Celebrating Dating – Paul and Sandra

This is a bit of a different celebrating dating blog post, but in a lot of ways it’s the ultimate endorsement.

In this blog post I’m going to let Emma do most of the talking/writing as the email she sent me really touched me and I don’t think I can say it any better… I wouldn’t even try.

Emma contacted me through our website to share the effect that a box of dates has had on her family, and I’m so glad she was happy for me to share.

Now, before you read on this is an emotional post, this is your ‘mascara warning’ you might want the tissues handy…

Hi Kate,

I wanted to give you some feedback on your product if I may…

My Dad was diagnosed with advanced stage cancer just before Christmas last year. It was devastating for us as we weren’t sure how long he would live, given it had gone from his kidneys to his pancreas and thyroid. We were told it was incurable. For Christmas, I wanted to buy my parents a gift that was a little unique but actually meant something. I found A Box of Dates on a website and thought it would be perfect, albeit bittersweet as we weren’t sure if my Dad would last weeks let alone a year at this point.

My parents were thrilled and couldn’t understand how I had come across such an interesting present for them. Each Sunday they would open a new date and think about how they would fulfill this activity, making the most of their time together. It gave my Dad a new lease of life, a talking point and something to look forward to each week. It gave them a little bit of laughter and a whole lot of love at a time when the world seemed a little darker and scarier. Some weeks were tough, through operations, bed-rest and intense radiotherapy, the dates sometimes had to be confined to indoor activities and some weeks were missed as he was too weak to move.

Luckily, my Dad is still with us and although his struggle with the big C continues, my parents are nearly finished with the dates. I wanted to share this story with you so you can see how special your product has been to our family and played an important role in keeping us focused on the positive things in life.

Thank you again with all my heart.

Emma

This email came at the perfect moment – the aftermath of the consumerism of Black Friday and the run up to Christmas which is a celebration for so many, and a difficult time for others. It’s a reminder that a gift can make a difference It’s not about the bargain or the label, it’s about giving people what they didn’t know they wanted, something to look forward to every week.

I’ve spoken with Emma a few times now and I couldn’t’ stop thinking about her emails, so I wanted to do something to celebrate her parents dating journey. I’m delighted to tell you that we have treated them to an ‘extra date’ and they are off for afternoon tea, on us.

Emails like this are really what small businesses are about and I had no idea when I started this journey that I could be making such a difference. So far we’ve sold over 5,000 boxes – that’s a lot of happy couples all over the world.

I’d love to hear from anyone else who has a story to share too – email me on the contact form or over on Instagram xx