Overcoming PTCD

Christmas decorating is going to be a little bit more exciting for me this year- my wheels are turning with ideas!  Why so different?  Well, for the first time in 5 years of living together, Humbug Hubby has given the green light on white lights- on our porch. As a young Jewish boy working in retail during the holiday season, Hubby was traumatized early by Christmas music on repeat and garish, in-your-face decorations.  Being the good wife that I am, I have tried to be sensitive to his PTCD (post traumatic Christmas disorder) and kept the decorating rather simple.  The extent of our previous exterior decorations was a kissing ball.  Last year, in a moment of clarity (or slip of the tongue) Hubby mentioned how nice tasteful white lights can look.  Yes Dear, I agree, we should totally have tasteful white lights on our porch this year!  What a great idea!

Oh the possibilities!!!

So I was thinking of doing something simple like this:

crazy white lights

Too much?

I can only imagine what our electricity would cost with that on!  I kid of course, I was more thinking along the lines of this.

dog christmas porch

The puppy completes the ambiance.  Think I could get Charlie to pose in a Santa hat?

I love the not-too-traditional-but-still-traditional look of magnolia garland.  Mix in a few metallic leaves and it would be magical (IMHO)

magnolia garland

No lights that I see here, but if you imagine this simple garland with lights, I could see that working on my porch.  I also love the wreath (I see a non-traditional greenery theme emerging)

simple green holiday porch

This is also a leading contender.  Take away the large red bows and maybe add a simple burlap bow and now we're talking.

white christmas

I know it's probably taboo of me to say in blogland, but I have no desire to spend exorbitant amounts of time and money decorating when it'll be mainly Hubby and I seeing it.  I'd rather have a few festive vignettes that put a smile on my face and get us into the holiday spirit.

I'll probably bust out the tree and ornaments and get started this weekend- I may even force Hubby to help.  It'll be good therapy for his PTCD, I think.

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