She invited a stranger to Thanksgiving by accident. This will be their fourth holiday together

'As promised! Here's our 2019 update'. Photo / Twitter

In 2016, Wanda Dench texted the wrong number while inviting her grandson over for Thanksgiving dinner.

The mix-up quickly became clear as Jamal Hinton, now 20, asked for a photo from the woman who said he hoped to see him at her house at 3pm.

"You not my grandma," he texted back, an emoji added to convey his laughter.

But Dench, now 62, said her invitation stood. She lived 25 minutes away in Arizona. Hinton accepted.

Four years later, they're still celebrating the holiday together. And having barbecues. And going on dinner dates to Benihana's.

"She's a great cook and she's a great person to just hang out with," Hinton told Time as the latest get-together approached. His favourite dishes from Dench's kitchen: her turkey and green bean casserole.

Dench and Hinton's accidental friendship charmed the Internet back in 2016 - and every November since, as they snap a new Thanksgiving selfie. Pictures from the last three years sit pinned atop Hinton's Twitter timeline.

It all started with the errant text that Dench said she was initially embarrassed about. Her grandchildren thought it was "a hoot" and still tease her, she told the Post in 2017.

Hinton said he was joking when - after confirming the unknown was not, in fact, his grandma - he texted, "Can I still get a plate tho?"

"Of course you can," said Dench. "That's what [grandmas] do . . . Feed everyone."

So on November 24, Hinton made the short drive to Mesa, Arizona, where he met not only Dench but her husband and her family - including her grandson.

"She was very sweet and open," Hinton told the Post two years ago. "I thought, 'I can't really not accept an offer like that.' "

As promised! Here’s our 2019 update 🦃 @mikaela_autumn pic.twitter.com/hHGZUXYzr3

— Jamal Hinton (@kingjamal08) November 29, 2019

In a video of last year's Thanksgiving meetup that Hinton posted online, Dench traced her attitude to her military family upbringing. She was always moving around and meeting new people, she said.

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

The circle of people keeps expanding. Now, Hinton brings his girlfriend Mikaela to dinner. This year's get-together will brought Dench to the house of Mikaela's aunt, he told Good Morning America. Also coming along is the Monopoly set that Hinton says he got from Dench as a gift.

"We don't watch TV or anything. We just sit at the table for a couple of hours and talk the whole time and tell stories and see how we've been," he told Time. "Time kind of just flies, we don't even realise how long we've been there. They're really good company."

Dench tweeted on Thursday that she "had a blast" at this year's celebration, captured partially on video.

Had a blast with Jamal & family pic.twitter.com/IMmAOSSkg0

— Wanda D (@wandadench) November 29, 2019

Hinton said that he wants to play the host someday but that the logistics were tough this year as he and Mikaela move into a new apartment.

"Next year," he added.