elderly man chatting with younger woman
Mayukh Saha
Mayukh Saha
November 26, 2023 ·  3 min read

Woman Asks Elderly Man on His First Date in 55 Years upon Realizing He’ll Spend Christmas Alone

A Tiffy Taffy Highlight Story: Sometimes there are tales that are just too good, too beautiful, or too unbelievable to keep locked away. That’s why we scour the archives and bring some of them back to enjoy again. They may make you smile or shed a tear, but they’re always meant to add a little positivity to your day. Enjoy! 

Christmas is a time of togetherness, which means spending some quality time with friends and family. But there are many people in the world who do not have those gifts. A lot of them are just too old and only have seen their dear ones pass away. For them, and everyone else here is a Christmas story from 2017 which shows that festive kindness does not have any boundaries – age or acquaintance.

This is a story all the way from the United Kingdom. 22-year-old Ellie Walker was a normal employee at a Sainsbury’s supermarket. However, she had done something very special for Edwin Holmes, who was 86 years old. She had asked him out on a Christmas date.

The Christmas Was A Memorable Occasion

In an interview with The Sun, both Holmes and Walker shared their stories.

Edwin used to be a decorator and painter. However, at that point in life, he was just a pensioner. His home was sheltered housing that was near the store where Ellie worked. In 2016, and after being married for 45 years, his wife had passed away. He had no friends or family left in the country. His only daughter and 2 grandchildren were settled in Australia.

Ellie was a worker at one of the Sainsbury branches in Leeds for 3 years by then. Edwin was one of the regular customers who would visit and chat with the staff almost every day. After hearing his life’s story, Ellie did not want to let the octogenarian spend Christmas day by himself with only a ready-made meal.

Ellie Walker and Edwin Holmes having Christmas dinner in 2017
Image via Expertise Homecare Ltd | Facebook

So she invited him out to dinner during the Christmas holidays. Edwin did accept the invitation, and he turned up appropriately dressed for the occasion. He wore a suit and also a bouquet of flowers for the dinner. The small act was enough to move Ellie to tears:

It made me cry because I could see how much it meant to him. For me, it’s the most important part of my job to speak with customers and see how their day is going.

Edwin said that the Christmas date with Ellie was his first in 55 years! Ellie said: “He was as nervous as a schoolboy”. Edwin, on the other hand, found the unexpected outing to be a happy moment. He also found the company to be pleasant. As for the flowers, Edwin did not want to turn up empty-handed[2].

Edwin Holmes having Christmas dinner in 2017
Image via Expertise Homecare Ltd | Facebook



Read: Hugging is The Most Beautiful Form of Communication

 The Two Remained Close Friends

After the Christmas dinner, the unlikely friends stayed in touch. They regularly met for some coffee and a chat. Ellie says that they find each other’s company pleasant.

For Ellie, Edwin became her favorite customer. She explained that she talked with Edwin because she thought of her grandfather:

He is the cutest man and so chatty. I thought if it was my granddad and he was alone I would want someone to talk to him.

It has been 4 years since the original story, and we hope the duo has remained happy and stayed friends. Their story is one of finding friends in the most unlikely people – a fitting anecdote for the Christmas spirit of togetherness.

Keep Reading: 108-year-old Canadian man said the trick to a long life is to pick a good wife

Sources

  1. COME DINE WITH ME Sainsbury’s worker, 22, has dinner ‘date’ with elderly widower after learning he has no friends or family – and he turns up with flowers and his best suit.”The Sun. Lauren Fruen. February 27, 2017.
  2. Sainsbury’s worker takes elderly man out on date after finding out he’s all alone.” Metro. Ashitha Nagesh. March 2, 2017.