Texas woman opens 25-year-old time capsule — blown away by Walmart prices from 1999

Carrie Grigery never imagined a second-grade class project would resonate with millions decades later. Now a mother of two, Grigery recently went viral after unsealing a time capsule she created back in 1999, when she was just eight years old. The time capsule was a classroom assignment during the 1999–2000 school year in Texas. It ended up becoming a keepsake that traveled with her across six different moves, tucked away until she found it while pulling out Christmas decorations this past winter. Among it all was an old newspaper with an ad for Walmart, and the prices just took her by surprise. It just showed how much prices have shot up in the recent past. Grigery filmed the unboxing and posted the video to TikTok @carriegrigery on June 12, where it gained more than a million views and over 143,000 likes.

Spotting the capsule again after 25 years, she realized the time had finally come. "I don't remember a ton about actually making it, so it was exciting." Among the items she found inside were a story she had written, a Macy’s catalog, and several newspapers her mom had helped her collect. Grigery’s second-grade teacher, Miss Taylor, had also contributed items, including her own address for future contact. It even included a portrait of her holding a baby, which she said "was the biggest, most touching surprise." One issue detailed concerns around Y2K and offered advice on stocking prescriptions and keeping cash on hand. 

She and her husband were especially amused by one comic from a newspaper that read, "Let me turn on the babysitter really quickly," showing a mom switching on the TV. "That still is something we talk about today, with screen time," she said. The Macy’s catalog also offered unexpected insights. "Prices were even more expensive than some of the stuff we have right now, but people could probably argue the quality was a lot better back then," Grigery said, sharing the experience was meaningful not just for herself, but for others who connected with it deeply. "I still have a friend from that class. We were going to do it together, but she isn’t able to come visit from Texas this summer. So I also took the video to share it with her. Now she says she's going to open hers soon," she explained.

People on TikTok were equally fascinated by the story and had plenty to say. @that.tori.girl wrote, "Oh god, I hope your teacher doesn’t live there anymore, or else you just gave away her address." @dangitdevon said, "It’s so crazy because we were so stressed about Y2K… but we all had no idea what 2001 would be like." @shesjustbeingrachie added, "I wish my young self had the foresight to do this. I would’ve loved this." @sara.conley3 joked, "Take that Walmart ad in and mess with them, lol. Demand they price match." Grigery’s story resonated with viewers not just for its content but also for the emotions it stirred — a response supported by recent psychological research. In a study conducted in two experiments with young adults, testing the link between nostalgia and emotional well-being, researchers found that reminiscing can boost positive feelings.

Grigery was moved by how many strangers took the time to respond thoughtfully. "It's so kind that people care about something I put together," she said. As her video continues to circulate, Grigery hopes it might reach her former teacher. "I've tried to look her up, but I haven't found her at all. I found my 1st grade teacher, and she was actually in a picture in my time capsule. So we messaged back and forth on Facebook after not talking for like 20 years," she said.

You can follow Carrie Grigery (@carriegrigery) on TikTok for more daily life content.