Mom & Dad, Christmas, 1969.

I’m unsure what I like best about this photo…from the actual popcorn mom popped and threaded with a needle, by hand, to string around the tree, or the real candy canes hung on the branches, or the homemade gingerbread cookies that she baked then tied onto the tree branches. The irony is that the tree is fake; they brought it all the way back from Europe and we were still putting it together each Christmas when I was in high school.

Then there’s the shag carpet, dad’s shirt, the deerskin moccasins, my young parents sitting on the floor, and the fact that it was only the two of them…meaning they actually set a timer, and a tripod and planned the portrait! Classic.

What I remember most, though, is that guitar. It was a 1960s nylon stringed Martin original classical guitar that dad happened upon when he was in college. He taught me to play it as soon as I was big enough to hold down the strings. The first song I learned was the Carpenter’s version of ‘Puff the Magic Dragon,’ followed by an entire album of Jim Croce tunes and finally ‘Your Song’ by Elton John. So cool to see dad probably playing exactly one of those songs for mom that Christmas even before we were born. ~shared by @shawnmcarson