'Tis the Season

Hello, dear readers, 

Today I thought I'd search for a winter-related tag to do so that I would have something to give you in between now and my winter break (I started writing this last month! It's now the end of my break. Oops!). I struggled to find one that wasn't strictly about Christmas, as I realize not everyone, myself included, celebrates it. Luckily, this 'Tis the Season Tag is more neutral! Warning: This will be wordy! Let's get into it:

❄ Top 2 Winter Beauty Essentials 
Moisturizers for face and body, as my skin gets very dry and flaky. My face is dry/combination, but it gets drier in the winter, and my hands get chapped and red. Specific products: Any of the Avon Moisture Therapy hand creams are great and have either little or no fragrance. For my face, I use Neutrogena Oil Free Moisture Sensitive Skin. It's not rich, but it does the job. 

Source

Moisturizing lip color. I just received the Clinique Taste of Honey holiday gift set for my birthday [Thanks, Mom, if you're reading!], which contains four Almost Lipsticks: Luscious Honey [a sheer deep red], Shy Honey [a sheer baby pink], Flirty Honey [a sheer bright pink], and Black Honey [sheer deep wine/burgundy]. These are moisturizing enough that I don't need to wear a lip balm underneath, and the sheer color is definitely buildable.  Other good moisturizing lip colors are the Clinique Chubby Sticks and Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters.

❄ Top 2 Winter Fashion Essentials

Cardigans/sweaters. Throw on a cute top from the warmer months, top with a cardigan, and you have the recipe to my cold weather wardrobe. I do have to say, though, that I've been loving throwing on pullover sweaters, because they're so comfy and easy to wear.

A cute winter coat. I've struggled with bulky, puffy, coats before, and I've also found myself matching both toddlers and moms in my Columbia jackets. I now have a belted, longer winter coat from Victoria's Secret that is both functional and [I'd like to think] fashionable.

❄ What shoes do you tend to wear the most in the winter?
This year, I've been wearing my riding boots from Alloy. There hasn't been a lot of snow yet, so I've been able to get away with that.

❄ Favorite Winter Accessory
To be quite honest, I don't really have winter-specific accessories. I don't wear scarves or hats or anything like that.

❄ Favorite Winter Nail Polish
In the winter, I always love a good red nail polish. Hands down, my favorite red this season is OPI The Spy Who Loved Me. It's a gorgeous bright red with red and gold shimmer.  The other two polishes from my OPI Skyfall trio are great cold-weather colors as well. Goldeneye is the perfect glimmering, warm gold. Skyfall is a strange brownish burgundy, which isn't usually my cup of tea, but I love it for the winter. 

❄ Hot Cocoa or Apple Cider?
Hot cocoa. No question.

❄ Favorite Winter Candle?
I don't ever buy scented candles, but I did receive a Slatkin & Co. mini candle in an Influenster Beauty VoxBox a couple of months ago. The scent is pumpkin cupcake, and it smells delicious enough to eat. 

❄ Snowboarding or Skiing?
Neither. I'm terrified of both.

❄ Have you ever gone Ice Skating? Are you any good or do you FAIL miserably?
I've only gone a few times in my life, and none recently, but it takes me a while to get my footing. I was never very good.

❄ Does it snow where you live?
Yes.

❄ Have you ever made a snowman?
Yes.

❄ What holiday do you celebrate?
Hanukkah.

❄ Favorite Christmas/Holiday song?
My favorite is actually technically not a holiday song at all. It's "Winter Wonderland," particularly Jason Mraz's version. 

❄ Favorite Christmas/Holiday movie?
I never saw all of A Nightmare Before Christmas, but I feel like I really enjoyed what I did see. As a child, I love A Christmas Story. Now, the only holiday movie I watch with any sort of consistency is Elf.

❄ What is your favorite winter treat? (candy cane, gingerbread, etc...)
Hot cocoa is my favorite. I can't think of a dessert that I particularly favor over any other in the winter.

❄ If you were to ask Santa for one thing and you were guaranteed to get it, what would it be? (even if you don't celebrate christmas)
A guarantee that my next semester of college goes well. Is that cheating? I don't think so.

❄ Do you have anything fun planned for this winter?
Since I'm filling this out after the holidays, I've already fulfilled plans to see movies with friends and family and have a holiday party. As for the rest, I'm not sure.


That's all, folks. I hope you enjoyed this tag!

xEsther

Winter Wonderland [Yes; It's a Tag!]

Source

Hello, dear readers,

Today I present to you the Winter Wonderland tag, found on YouTube. Winter happens to be my least favorite season as far as weather goes, but you can read on to see what I actually like about it!

Here you are:

What is your favorite part of winter?

My favorite part of winter is that it's the holiday season for most people, meaning my friends and I are home from our colleges for winter break. There are also many cheerful lights up for Christmas, which I really enjoy seeing, and I get to celebrate Hanukkah. The lights serve to cheer me up in the winter darkness. I also get to spend more time with my family, and more time reading for pleasure. My friends and I celebrate New Year's Eve together, and, more recently, both Christmas and Hanukkah.

What do you dislike about winter? 

I sincerely dislike cold weather, and I'm a complete wimp about it. I also hate when it snows a foot or more in height, because, while it looks gorgeous from inside, it's a pain to walk through and will promptly turn into sludge. I can't stand the lack of sunlight, especially because it horribly affects my mood. Thank goodness for holiday cheer, or I wouldn't be able to stand the season!

What are your top 3 winter essentials?

I definitely need hydrocortisone, because I get horrible dry patches around my mouth and nose, and in between my brows. That's the only thing that effectively cures the dryness. Avon hand cream is also a must to prevent cracked and sore hands. I practically live in cardigans all winter long, because I don't find long-sleeved shirts terribly comfortable.

Name one thing that reminds you of winter.

Hot cocoa.

What is your ultimate product for winter?

Besides my three essentials, I have to say lip balm. I abhor cracked and dry lips, considering my favorite makeup item is lipstick. Lipstick on flaky skin is just unacceptable.

Is it snowing outside?

Not at the moment, but I'm sure it will snow again before I know it.

What is your favorite hot drink for winter?

Hot cocoa.

What is your favorite winter movie to watch on cold days?

I watch my favorite movies year round, so there aren't really specific seasonal ones. However, the Harry Potter movies are perfect for winter, as many of them are dark and the action tends to take place during wintry scenes. I also enjoy The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe as a movie that prominently features winter. Of course, Elf and classic Christmas movies are always perfect for cold weather.

What is your favorite food to eat in the cold winter months?

I do love the grilled cheese sandwiches my mom makes on the stove, for the days when comfort food is a must, along with tomato soup. Soup in general is always good for winter.

If winter was all year round, what would you always spend your time doing?

Traveling to another country that didn't have winter all year round. I wouldn't be able to live somewhere that had winter all year round. If I had to, however, I'd probably spend tons of time reading novels whilst curled up under a blanket.

That's all for this tag, and I, as always, encourage you to do this as well. At least think about the questions; I enjoy reading people's answers and seeing how my own differ.

I hope those of you who celebrate Hanukkah had a great first night, and those of you who don't are getting excited about their wintry holidays!

xEsther