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Gift Ideas for a Cancerian

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Gift Ideas for a Cancerian: 12 Presents, Reviewed by Canny the Crab Looking for gift ideas for a Cancerian? Buying for a Cancer (21 June – 22 July) is lovely, because they’ll treasure whatever you give them. Literally. They have a drawer of treasured things. It includes a cinema ticket from 2009 and a pebble from a nice afternoon. Cancer is ruled by the Moon, and feels things deeply. Home, family, friends and memories matter more to a Cancer than anything with a price tag. Their Astrominal is Canny the Crab, who takes home everywhere and has feelings in both claws. We asked Canny to review twelve gift ideas. Canny cried at four of them. Happy tears. Mostly. 1. A photo album of you two Printed photos, real pages, captions in your handwriting. Canny says: “Oh no. Oh no, that’s the beach day. I’m fine. I’ve got something in my eye. It’s a feeling.” 2. A blank family recipe book Somewhere to keep Nan’s crumble and the soup that fixes everything. Canny says: “Recipes are just love with measurements. Some of Nan’s measurements were ‘a bit’. I’ve written down ‘a bit’.” 3. A really soft throw For wrapping up in, and for wrapping other people up in. Canny says: “Is this for me? Or is it for when someone visits and they look cold? It’s both. It’s always both.” 4. A star map of a special night A print of the sky as it looked on a birthday, a wedding, or the day you met. Canny says: “That’s the actual Moon? From that actual night? I’m going to need a minute. And a frame. And another minute.” 5. A memory jar A jar of folded notes, each one a favourite moment you’ve shared. Canny says: “I’ll read one a day. No. I’ll read them all tonight. Then I’ll read them again. Then I’ll ring you.” 6. A houseplant that needs looking after Cancers like caring for things. Give them something to care for. Canny says: “I’ve named it already. It’s called Gerald. Gerald is doing very well, and I’m proud of him.” 7. A slow cooker For the Cancer who feeds everyone who walks through the door. Canny says: “Stew for six. There are three of us. That’s fine. Someone always turns up.” 8. A family games night box Board games, snacks and an evening with everyone round one table. Canny says: “I don’t mind who wins. I mind that everyone’s here. Also I’m quite good at it. Also I mind a little bit who wins.” 9. Something handmade A drawing, a knitted thing, a wonky clay bowl. Canny says: “You made this? With your hands? It’s going on the shelf. It’s going on the GOOD shelf.” 10. A candle that smells like home Cotton, fresh bread, warm vanilla. Canny says: “Home already smells like home. But now it can smell like home twice.” 11. A day out for the whole family A picnic, a seaside trip, anywhere everyone can come. Canny says: “I’ll bring sandwiches. I’ll bring a spare cardigan for whoever forgets theirs. Someone always forgets theirs.” 12. An Astrominals Cancer birthday card Whatever you choose, put it with a card that understands them. The Astrominals zodiac birthday cards feature Canny, making a cosy space for everyone Canny loves, framed by a border of true-to-sign Cancer traits. Canny says: “I’m keeping it forever. In the drawer. With the pebble.” Canny’s three rules for buying a Cancer a present Make it personal. “I’d rather have a note you wrote than a voucher you bought.” Remember things. “If you remember something I said once, that’s the present. The rest is wrapping.” Hand it over in person. “Then I can hug you. You’ll be hugged. Prepare yourself.” So, which present would Canny choose? Canny says: “Honestly? I’d just like everyone round for tea. And maybe the photo album. And maybe a tissue.” Not sure which Astrominal you’re buying for? Take the quiz, or meet Canny the Crab and the rest of Team Water. Astrological and zoological. Illogically logical.

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Gift Ideas for a Gemini

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  Gift Ideas for a Gemini: 12 Presents, Reviewed by Gem & Eye the Toucans Looking for gift ideas for a Gemini? Buying for a Gemini (21 May – 20 June) means buying for someone curious about everything. They’ll love your present. They’ll also love the box it came in, the story of where you bought it, and a fact about cardboard they read last Tuesday. Gemini is ruled by Mercury, planet of talking, thinking and talking about thinking. Its symbol is the Twins, so its Astrominal is two characters: Gem & Eye, a pair of toucans who finish each other’s sentences, and occasionally start each other’s. We asked them to review twelve gifts. We got roughly forty opinions. 1. A pair of walkie-talkies For the sign that’s never off the phone, a phone that’s twice as fun. Gem: “Over.” Eye: “You don’t say ‘over’ after every—” Gem: “Over.” 2. A giant book of facts Geminis collect facts the way other people collect stamps. Eye: “Did you know a group of flamingos is called a flamboyance?” Gem: “Libby told us. Libby’s told everyone. Libby had it printed on a mug.” 3. A two-player game Chess, battleships, anything with a rematch built in. Gem: “Best of three.” Eye: “Best of five.” Gem: “Best of whoever’s winning.” 4. A podcast microphone A Gemini already has a lot to say. Give them a way to say it to more people. Eye: “Episode one: ‘Things We Noticed Today.’” Gem: “It’s going to be a long episode.” 5. A magazine subscription Something new arriving every month: the perfect pace for a Gemini attention span. Gem: “We’ll read every page.” Eye: “We’ll read the first page of every article.” Gem: “Same thing.” 6. Tickets to a comedy show Geminis love quick wit, and they’ll repeat the best lines for a month. Eye: “We’ll do the whole show again for you in the car.” Gem: “Both parts.” 7. A language-learning course A new language means new words, new jokes and new people to talk to. Gem: “We’re learning Spanish.” Eye: “And Italian.” Gem: “At the same time. It’s going brilliantly. Mostly.” 8. A puzzle book Crosswords, riddles, logic grids: a workout for the busiest brain in the zodiac. Eye: “I do the across.” Gem: “I do the down.” Eye: “We meet in the middle and argue.” 9. Matching mugs One gift, two personalities. Gem: “Mine says Gem.” Eye: “Mine says Eye.” Gem: “We swap them every morning to keep things interesting.” 10. A clever little gadget Anything that lights up, folds out or does something unexpected. Eye: “What does this button do?” Gem: “Don’t press—” Eye: “Well, now we know.” 11. A day trip somewhere new A city they haven’t explored, a museum they haven’t been round. Gem: “New place, new people, new facts.” Eye: “New snacks.” Gem: “Mainly new snacks.” 12. An Astrominals Gemini birthday card Whatever you choose, put it with a card that gets them. The Astrominals zodiac birthday cards feature Gem & Eye as DJs, framed by a border of true-to-sign Gemini traits. Eye: “That’s us!” Gem: “That’s mostly me.” Eye: “It’s exactly half each.” Gem: “I’ve got the better half.” Gem & Eye’s three rules for buying a Gemini a present Make it interesting. Gem: “Anything boring, we’ll re-gift.” Eye: “Politely.” Keep it moving. Eye: “We like new things.” Gem: “And then newer things.” Buy for both. Gem: “Every Gemini has two sides.” Eye: “Ours just have separate beaks.” So, which present would Gem & Eye choose for themselves? Gem: “The walkie-talkies.” Eye: “The comedy tickets.” Gem: “Both.” Eye: “Over.” Not sure which Astrominal you’re buying for? Take the quiz, or meet Gem & Eye the Toucans and the rest of Team Air. Astrological and zoological. Illogically logical.

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Gift ideas for a Pisces

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Gift Ideas for a Pisces: 12 Presents, Reviewed by Pike the Pike Looking for gift ideas for a Pisces? Buying for a Pisces (19 February – 20 March) is a lovely thing to do, because a Pisces will feel your present as much as open it. They’ll understand what you meant by it. Sometimes they’ll understand things you didn’t know you meant. Pisces is ruled by Neptune, planet of dreams, imagination and the deep blue sea. Pisceans are gentle, kind and creative, and they live partly in this world and partly in a much more interesting one. Their Astrominal is Pike the Pike, who plays the saxophone, paints in her head and occasionally swims off mid-sentence. We asked Pike to review twelve gift ideas. It took a while. Not because she was slow. Because she kept seeing pictures in the clouds. 1. A sketchbook and good pencils Somewhere for all those daydreams to land. Pike says: “I drew a fish. Then the fish turned into a cloud. Then the cloud turned into a song. I’ve no idea what the sketchbook thinks.” 2. A ukulele An easy instrument for a musical soul. Pike says: “Four strings. Very sensible. I usually play the saxophone, but this one fits in a rucksack, and the neighbours seem happier.” 3. A book of poems Short, beautiful, and best read slowly by a window. Pike says: “I read one poem. Then I looked out of the window for an hour. That’s the right way to read a poem.” 4. An ocean sounds machine Waves, rain, distant whales: the soundtrack of home. Pike says: “Oh, that’s the deep bit near the reef. I’d know that hum anywhere. I’ve gone a bit misty-eyed. It’s fine. I’m a fish. Nobody can tell.” 5. A trip to an aquarium A day out among the relatives. Pike says: “That’s my auntie behind the glass. She doesn’t wave. She’s very shy. And also behind glass.” 6. Fairy lights A little soft magic for the bedroom ceiling. Pike says: “Now my room looks like the inside of a daydream. Which saves me a journey.” 7. A dream journal For writing down last night’s adventures before they swim away. Pike says: “Last night I was a lighthouse. A lonely lighthouse, but a happy one. Write that down. I’ve already forgotten it.” 8. A watercolour paint set For colours that blend into each other, like everything a Pisces feels. Pike says: “I don’t paint lines. Lines are for maps. I paint feelings that happen to be blue.” 9. A movie night with a big soppy film Blankets, snacks and a story that needs tissues. Pike says: “I cried at the beginning, the middle and the end. Also at the adverts. That’s how you know it’s a good night.” 10. A sea-glass necklace A small piece of the ocean, smoothed by a long journey. Pike says: “It’s been tumbling around in the sea for years, getting gentler. I relate to that.” 11. A cosy, oversized hoodie For floating around the house and pretending to be a jellyfish. Pike says: “Hood up. Sleeves down. Totally invisible. That’s not hiding. That’s resting in plain sight.” 12. An Astrominals Pisces birthday card Whatever you choose, put it with a card that gets them. The Astrominals zodiac birthday cards feature Pike as an artist lost in her work, framed by a border of true-to-sign Pisces traits. Pike says: “That’s me painting. I don’t remember sitting for it. I’m often somewhere else when things happen.” Pike’s three rules for buying a Pisces a present Make it feel like something. “I don’t mind what it costs. I mind what it means.” Leave room for imagining. “Give me a blank page, a song, a story. I’ll do the rest. Possibly at three in the morning.” Be gentle. “No loud surprises, please. A quiet surprise is perfect. A quiet surprise with a biscuit is perfect-er.” So, which present would Pike choose for herself? Pike says: “The dream journal. Then tonight I’ll dream about the other eleven. That’s the same as having them, if you ask me. Which you did.” Not sure which Astrominal you’re buying for? Take the quiz, or meet Pike the Pike and the rest of Team Water. Astrological and zoological. Illogically logical.

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