So…what is the Monday Poll?
Excellent question! It isn’t, contrary to its name, an actual poll, like with little clicky buttons. It’s just a list of more or less random questions I’ve been posting on this blog every Monday morning for the past quadrillion years (since 2007).
1. Dior or YSL?
Dior for eyeshadows, lipstick and perfume, and YSL for mascara, concealer and foundation. But if I had to pick just one, then Dior.
2. Eggnog or gingerbread?
Gingerbread. Eggnog is too sweet!
3. Would you rather bake cookies or go ice skating?
Hmmm. Both are pretty fun! Let’s go with ice skating today, so I can move my body.
4. Does your home have a fireplace?
Once upon a time it did, but the previous owners covered it up with drywall. We had no idea that the house used to have one until someone in our neighborhood popped in and said, “Oh! What happened to your fireplace?” I wish it was still there. I would love to have it!
5. A Christmas memory from your childhood?
One year I asked my parents for pompoms, and for reasons unknown I received a single pompom. I guess it didn’t occur to them to buy a set? For years I pretended to be a cheerleader with one pompom. It’s funny that it never occurred to me to ask for a second one.
6. Something beauty-related that you wouldn’t mind from Santa?
Santa, I wouldn’t mind if you brought me a hydrating hair mask from Bumble & Bumble, or a neutral eyeshadow palette from Dior.
7. A holiday song you enjoy?
Wham’s “Last Christmas” is my jam, man.
8. Best holiday movie?
Oh by far “Love Actually.”
9. Shall we decorate a gingerbread house today?
Yes, please. Don’t expect me to eat any of it, though!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Here are the questions to copy/paste with your answers in a comment. Talk to ya soon.
1. Dior or YSL?
2. Eggnog or gingerbread?
3. Would you rather bake cookies or go ice skating?
4. Does your home have a fireplace?
5. A Christmas memory from your childhood?
6. Something beauty-related that you wouldn’t mind from Santa?
7. A holiday song you enjoy?
8. Best holiday movie?
9. Shall we decorate a gingerbread house today?
P.P.S. Hello, my beautiful friend! I hope you’re feeling happy and healthy during the run-up to Christmas. How are your holiday errands going? What’s left for you to do? 🤗
1. Dior or YSL? Dior except for my YSL Bare Look Tint Foundation.
2. Eggnog or gingerbread? Gingerbread!
3. Would you rather bake cookies or go ice skating? Bake Cookies
4. Does your home have a fireplace? No. Our Mission Bungalow was built in 1905. There are a TON of windows in the living and dining areas, enough that you can’t really add a fireplace. We have a fake one in the office – it’s pretty and it adds some heat to the room.
5. A Christmas memory from your childhood? The Barbie Dream House my Dad stayed up until about 3 a.m. putting together.
6. Something beauty-related that you wouldn’t mind from Santa? Honua skin care sets, please.
7. A holiday song you enjoy? Silent Night
8. Best holiday movie? Love Actually – I actually bought a copy of it.
9. Shall we decorate a gingerbread house today? I’m making roast veggie burritos, not exactly holiday food but easy to do on a work night.
1. Dior or YSL?
The only product I’ve owned between the 2 was a YSL lip stain, which I enjoyed but didn’t repurchase. Probably for the best that I don’t get into either!
2. Eggnog or gingerbread?
I love all things gingerbread flavored.
3. Would you rather bake cookies or go ice skating?
Bake cookies. Not going to lie-ice skating terrifies me! No one in my family can skate well.
4. Does your home have a fireplace?
Nope. My parent’s house (my childhood home) does.
5. A Christmas memory from your childhood?
Speaking of fireplaces-My grandparents had a fireplace and there was a fire every Christmas, which is lovely. But we also live in the south where it could be 70 on Christmas day. No matter the temps my grandfather had to have a roaring fire on Christmas.
6. Something beauty-related that you wouldn’t mind from Santa?
I’d love a set of Sonia G. brushes.
7. A holiday song you enjoy?
I’m with you on Wham! Unapologetically love them and that song. I like Stevie Wonder’s Someday at Christmas too.
8. Best holiday movie?
I’ve got to go with Christmas Vacation. Me, my mom and my big brother saw it in a nearly empty theater back in ’89 and laughed together the whole way through.
9. Shall we decorate a gingerbread house today?
I’m all down to decorate if someone else does the constructing! I find that part frustrating. But give me some gum drops and peppermints and I’ll go to town.
I’m in pretty good shape but last minute Christmas errands always arise don’t they!
1. Dior or YSL? YSL, I love the foundation.
2. Eggnog or gingerbread? Eggnog.
3. Would you rather bake cookies or go ice skating? Bake Cookies.
4. Does your home have a fireplace? No.
5. A Christmas memory from your childhood? Getting a “Tiny Tears” doll.
6. Something beauty-related that you wouldn’t mind from Santa? Hm, not beauty exactly, but I’m hoping for new earrings.
7. A holiday song you enjoy? Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas”.
8. Best holiday movie? Home Alone.
9. Shall we decorate a gingerbread house today? Maybe? But definitely no eating!
1. Dior or YSL? Dior for the most part. Although I like YSL mascara almost as much as Diorshow Iconic Overcurl.
2. Eggnog or gingerbread? Not really a fan of either.
3. Would you rather bake cookies or go ice skating? Today I’d rather go ice skating.
4. Does your home have a fireplace? Two. Having asthma we’ve never built a fire in either one. I don’t really like the smell of fire or wood smoke.
5. A Christmas memory from your childhood? I got ice skates one year. My mom told my oldest brother to take me to park and teach me how to skate. We got there and he laced the skates so tight my feet were tingling. He stood me up at one end of the hockey rink and said, “I’m gonna play hockey with my friends now. If you see us coming toward then end of the ice, get out of our way.” And that’s how I learned to skate. Mostly on my own.
6. Something beauty-related that you wouldn’t mind from Santa? Pat McGrath Midnight Voyage mini shadow palette. A foundation that actually matches my skin tone and doesn’t settle into my lines or give me polka dot pores or break up or wear away.
7. A holiday song you enjoy? Can’t think of one.
8. Best holiday movie? Love Actually or Die Hard.
9. Shall we decorate a gingerbread house today? Sorry, not up for that. Too much sticky food mess.
1. Dior or YSL? I honestly have no clue. I don’t use either brand for anything.
2. Eggnog or gingerbread? Gingerbread. Eggnog just seems gross to me.
3. Would you rather bake cookies or go ice skating? I’ve never ice skated, so let’s choose that!
4. Does your home have a fireplace? Yes! A gas one. It’s cold in Northern Michigan, I’m glad to have it.
5. A Christmas memory from your childhood? When I was 7, I got a stuffed unicorn I named Guinevere. I still sleep with her. She’ll be 40 on Saturday. I love her.
6. Something beauty-related that you wouldn’t mind from Santa? Nail polish, always polish. The new ILNP line is pretty.
7. A holiday song you enjoy? Any song from the movie “White Christmas” is a bop.
8. Best holiday movie? Any version of “A Christmas Carol”. Seriously, any version. Muppets, Hallmark movies, I love them all.
9. Shall we decorate a gingerbread house today? Yes we shall!
1. Dior or YSL? Neither – I haven’t tried anything from them
2. Eggnog or gingerbread? Gingerbread. Ewww on egg nigh
3. Would you rather bake cookies or go ice skating? Ice skating ⛸️. I started skating when I was 2 and use to go every day after school. We would walk from school to the rink
4. Does your home have a fireplace? Yes 2 and one has a wood burning insert and my one cat sits there all day when a fire is going
5. A Christmas memory from your childhood? When I was 4(?) my grandparents, aunt, uncle & 5 cousins came to our house (Ohio—>NY). It was chaos & I’m the youngest of the 7 kids
6. Something beauty-related that you wouldn’t mind from Santa? Spa gift card.
7. A holiday song you enjoy? I’ve worked in retail for 30 years – I dislike all holiday music
8. Best holiday movie? Elf
9. Shall we decorate a gingerbread house today? No but I would get them for my brother’s kids to do on Christmas Eve at my house. My husband & brother would eat the candy as the kids tried to decorate
I’m done my shopping & wrapping except for 1 small gift that came today. We are headed to the NJ shore for the weekend & then I’m back to work on Monday after 8 weeks off. I’m actually excited to go back – I have a great work family
1. Dior or YSL?
I like them both, but lately have been into Dior more. I have the same complaint about both, thiugh, which is the awful added fragrance in their cosmetics.
2. Eggnog or gingerbread?
I like a splash of eggnog in my coffee.
3. Would you rather bake cookies or go ice skating?
Cookies! I can’t risk the injuries from ice skating, lol.
4. Does your home have a fireplace?
Yes, but the chimney hasn’t been cleaned in many years.
6. Something beauty-related that you wouldn’t mind from Santa?
Bergamote 22 from Le Labo.
7. A holiday song you enjoy?
Silent Night. Once per season.
8. Best holiday movie?
Miracle on 34th Street
9. Shall we decorate a gingerbread house today?
If by decorate you mean eat all the gingerbread cookies, then yes! With coffee!
1. Dior or YSL? Dior.
2. Eggnog or gingerbread? Gingerbread
3. Would you rather bake cookies or go ice skating? I would love to be able to ice skate – I’ve never had the chance to learn. There are very few ice rinks in my area. So I guess, bake cookies.
4. Does your home have a fireplace? Yes, but it’s an old tract house with a really cheap-looking adobe brick facade and NO mantelpiece. Fireplaces are overrated – most of the heat goes straight up the chimney. If you don’t cap the chimney, birds will live in your chimney.
5. A Christmas memory from your childhood? The main thing I remember is the “feast or famine” years. For two years we had really nice Christmas gifts, and then we “had” to move, and my parents spent almost nothing on the gifts for 4 kids so they could afford the move (which I found out many years later was NOT a forced business move, but something for more personal reasons on my father’s part). (By the way, a forced move in the middle of the school year is one of the absolute worst things you can do to a 12-year-old 7th grader.)
6. Something beauty-related that you wouldn’t mind from Santa? A Pat McGrath palette.
7. A holiday song you enjoy? Carol of the Bells.
8. Best holiday movie? “The Shop Around the Corner” is a classic. I also like “Elf.”
9. Shall we decorate a gingerbread house today? Sure.
1. Dior or YSL?
Dior for makeup, YSL for fragrance.
2. Eggnog or gingerbread?
Gingerbread. Love it!
3. Would you rather bake cookies or go ice skating?
Bake cookies.
4. Does your home have a fireplace?
Yes.
5. A Christmas memory from your childhood?
The year I found Santa’s stash. Oh the humanity!
6. Something beauty-related that you wouldn’t mind from Santa?
Honestly, some beauty sleep wouldn’t go amiss. Barring that, a gift certificate for a spa day (mani-pedi and massage) would be just glorious. Truly.
7. A holiday song you enjoy?
Slick Nick, You Devil You by Fishbone. 8. Best holiday movie?
I’m partial to Auntie Mame and Meet Me in St. Louis.
9. Shall we decorate a gingerbread house today?
Sure, let’s do the thing!
1. Dior or YSL? Dior I think. Not sure I’ve ever used any YSL that I liked.
2. Eggnog or gingerbread? Gingerbread for sure. Extra bonus if it’s gingerbread cake.
Eggnog reminds me of phlegm, especially if it’s not diluted with more milk.
3. Would you rather bake cookies or go ice skating? Cookies for sure.
4. Does your home have a fireplace? Yes, but we haven’t used it in many years. I’m sure there are still old nests in the chimney from the time between the last time the chimney cap escaped and the time we finally had the crown redone and the cap replaced.
5. A Christmas memory from your childhood? The year we had to sleep at my grandparents’ house on Christmas Eve because we slid off the road on the way home and had to wait to have the car pulled out the next morning.
6. Something beauty-related that you wouldn’t mind from Santa? Wouldn’t say no to one of those mega-packs of the Dr. Dennis Gross extra strength peel pads.
7. A holiday song you enjoy? Most of them, I think.
8. Best holiday movie? Die Hard or the George C. Scott or Patrick Stewart versions of A Christmas Carol.
9. Shall we decorate a gingerbread house today? Maybe but I’m surely short of candy.
1. Dior or YSL? I’ve only used lippies from YSL.
2. Eggnog or gingerbread? Gingerbread
3. Would you rather bake cookies or go ice skating? Bake cookies, specifically gingerbread people with my little guy
4. Does your home have a fireplace? Yes, but we don’t use it
5. A Christmas memory from your childhood? Going to early morning mass (we’re talking before sunrise!) growing up in the Philippines. I was not a fan but we got treats afterwards
6. Something beauty-related that you wouldn’t mind from Santa? A year supply of Skinceuticals sunscreen
7. A holiday song you enjoy? The Christmas Song
8. Best holiday movie? A Muppet Christmas Carol with the kid; Bad Santa with the hubby haha
9. Shall we decorate a gingerbread house today? Sure!
1. Dior or YSL? Both!
2. Eggnog or gingerbread? Eggnog all the way.
3. Would you rather bake cookies or go ice skating? Bake Cookies
4. Does your home have a fireplace? Yes…we hardly use it! Sadly.
5. A Christmas memory from your childhood? My Easy Bake Oven from Santa
6. Something beauty-related that you wouldn’t mind from Santa? Love it all, Anything!!!! Maybe a Nuface?
7. A holiday song you enjoy? Do They Know It’s Christmas (Band Aid)
8. Best holiday movie? Home Alone
9. Shall we decorate a gingerbread house today?