A family befriended their elderly neighbour. When he died, he left a parting gift.

When Owen Williams and his wife moved to Barry, Wales, three years ago, they befriended their elderly neighbour Ken Watson.

One year later, they gave birth to their daughter Cadi, and the 80-something neighbour became a grandfather figure for the toddler.

In October this year, when Cadi was two, Ken passed away.

Days after his death, Ken’s daughter arrived at the neighbour’s home with a huge sack of presents: one for Cadi every year until her 16th birthday in 2032.

“I kept reaching into the bag and pulling out more presents,” Williams told The Washington Post. “You could have knocked me over with a feather. It was quite something.”

He posted about the experience on Twitter, expressing that he wasn’t sure whether to unwrap and rewrap the gifts as to find age appropriate ones for each year, or whether to give Cadi a mystery gift each birthday or Christmas.

“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,” he wrote in the tweet.

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. ???? pic.twitter.com/6CjiZ99Cor

— Owen Williams ???????????????????????????? (@OwsWills) December 17, 2018

“I miscounted. It’s fourteen gifts. 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,” he wrote in the tweet.

I miscounted. It’s fourteen gifts.

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.

— Owen Williams ???????????????????????????? (@OwsWills) December 17, 2018

“My wife and I think it might make a nice Christmas tradition to give our daughter “a present from Ken” for the next 14 years. Issue is, we really have to open them now. Nobody wants to give a fifteen-year-old Duplo!” he added.

My wife and I think it might make a nice Christmas tradition to give our daughter “a present from Ken” for the next 14 years.

Issue is, we really have to open them now. Nobody wants to give a fifteen-year-old Duplo!

— Owen Williams ???????????????????????????? (@OwsWills) December 17, 2018

The story was adored by people around the world, and Twitter users weighed in on whether they thought the parents should unwrap them, or give her one per year.

What a beautiful gesture. I think you should keep them as they are. As she gets older she’ll understand that it’s not the present that matters but the sentiment behind it. Although, thinking about it, I’m not sure if a 1 year old would want makeup….. Tough choice. #nohelpatall

— Nic JH (@Niknak357) December 17, 2018

Definitely one a year without knowing. She’ll appreciate the fact that your elderly neighbour wanted her to have a gift every year from him until she is 16 no matter what’s inside

— Sue ;) (@suewatkins74) December 18, 2018

Stop it Owen, no one’s heart can take this. Plus is daughter delivered them? Oh the feelings…

Take your time, he chose, wrapped and planned them, so he wanted to take his time too

— Rachelle Denton ☇ (@MissRachelle) December 17, 2018

You HAVE to give her one a year. It doesn’t matter in the slightest if they are too old or too young. Presents are all about the giving, not the receiving.

— Matthew Eltringham (@mattsays) December 17, 2018

The couple confirmed that they were going to keep the presents wrapped up, as to maintain the specialness of the gifts.

But temptation overcame them, and they opened just one gift.

We opened one. We couldn’t resist. pic.twitter.com/vlNaRjoFoE

— Owen Williams ???????????????????????????? (@OwsWills) December 17, 2018

Inside was a book titled Christmas Eve at the Mellops.

Does it get any more wholesome than this?

Want more Mamamia stories? Sign up to our newsletters and get our best stories straight into your inbox.