Dying Widower Leaves 14 Christmas Gifts for 2-Year-Old Neighbor & a Holiday Tale to Last for Years

One Monday evening in December, a man was startled by a knock on the door—his neighbor's daughter had come to deliver something on her father's behalf. After thanking her, he took the package to his wife; when they saw what was inside, they couldn't control their emotions.

Owen and Caroline Williams were oblivious to what the universe had planned for them and their beautiful family. It all began when the couple moved to the British seaside town of Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, south-east Wales.

A few days later, they became acquainted with their neighbor—an elderly man named Ken Watson. But in no way was it a regular or a mundane meeting; instead, it was an exciting encounter that the Williamses would continue to remember and cherish for the rest of their lives.

A Man of Many Hobbies

At the time, Owen was baffled to see an 83-year-old Ken erecting scaffolding in front of his home and bouncing on top of a 20-foot ladder. Much to his surprise, pogo-hopping on a tall ladder wasn't the only adventure Ken had embarked on in his life; he had many other interesting hobbies.

Initially, Owen thought it was a trash bag, but when he took it inside to his wife, he couldn't believe his eyes.

It was only a matter of time before the Williamses befriended their older neighbor, who was adoringly spry and had dabbled in a myriad of areas. According to Owen, Ken was a former seaman, salvage diver, baker, and carpenter. He also had a keen interest in classical music and opera and enjoyed playing accordion.

He Was Fond of the Little Girl

But beneath his vibrant streak lay a grieving man who had lost the love of his life—his wife, Beryl, in February 2012. After bidding farewell to his beloved partner, Ken began feeling lonesome and had no grandkids to keep him company.

In the winter of his life, he picked up various hobbies to keep himself distracted, including skydiving, wing-walking, and parachute jumping at age 85. But there was another thing Ken enjoyed wholeheartedly: watching Owen and Caroline's baby girl, Cadi Williams, grow up.

While Cadi was too young to remember her older friend, his affection for her grew with each passing day. Ken, who had once worked in and successfully operated his family's Cardiff bakery business, forged a deep and lasting companionship with the little girl and her parents.

Children's Favorite Santa

Then one day in October 2018, Ken passed away, leaving his family, friends, and neighbors forever shattered. Owen described his octogenarian neighbor as "a real character" with many astounding traits. He was used to seeing Ken become Santa for the neighborhood kids, surprising them with heart-melting gifts.

Later, the Cymru resident learned that Ken had bought the local toy store to present the children with adorable holiday gifts. He had even surprised little Cadi with an enormous stuffed lion for her first Christmas. His sudden demise had left a huge void that could never be filled.

A Surprise Visitor

On the Monday evening before Christmas, Owen was interrupted by a knock on the door. When he answered, he was astonished to see Ken's daughter, Jenny, with a large bag in her hands. Initially, Owen thought it was a trash bag, but when he took it inside to his wife, he couldn't believe his eyes. He recalled:

"Our elderly neighbour passed away recently. His daughter popped round a few moments ago clutching a large plastic sack. In the sack were all the Christmas presents he'd bought for *our* daughter for the next thirteen years."

Unwrapping One Gift

Owen quickly corrected himself and noted that the package contained fourteen gifts, one for two-year-old Cadi's birthday every year until 2032. "He always told us he'd live till he was 100 years old, so these gifts would have taken him up to our little girl's 16th Christmas," added Owen.

However, there was one small problem: Ken had not labeled the gifts by age or year. Unable to resist the urge to see what was inside, the Williamses opened one gift, which was a children's book titled "Christmas Eve at the Mellops" by Tomi Ungerer.

Taking Twitter's Advice

Not sure whether to open all the gifts at once or unwrap one each year, Owen turned to Twitter and did a little poll. Finally, he decided to listen to the majority of the netizens who suggested that one present should be opened every year. He told Bored Panda:

"They weren't for me, after all. My wife's curiosity got the better of her with one gift, but now Twitter has spoken, so we'll abide by the internet's collective wisdom!"

A Christmas Tradition

Owen and Caroline mutually agreed to give Cadi one gift every Christmas and share her picture of unwrapping it on Twitter. In doing so, the parents hoped their baby girl would come to know a man who loved and doted on her for as long as he knew her. Owen recounted:

"So we will create this familial Christmas tradition all about this elderly gentleman who was very kind to her once upon a time, who she will never know, only through stories."

Truly Unexpected

Ken's daughter, Jenny, said she discovered the Christmas presents secretly stashed away and only stumbled upon them while cleaning. Meanwhile, the Williamses shared that they had no idea their 87-year-old neighbor had bought Christmas goodies for their girl. Owen recollected:

"It's difficult describing it because it was so unexpected. I don't know how long he put them away whether it was over the last two years or whether he bought them towards the end of his life."

An Everlasting Holiday Tale

Another testament to Ken's warm-heartedness and amiable nature was how quickly he befriended Owen and Caroline's family dog. The couple said he gave her chocolate biscuits on their first meeting, after which she constantly screamed and ran to him whenever they crossed paths.

While the Williamses would undoubtedly miss their friendly old neighbor in the coming years, they were glad they got to know him and his beautiful heart. Owen noted that he planned to turn the gift unwrapping ritual into a holiday tale for his daughter.

Getting to Know Your Neighbors

Since 2018, little Cadi has had a wonderful time opening her Christmas presents, and her dad's Twitter thread has received an overwhelming response from netizens. Owen mentioned that he was approached by several media outlets and people who told him they were struck by how close his family was to Ken. He added:

"The thing that stands out to me is how few people know their neighbors. People are saying, 'That's so lovely. I don't even know my neighbors.' This Christmas, take your neighbors a bottle of wine or a small gift, a token. Just say, 'Hi.' You can open a new world like we did."

Netizens React

Cadi's heartwarming Christmas story warmed the hearts of many people who couldn't help but pour their thoughts and feelings in the comment section:

"Like her own guardian angel looking over her."

— (@sara.lane.50) December 19, 2018

"What a beautiful man the world today needs more people like him bless him."

— (@katrina.price.7792) December 19, 2018

"Just when I'm about done with humans I read a post like this, in tears and feel grateful to be reminded that decency and kindness does exist. Such an altruistic man with a beautiful soul."

— (@TaraMulholland77) December 18, 2018

What an affectionate and loving old fellow with a heart of gold! He will surely be remembered for many years for his thoughtfulness, and we're sure Cadi and her family will enjoy opening her Christmas presents every year.

Click here to read another beautiful story about a four-year-old Georgia girl who celebrated Thanksgiving with a widowed 82-year-old best friend.