Woman Recreating Grandma's Old Pics As Birthday Gift Delights the Internet

A 26-year-old woman's unusual gift for her grandmother has delighted the internet after a video of her recreating her grandma's old photographs has gone viral.

Posted on TikTok on Monday, Lakyn Bowman from Milan, Tennessee, shared the video which now has over 7 million views and 1.6 million likes.

In the video, Bowman is seen doing her hair and makeup in the mirror. The caption read: "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"

Using a combination of hair, makeup, and vintage clothing, Bowman recreates six of her grandmother's photos.

"Not me tearing up over a stranger and their grandmother looking identical," wrote one commenter.

Another wrote: "You replicated every image perfectly! So cute!"

Pew Research Center data from 2015 showed that 83 percent of Americans ages 65 and older say they have grandchildren. Among those surveyed, 25 percent said that spending time with their grandchildren was by far the best part about growing old.

The stills recreated by Bowman included a shot of her smiling brightly in a floral shirt, pouring coffee in the kitchen, and dressed up in a pink dress with a beautiful head of curls.

Bowman updated followers after she had shown her grandmother the images, writing: "I recorded the Facetime call but the audio didn't save! I'm sorry, no reaction video! But she LOVED them. As sweet as you'd expect."

She later decided to share the reaction video without the audio, where her grandmother is seen beaming as she sees the images created by her granddaughter. In the video, Bowman also shared that her great-grandparents were also watching.

The heartwarming gesture has left a smile on many faces. One commenter wrote: "This is seriously everything! I can only imagine how much these photos mean to her." Another shared: "This is so thoughtful."

A survey by Inviqa found that 69 percent of respondents preferred giving gifts to receiving them. Additionally, research by the National Retail Federation found that 46 percent of Generation Z college students said they look to social media for inspiration for presents.

In a later post on her Instagram page, Bowman shared her joy at the viral reaction to her thoughtful gift: "My grandma and I are truly so grateful for the response we got on our video! Thank you so much! I'm so lucky to still have my grandparents and [be] able to give a gift like this."

In December, the internet backed a woman who complained that she hated the gifts she receives from her partner. Don't miss these five gift unwrapping videos that will melt your heart.

Newsweek has reached out to Laykn Bowman for comment.