The holiday season is upon us and with it, party invitations and the directive to eat finger foods til you feel guilty, drink egg nog til you embarrass yourself and be merry while you do it.
In many of these social situations, the sofa is the sun upon which the revelry rotates.
A study by furniture retailer DFS found that 30% of folks spend the most time with their company on the couch, while 43% said that they find sitting together a natural conductor for conversation.
While we all love the comfort of the cushion the way we orient ourselves and interact with others varies from person to person.
Body language expert and author of “The Face Whisperer,” Adrienne Carter has identified five socializing archetypes.
Read on to learn more about the kind of couch-sitting and court-holding that aligns with your zodiac sign.
Carter explains, “Comfort is the first and foremost priority for this person. You might find them under a blanket or surrounded by comfy cushions, TV remote close-to-hand, and their side table of drinks and snacks within easy reach. The Lounger’s posture will be relaxed, possibly half-sitting or half-lying on the sofa, with legs stretched out or curled up in comfort. Even when forced to share their space, you can bet Loungers will want to take up the most real estate as their whole set-up is about ease and comfort.”
Taurus is a sign that makes themselves at home in the body through postures that allow them to feel regal and relaxed. Disciples of comfort like their refreshment within arm’s reach and their needs easily met. Happy to have others come to them, Taurus, like the fixed earth they are, take up space and stand firm in it.
Cancers, as rulers of the fourth house of home see the couch as an extension of their root system. They feel safest under a weighted blanket to warm them and upon a throw pillow to buoy them. Open to sharing but not always to moving around, Cancer prefers deep conversation come to them.
Carter explains, “The Connector wants to be able to see and connect with everyone in the room. They will be well-prepared with drinks and snacks to ensure everyone has what they need. Connectors are always alert, with their posture displaying openness to the entire group. They also often lean slightly forward to show their engagement and interest in their guests.”
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Ruled by the communicable planet Mercury and prone to talking with their hands, Gemini lives to connect the dots, beat you to the punch line and introduce intrigue. Be it topping off your drink or introducing a round of two truths and a lie among strangers, Gemini encourages others to get loose and loud.
As the high priests of social grace and a Venus-ruled air sign, Libras come alive at a party. Count on this ilk to adjust the lighting, dole out compliments, flirt with every single guest, keep the punch bowl full, soundtrack the scene and generally imbue the vibe with a genteel kind of shine.
As the most empathic sign under the sun and within the zodiac wheel, Pisces seems to connect with everyone whether they want to or not. So in tune with the aches and attitudes of others, socializing can come to feel like a kind of unwelcome bondage to fish folk which is why they are the sign most likely to over imbibe, hide in the bathtub or chain smoke on the fire escape.
Carter explains, “Also known as the Listener, the Thinker will gather their thoughts when they’re on their own, and then listen to others when they have company. There’s nothing hurried or lively about this particular sofa sitter. The Thinker will always strive to be thoughtful and considerate, with their body language allowing space for others to join them. When they are in listening mode, Thinkers will maintain steady eye contact, nodding and leaning in to show they’re fully present in the conversation. Their open posture and gentle touches convey their genuine interest and support, no matter who’s talking.”
If Scorpio leaves their lair (always a considerable if) they will likely plan a social strategy that includes finding a place to stand or sit that offers ultimate vantage lest they be caught off guard, stabbed by a rival or forced into small talk (a fate worse than death). Dealing in dark and or dry humor with a trusted friend or familiar, Scorpio definitely gives “The Thinker/plotter/power bottom.” PS If they’re lightly touching you, it’s not to be taken lightly.
Capricorn is a mafia don energy, they want to be situated with their back against a wall and prefer to receive fans, fawners and strangers from their regal perch rather than mingle like a plebeian. Their stiff, bespoke outfit looks best when viewed from below.
With a dose of dad about them, courtesy of the influence of Saturn, they will dispatch others to do their bidding and collect their plate full of pimento cheese. Most engaged in conversations that can get them ahead, Caps view parties not as a place to relax or connect but as power portals for advancement, social, political, financial or otherwise.
Aquarius is a fixed air sign and like a fixed star these enigmatic space babies like to sit in the stillness of their weirdness, open to conversation and connection but never pandering for it, they keep their eye contact steady to mask a tendency to disassociate. Don’t count them out when it comes to making an impromptu and perhaps even indecorous speech about politics, religion, GMOs, euthanasia, the prison industrial complex, endangered species or the defunding of the space program.
“Some people love to turn a party into an unrivaled zone of productivity. The Busy Bee is one such person, tackling tasks with ease, and benefiting from the buzzy environment. As you may expect, Busy Bees just cannot sit still. They are up and down, in and out the room, shifting from seat to seat with their body language showing friendliness and focus,” explains Carter.
Fastidious ruler of the sixth house of service, Virgo is clearing your plate before you’ve finished your cake. Most comfortable when doing something, these folks struggle to relax or sit still in social settings. If it’s not their party, they’re doing the dishes, dusting your fan blades, helping folks find their coats and judging your use of paper plates.
Carter explains, “Always energetic and lively, the Entertainer transforms the party into a platform for fun and games. The Entertainer thrives in a group, rather than sitting on their own, and is always happy to share with everyone. Their body language radiates energy, engaging in enthusiastic gestures while explaining the rules of a particularly complicated game. Laughter and wide smiles are constants all the while. In the eyes of the Entertainer, the more people at the party, or on the couch, the merrier!”
High energy/high on some sort of stimulant, Aries folk were born to party and play to win. Often inflammatory and always entertaining, Aries can be counted on to keep the vibe alive with their inextinguishable enthusiasm.
Ruled by the sun and lording over the fifth house of pleasure and play, Leos make for natural hosts and magnanimous company. Never a dull moment, an awkward silence or an empty glass when lions are holding court, these folks are often the designated life force of a party, introducing strangers, singing show tunes, throwing glitter, kissing babies, and extending their rays of personable warmth to the darkest corners and shyest guests.
Astrology 101: Your guide to the star
If you look past their well-meaning albeit insufferable forays into soap box politics and unsolicited life/career/spiritual advice, Sagittarius is a good time. Archers can generally be counted on to galvanize a group into taking drugs, taking the stage, playing a game or singing along to a ’90s banger. At best, they incite all of the above and secure their place as legends.
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. She is also an accomplished writer who has profiled a variety of artists and performers, as well as extensively chronicled her experiences while traveling. Among the many intriguing topics she has tackled are cemetery etiquette, her love for dive bars, Cuban Airbnbs, a “girls’ guide” to strip clubs and the “weirdest” foods available abroad.