Teen Turns Doll into Grandma for White Elephant Get together (Unique)

• This 12 months, Aidan Sebastian and his household determined to strive a brand new sport throughout their Christmas festivities: a $5 white elephant alternate
• Main as much as the alternate, Sebastian, an 18-year-old structure pupil from Arkansas, went to thrift tales to search for presents
• After trying by means of the doll part of 1 retailer and never having any luck, Sebastian’s mother picked up the final doll, who occurred to be positioned face down
• When she flipped it over, she and Sebastian realized the doll seemed similar to his grandma, Joanna Thomas, and determined to show the doll into her for a present
• He posted in regards to the course of on TikTok, the place the video has amassed greater than 1.2 million views

One teen obtained further artful along with his white elephant present!

This 12 months, Aidan Sebastian and his household determined to strive a brand new sport throughout their Christmas festivities: a $5 white elephant alternate. Main as much as the alternate, Sebastian, an 18-year-old structure pupil from Arkansas, knew he needed to present one thing comical and enjoyable. To get inspiration, he and his mother determined to go to thrift shops.

Whereas strolling round one retailer, they got here throughout the doll part. After trying by means of the part and never having any luck, Sebastian’s mother picked up the final doll, who occurred to be sitting face-down.

“When she flipped it over, we each noticed her face and couldn’t assist however giggle; she seemed similar to my Grandma Jo,” Sebastian tells PEOPLE solely, recalling how he determined to buy the $4 doll and switch it into his 90-year-old grandma, Joanna Thomas, as his present.

“We began by sifting by means of my sister’s outdated doll garments and located the white button-down shirt and pink cardigan,” he continues. “After that, we knew she wanted some pants and glasses. I made a sample out of paper for pants and used khaki-colored cloth to make them. It had been some time since I had sewn pants, and I anticipated to must remake them a number of instances to get it proper, however the first pair match like a glove.”

Subsequent, Sebastian says he bent some wire round a Sharpie to make round glasses. Then, he used some outdated purple yarn to crochet her signature slippers. Your entire course of of constructing the doll appear to be his grandma took a day to finish.

“Probably the most difficult half was holding again laughter lengthy sufficient to make any progress,” he says.

Sebastian, who developed a love for stitching and crafting from Thomas, provides that he is been posting crafting movies on TikTok for 2 years. So, he figured he may as effectively share this undertaking too — not solely to share with others, but in addition to look again on for himself.

Though he has had movies do effectively up to now, he didn’t anticipate this one to achieve as a lot consideration, amassing greater than 1.2 million views.

“Individuals have been completely loving the doll and have been additionally amazed at how a lot she seemed like my grandma. I used to be overjoyed and knew I needed to put up extra updates,” he says.

“My mother had talked about that I ought to create a field and most of the feedback additionally agreed,” he continues. “I checked out my sister’s outdated doll containers to see the design after which went to the shop to get the supplies. The field took a number of hours to make, together with the design on the duvet.”

For now, solely the faculty pupil and his quick household know in regards to the doll. Whereas it has been troublesome preserving it a secret, he is excited to see what my grandma says when she sees herself as one of many presents at their giant household Christmas gathering.

“Discovering this doll was extraordinarily fortunate, and I have no idea if I’ll ever come across one other doll that jogs my memory of a member of the family,” Sebastian says. “Nevertheless, if I do, I’d completely do the undertaking once more; I believe it could be hilarious if it grew to become a practice to present a brand new member of the household every year.”

“I hope that this story reveals people who the perfect presents are sometimes not the costliest or giant however quite probably the most private and considerate presents; a $5 present might be the present that carries on for generations and means probably the most to an individual,” he provides.