desymbol: 18-Year-Old Shares The Contents Of A Time Capsule Her Parents And Relatives Made Her On Her 1st Birthday

On her 18th birthday, Gracie Chastain received a special gift from her parents – a gift that was 17 years in the making. When the girl turned 1, her parents bought a time capsule and filled it with all sorts of memorabilia ranging from magazines to jewelry with the help of friends and family.

In an interview with Bored Panda, Gracie’s mother Kim said that even though the family moved a couple of times, the time capsule was safely hidden in their basement for the past ten years. “My kids never go in there because they think it’s creepy, so it went unnoticed all these years,” said Kim.

After presenting her daughter with the present, Kim captured her reaction on camera and shared it on Facebook. Her post went viral almost instantly, being shared over 100k times in just a week. See the time capsule’s contents and Gracie’s reaction below!

Image credits: Kim Chastain

Kim said that Gracie’s a “quiet, sweet, shy, totally laid back kid” who loves being home and shares the same slapstick humor with her dad. “On the flip side, Gracie is a performer and she is brilliant, fierce, and uninhibited on stage. She’s a skilled dancer and a beautiful singer,” said the mother. Not only that – Gracie is also a dance teacher at the Brownsburg Ballroom Dance Studio run by her family. “She aspires to be a performer at Walt Disney World after she graduates high school,” added Kim.

Image credits: Kim Chastain

“On her birthday, [Gracie] only had a few of her show choir friends come over because she had rehearsal until late that evening. I had [the time capsule] waiting on the kitchen island for her when she got home. She asked me why there was a cooler on the island,” joked Kim.

Image credits: Kim Chastain

Kim gave Gracie a birthday card explaining what the box was and that she could only open it the next day, during her birthday party. “I figured if I waited for 17 years to be able to tell her about it, I should at least be able to make her anticipate what’s in it for one full day!” said Kim.

Image credits: Kim Chastain

Kim says that her friends were just as excited about the time capsule as Gracie was and asked for updates when she opened it. “We had a small gathering of her grandparents and a few aunts and cousins the next day and they were there to witness her open the time capsule,” said the mother.

Image credits: Kim Chastain

“Gracie’s favorite things were pictures of her grandparents, jewelry, and, of course, the savings bonds and cash. She said she felt that there were so many people that cared about her that she didn’t even know,” said Kim. “I asked her what she wishes we would have included in the box but didn’t, and she said predictions on what we thought she’d be like at 18 would have been fun.”

Image credits: Kim Chastain

Kim says that a lot of people reached out to her saying they wish they would have done the same thing when their kids were little. “Why not make one for your 5-year-old to open when they’re 21? Or your 18-year-old to open when they’re 40?” advised Kim. “Or make one for your child/grandchild/fiance for their wedding day? Who wouldn’t want to open a time capsule from a loved one even as a grown adult? Go for it!”

Image credits: Kim Chastain

Kim says that like many other High School Seniors right now, Gracie is losing the last of her Senior Year and all the experiences that go along with it. “For her, losing her last Show Choir Competitions was a major disappointment. This whole experience of receiving so much love from this time capsule, and all the people who have shared it, has been such a positive and encouraging experience,” concluded Kim.