🦊🍪 The Silver Fox Twin Photos: 40 Years of a Twin Tradition

From Alabama childhood to international travel, a simple photo idea became a lifelong tradition shared across continents and decades

Written by Silver Fox Twin Roy Williams of Birmingham, Ala.

From childhood in Alabama to travel across Europe, one tradition has followed us for more than 40 years:

The Twin Cookie Photos.

Roy on one side.


Troy on the other.


Someone in the middle.

Simple idea. Lasting tradition.

What started as family fun and college memories grew into a storytelling ritual that now travels with us across continents.

And at the center of it all is something simple:

Our lifelong love of cookies.

👉 WATCH THE TWIN COOKIE REEL HERE:
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1GzWMn8cLA/?mibextid=wwXIfr

🦊 It Started With Cookies

Growing up in Alabama, we were inseparable from birth through high school: dressed alike, acting alike, and arguing about almost everything.

But one thing we always agreed on:

We loved cookies: especially Oreos.

That sweet tooth followed us into adulthood and became part of our identity long before we ever thought about photos or storytelling.

By college, our personalities had started to stretch beyond the quiet shyness of earlier years.

As identical twins who often dressed alike, we naturally drew attention….and gradually got more comfortable with it.

That shift led to something simple but lasting:

A photo tradition was about to begin.

🎓 The International House Years: Where It All Took Shape

During our sophomore year at Jacksonville State University, we lived in the International House with students from around the world.

That environment changed everything.

We started taking photos with classmates and friends from different countries standing between us:

Roy on the left. (He’s left-handed)

Troy on the right (He’s right-handed)


Someone new in the middle every time.

Occasionally, we would forget which side to be on.

Soon, the pattern became the point.

It was fun. It was inclusive. And it gave us an easy way to connect with people instantly.

Before long, the Twin Cookie Photos tradition was born.

🌍 Fast Forward 40 Years: The Silver Fox Era Begins

Life moved on.

Careers. Families. Continents.

Roy began a 25–year journalism degree & 14 years of PR in Birmingham, Alabama. 🇺🇸


Troy moved to Europe after serving 22½ years in the U.S. Air Force and later 15 years as a civilian supporting U.S. military operations. 🇳🇱🇧🇪

For years, the tradition faded into memory.

Then something unexpected happened.

We turned 60.

We grew silver beards to honor our late father’s memory.

And a new identity emerged: The Silver Fox Twins.

🦊🍪 The Twin Cookie Photos Return—Bigger Than Ever

In 2024, during a reunion across 10 cities in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, the tradition came back to life.

But this time, it wasn’t just classmates and friends in the middle.

It was:

● Strangers

● Families

● Tourists

● Other twins

● People who simply wanted to join the moment

What made it special wasn’t the setup.

It was the shared experience.

The tradition took on a new name:

Silver Fox Twin Cookie Photos

📸 DOUBLE STUFF EDITION

If there are two people in the middle?

That’s a Double Stuff Cookie Photo.

No further explanation needed.

🤝 Signature Handshakes

Over the years, a few unofficial poses became part of the tradition:

👍 The Twin Thumbs-Up Photo
Simple.

Consistent. Always works.

🤝 The Silver Fox Handshake Series


Several variations developed over time, often interrupted by laughter before completion.

😂 The “Just Take the Picture” Moment


Used when we stop overthinking and let the moment happen.

🧠 Why This Tradition Matters

At its core, this isn’t just about photos.

It’s about connection.

A simple idea became a shared experience.


A shared experience became a tradition.


And a tradition became a way to bring people into our story.

What started in Alabama now travels with us wherever we go.

🦊 Closing Thoughts

After 40 years, some things have changed.

We’ve grown older.


We’ve lived on different continents.


We’ve built separate lives.

But some things remain the same:

We still love cookies.


We still laugh when we take the photos.

.We still argue about who started it.


And we still occasionally forget which side we’re supposed to stand on.

Because in the end, this was never really about getting the photo right.

It was about something better: Being in the moment…and sharing it with others.

🦊🍪 The Silver Fox Twins

Two continents. One bond. A lifelong rivalry. And a cookie tradition that turned into a way of connecting the world—one photo at a time.