Thanksgiving Grandma Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton Thanksgiving Photos

In 2016, Phoenix teenager Jamal Hinton received a text from an unknown number that resulted in one of the most wholesome Thanksgiving traditions.

Hinton (then 17 years old) told PEOPLE at the time, "The text said, 'Thanksgiving at my house' and it was from a grandma, but I was like, 'When did my grandma learn to text!?' So I asked her for a picture and it definitely was not my grandma."

Hinton jokingly texted the grandma, a.k.a. Wanda Dench, "Can I still get a plate tho?" to which she replied, "Of course you can. That's what grandmas do … feed everyone."

Hinton told PEOPLE, "It was so unexpected, but she was just so sweet about it. It was a reminder that there are still some good people left in this world."

And so Thanksgiving Grandma was born. Ever since that fateful year, Hinton and Dench have gathered to share a holiday meal with various friends and family members. See photos from each year of their meaningful get-togethers.

01 of 08

Thanksgiving 2016

Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton in 2016. Tom Tingle/The Arizona Republic via AP

Hinton spent the holiday with Dench's family and friends in 2016. "She is a very sweet lady," Hinton said of Dench. "She told me her husband was a veteran and she always invited his friends over for dinner, so she's used to having a lot of people over. I just got a vibe from her that made me feel at home."

02 of 08

Thanksgiving 2017

jamal-hinton-1 — Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton in 2017. Jamal Hinton

Dench told ABC News of inviting Hinton over after the texting mix-up, "We moved around a lot so I was always going to new places. And so strangers were not strangers to me."

"Family is more than blood," she added. "It's the people you want to be with."

The pair kept the tradition going in 2017, when they met again for Thanksgiving — this time with Hinton's girlfriend, Mikaela, at the table!

Hinton shared a photo of their second annual Thanksgiving, captioning it, "I guess you can say thanksgiving was one for the books 😌🦃."

03 of 08

Thanksgiving 2018

https://twitter.com/kingjamal08/status/1065780893233467392Jamal Hinton/Twitter — Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton in 2018. Jamal Hinton/Twitter

In 2018, Hinton declared, "It's a tradition now," alongside a photo with Dench.

04 of 08

Thanksgiving 2019

"As promised! Here's our 2019 update 🦃," Hinton shared on Thanksgiving that year alongside photos of the celebration and throwback images from past Thanksgivings.

Hinton and his girlfriend have also gotten together with the Denches outside of Thanksgiving. "Blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives," Hinton wrote of another 2019 selfie with Dench and her husband.

05 of 08

Thanksgiving 2020

In 2020, they met again for the holiday, though they were missing Dench's husband, Lonnie, who died in April 2020 after a battle with COVID-19.

"This Thanksgiving, along with all the holidays coming up, aren't going to be the same as past ones but we will make the best of it," Hinton wrote in an Instagram post. "Rest In Peace to Lonnie and everyone else we lost this year we will miss you greatly. Thank you for being in our lives."

06 of 08

Thanksgiving 2021

"6 years strong💛🦃," Hinton captioned his smiling Thanksgiving day photo with Mikaela and Dench. He also included a slideshow of years past.

Hinton tweeted days prior, "We are all set for year 6," sharing a photo from Thanksgiving 2019 and the text message from "Grandma Wanda" inviting him over for "good food and great conversation."

07 of 08

Thanksgiving 2022

Days before the holiday, Hinton assured followers the tradition would live on in 2022.

"To answer all your questions, yes Thanksgiving year 7 is planned out! See you guys Thursday! 🦃🖤"

The pair appeared on Today on Nov. 23, with Dench saying that Hinton "literally changed my life and my point of view on young generations about being open to friendships when you think you have nothing in common with somebody. But when you just sit and talk to them? Oh my gosh ... He's in my heart for life."

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Thanksgiving 2023

Wanda Dench and Jamal Hinton in 2023.
Jamal Hinton/X

"That’s a wrap on Thanksgiving year 8! Thankful for the connections we made hosting our first @airbnb guest 🧡," Hinton wrote in a Nov. 22, 2023, post on X.

The special guest was identified as Arseni in an Instagram post by Dench, 66, who thanked the guest for staying with them on Monday night as part of an Airbnb promotion to book a stay at Dench’s home in Prescott, Arizona, and join them for the festivities.

"Our year 8 selfie 🧡 Thanks for staying with us, Arseni, and for being part of the good in the world this holiday season #airbnbpartner," she added in her post.

The one-night stay for two guests was priced at $16 — a nod to 2016, the year Wanda and Jamal spent their first Thanksgiving together.