Her maid of honor gave her a gift she couldn't open for 25 years. The contents were worth the wait.

In 2000, Carri Anne received a wedding shower gift from her maid of honor with a strict instruction written across the top: "Do not open until July 29, 2025." For a quarter of a century, she kept that promise. The small box, sealed with medical tape, traveled the world with her and her husband through his military career, a constant, unopened mystery.

As the 25-year mark approached, her children convinced her to capture the long-awaited unveiling on TikTok. With no idea what to expect, she carefully opened the box, thinking it might contain old photos or a gag gift.

Instead, she found a stack of index cards filled with handwritten notes.

At first, she thought they were all from her maid of honor. But then she noticed a change in the handwriting. "I recognized my sister’s note, then my mom’s handwriting," she said. It was a deeply emotional discovery, as her mother had passed away eight years prior. "It was really a very special moment."

The notecards were a time capsule from the year 2000, filled with messages from the loved ones who attended her shower. They contained snapshots of life at the turn of the millennium: political gossip, updates on Wisconsin sports teams, and fashion notes from a different era. "We all thought the world was going to end, the computers were going to stop," she laughed.

A computer from the year 2000Canva

A New Tradition

The video of the opening went viral, touching viewers around the world. Many were moved by the priceless gift of seeing a loved one's handwriting years after they were gone. "Mostly the comments that have touched me the most are how special it was to have handwriting from loved ones who have passed," Carri Anne shared.

Inspired by the powerful gift, her family has decided to start a new tradition. "My husband and kids were like, ‘Why don’t we take the same box and cross out 2025 and put 2050?'" she said.

For Carri Anne, the 25-year-old box became more than just a gift; it was a profound connection to her past and the people who shaped her life. "Moments are so precious in life. Time changes really fast, so we’ve got to just hold on to each day," she reflected. "It just makes you realize how special it is to hold them in your hands, all these years later."

You can follow Carri Anne (@carriannemanning) on TikTok for more lifestyle content.

This article originally appeared earlier this year.