There is a very special place in our hearts reserved for our grandparents, their humor, their love, and their cooking. I personally have tried to replicate my nan’s recipes, only to fail miserably every time, but at least it has amused her repeatedly. One thing I do tend to excel at is birthday cake, yet Lakyn Bowman (@lakynbowman) has me beat with her surprise for her grandma’s 71st birthday. She, realizing how much they look alike, decided to replicate pictures from her grandma's youth. This story is both heartwarming and ingenious, let’s get into it!
More info: TikTok
Meet Lakyn, the mastermind behind the gift!
Image credits: lakynthrifts
This is Lakyn Bowman (@lakynbowman), a 26-year-old entrepreneur and creator. Her little store Lakyn Thrifts aims to promote a more sustainable, environmentally conscious way to decorate our homes and find joy in vintage treasures.
Her Instagram and TikTok accounts focus on upcycling and making use of thrifted items, but she caught the attention of millions for the cutest gift a granddaughter could present her 71-year-old grandma.
She transforms into a spitting image of her grandmother to recreate the pictures
Image credits: lakynbowman
Lakyn posted a video on TikTok of her getting ready, putting on light blue eyeshadow, lots of orange blush, curling her hair, all the while the caption saying: “I recently saw photos of my grandma when she was my age and we look so much alike! Today is her 71st birthday and I have the perfect gift idea.” And indeed perfect it was.
Image credits: lakynbowman
Image credits: lakynbowman
Bored Panda reached out to Lakyn to ask about her grandma and the memories they share. The earliest one might be her being taught how to cut a banana with a knife, so that she "could put sliced banana in my frosted flakes in my Tony the Tiger bowl!" How adorable is that! She continued to say that the one thing her gran would be known for are her Rice Krispy Treats. She would bring them to every family event and Lakyn learned how to make them with her.
The side-by-side comparisons are truly stunning and heartwarming
Image credits: lakynthrifts
The similarities between the two after her transformation are undeniable. Through the ingenuities of filters, makeup, and creative set design, we truly can go back in time and relive some of the best times captured on camera. Truly, a means to touch history! And to us '90s babies, it does bring back the taste of nostalgia.
Image credits: lakynthrifts
Lakyn told Bored Panda that she didn't think anything could surpass this gift: "this gift is more than just photos of myself because I look like her. These photos make my grandma feel seen. She loves us grandkids so so much! She was able to see herself in someone she loves so deeply. And all the love and support from strangers on the internet has also made her feel so special, important, and seen. She is always putting others first and making sure we are all taken care of. I wanted to make something special JUST for her".
The video itself stands at 8.5M views today, with many sending their love and congratulations on the perfect gift
Image credits: lakynthrifts
The video went viral rapidly, amassing 8.5M views, 1.8M likes on TikTok alone, and thousands of people sending their love to Lakyn and her grandmother, as well as praise and amazement at the creative idea. What’s better is this is such a replicable idea, literally most people could take it on and put their own spin on it, so people, get to it! A birthday isn’t the only day when you should be surprising your grandparents, that's for sure.
Image credits: lakynthrifts
Lakyn shared some tips if you'd like to try it for yourselves. All you'll need to do is "find photos that you really see yourself in. Get outfits that are as similar as you can find. I got mine from thrift stores I collected for weeks. Get the angles right. Pay attention to shoulder placement. What part of her body is cropped out. Match her expression. Shoot the photos on the Dazz Cam app edited with the Tezza app by adding lots of grain and other color adjustments. Any other details you can recreate like background, flowers, makeup, earrings, etc." She's also made a video on her TikTok showing the editing process.
Image credits: lakynthrifts
Her grandmother's reaction is the cherry on the cake - a woman full of joy and pride
Image credits: lakynbowman
And of course, you can’t have a cake without the cherry on top. Her grandmother’s reaction to the video speaks louder than words. The pure joy and excitement radiating from her is palpable. She is also joined by her mother, Lakyn’s great-grandmother! What an amazing gift for the whole family! A piece of history being remade and, potentially, something to be replicated by future generations to come.
Here's the full video for your viewing pleasure
Lakyn has come back to Instagram to give a word of thanks for all the love being sent their way: “I cannot believe it. Thank you to everyone for the sweet words. My grandma and I are beyond grateful!” Indeed, the comment section has been overwhelming with the amounts of love sent to the grandma-granddaughter duo.
The video touched a lot of viewers, making them cry. We certainly can't blame them
Some are pointing out the wholesomeness of the situation
Others notice the striking resemblance between granddaughter and grandma
Finally, it made us remember our own grandparents and appreciate them for everything they've done
