might also send them to sleep.