What zodiac sign falls on Christmas day?

Christmas Day, December 25, falls under Capricorn in the standard Western zodiac. Capricorn typically runs from about December 22 to January 20, although the exact boundary can vary slightly by year and astrological system.

Capricorn is the tenth of the twelve astrological signs and is symbolized by the sea-goat, a creature shown with the front of a goat and the tail of a fish. Its name comes from the Latin phrase for “horned goat,” and the sign is traditionally associated with Saturn, the Earth element, and the qualities of discipline, ambition, and practicality.

A common mix-up is confusing the astrological sign Capricorn with Capricornus, the actual constellation. Because of Earth’s gradual axial wobble, called precession, the Sun’s apparent position no longer lines up exactly with the constellation boundaries used by modern astronomy. Western astrology uses the tropical zodiac, which anchors signs to the seasons; therefore, Christmas remains in Capricorn even though the Sun is seen against a different constellation today.

Another nearby fact readers often ask about is the zodiac sign for December 21 or 22, when Sagittarius and Capricorn meet around the winter solstice. Those dates can depend on the year, time, and location, but December 25 is conventionally and consistently classified as Capricorn.