There's a chance I might have scratched my sister's name into a new bar of soap when I was a kid. (Or maybe our brother Simon did it?) 

It was Karen's name in order to implicate her, of course – who's dumb enough to scratch his or her own name into something that'll lead directly to a scolding? (My parents are thrifty; they can't abide waste. Gouging out perfectly useable bits of soap and sending it down the drain is definitely wasteful and thus an admonishable offence.)

When executed with far more finesse than a safety pin on the sly, having someone's name embossed/etched/printed on a notebook, necklace, fragrance bottle or Coca-Cola bottle is a sweet gift – humans adore their names on stuff. But that kind of customization can be tricky when options are endless and it isn't engraved to order.

Zodiac signs are easier – only 12 options – and for those of us that kinda, sorta, maybe believe that stuff has any sort of relevance, they're almost as good as a monogrammed gift (and certainly better than your name dug into Lifebuoy Soap with a rickety pin).

As you can see, Fresh has brought back its limited-edition Zodiac Oval Soap Collection ($18 CAD and $15 USD at sephora.com) in time for holiday hostess-gift season. Four scents make up the 12 signs: 

• Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn = Sugar (with a quartz stone accent)
• Aries, Leo and Sagittarius = Mangosteen (with a tiger's eye stone)
• Gemini, Libra and Aquarius = Verbena (with an aventurene stone
• Cancer, Pisces and Scorpio = Waterlily (with a fluorite stone)

For related horoscopes for the coming year, Fresh tapped astrologer Susan Miller, founder of AstrologyZone.com. Right now the reigning sign is Sagittarius (ManiGeek is a Sagittarius!):

Videos for all the Fresh Zodiac-sign soaps are at fresh.com.

How much stock do you put into Zodiac lore? Are you a Fresh soap fan? What's your fave scent? Would you give or be happy to receive one of these as a hostess gift?

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