Sweet 16 gift suggestions please

[njsweetP]

My DD is attending her first sweet 16 birthday party for a friend of hers. I was wondering what an appropriate gift would be. I have no clue

Thanks!

 

[roxy83]

I would recommend a nice charm bracelet or pair of earrings. My personal opinion is that depending on the type of party thrown would depend on the budget for the item. If it's an at home type of party I would say $20-$30. If it's a nicer DJ type party I would bump it to about $40.

 

[CAVEA001]

Maybe a gift card to Starbucks or a fun clothing store.

 

[momxx5]

Charm idea is my first thought, but it might be everyone else's thought too.

Maybe find out from mom if she has or is getting a charm bracelet, then your DD could get some pretty charms.

I would say jewelry or GC to Bath&Body Works, or to the movies.

 

[monkey68]

Maybe it's just me, but we always gave cash for a sweet 16 or any other type of party that was done in a restaurant or something big like that. If it's done in a nice place with a DJ and all that, I would give at least $50, more if it's a good friend. Does't everybody like getting cash?

 

[overlyspoiled4sure]

Because of the thread title, I was thinking gifts for the OP's 16yo. So I guess I can't help although the suggestions already given sound perfect!

Thinking about it though, sent me back to when I turned 16; I've never forgotten the corsage my Dad gave me. Pink roses among 16 sugar cubes! I don't remember what else I was given but the flowers I'll always remember. I plan on giving my DGD the same next spring.

 

[curlyjbs]

DD's sweet 16 was held this past June. Hotel Banquet Hall, DJ, Dinner, Photo Booth etc....
Average gift from friends? $20.00

She gives $30-$40 depending on "closeness" of friends

~C

 

[mjkacmom]

Maybe it's just me, but we always gave cash for a sweet 16 or any other type of party that was done in a restaurant or something big like that. If it's done in a nice place with a DJ and all that, I would give at least $50, more if it's a good friend. Does't everybody like getting cash?

Even dd12's friends all give each other gc's for birthdays, and if the party is out, I'd defintely give cash.

 

[disneyjunkie]

When my son has attended sweet 16s, he gives a card with cash in it. If it's someone we aren't close with, they get $25.00.

Close friends and family $50.00-$100.00.

 

[sndfan]

Wow...can I date myself? For my Sweet 16, my parents gave me a nice pearl ring (which I still have and should be able to wear when I lose 40 lbs!) and my very best friends baked me a cake and surprised me at home with it. They had put together a big frame collage with pics of us in it...I was thrilled! Such a special gift.

But, in the 80's no one I know had a Sweet 16 party, so maybe that's the difference.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Most kids around here give $20.00 - $25.00 in a card.

Ds actually got one invitation that said no jewelry please. I thought that was really tacky. We gave cash as usual.

 

[Soulsearching]

My daughter went to so many Sweet 16s. It felt like there was one every weekend. The size of these parties ranged from 50 to 200 kids. Total craziness. I felt like it was the I can give a better and bigger party competition between some of the parents. Some of these parties got way out of control according to my child. Even with all the chaperons there.

We never gave cash. I ran to TJ Maxx and picked out a necklace spending between $15 - $30 depending on how close a friend she was to the birthday girl.

Although, I must say I have a friend that said she only gives checks, because if the card is stolen they cannot cash it and when it's cashed she knows that the Sweet 16 girl actually got it.

 

[Donnainnj]

DD's sweet 16 was held this past June. Hotel Banquet Hall, DJ, Dinner, Photo Booth etc....
Average gift from friends? $20.00

She gives $30-$40 depending on "closeness" of friends

~C

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, my DD is going to one this week and I wasn't sure on the gift, I live not to far from you, and was thinking of $30. I do not want to start a big thing where she gets invited to a bunch and ends up giving $$$ each time, could really add up this year. The $30 will not cover her plate, but I hope that it is not expected. Two of her really close friends have turned 16 already, one had no party, the other actually had hers last minute at, get ready for this, Chuckee Cheese, and they had a great time. Can't beat the price. Well, her other two really good friends probably won't have big parties. Rather then a budget party out we are letting my DD invite these 4 friends with us to Disney this summer. I figured any party out would cost at least $2000, (most halls here require you to get their food, even the VFW and such) plus a DJ, decorations, etc, with Disney I hope they will have free dining so we would only have to pay airfare and tickets for each girl and an extra car rental additional to what we would normally spend on a trip. None of these girls have ever been to Disney and I am so excited (and a bit scared) about the whole thing. I am hoping her gifts from these girls are in the normal range and they don't think for a minute that they have to give more because of the scope of the "party".
Donna

 

[cheermom1]

I guess I am a meany mom - I am giving my dd a Luau at our home and she will get to invite about 10 friends and I will give her 16 presents but not anything that will cost more then 100 at the most - I just don't get why a kid needs a huge lavish party

 

[asmit4]

$20 ITUNES card- every kid I know has an MP3 Player and loves music.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I guess I am a meany mom - I am giving my dd a Luau at our home and she will get to invite about 10 friends and I will give her 16 presents but not anything that will cost more then 100 at the most - I just don't get why a kid needs a huge lavish party

No one NEEDS a lavish party. However, if parents WANT to host one then I say go for it.

Just like none of us NEED vacations to WDW, but that's the way we decide to spend our hard earned money.

 

[njsweetP]

Hi everyone - OP here, just wanted to thank you all for your responses. I've gotten a lot of great ideas and they are all along the same lines as I was thinking. I will probably go with a gc or a sterling silver necklace or similar.

 

[angeleigh]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, my DD is going to one this week and I wasn't sure on the gift, I live not to far from you, and was thinking of $30. I do not want to start a big thing where she gets invited to a bunch and ends up giving $$$ each time, could really add up this year. The $30 will not cover her plate, but I hope that it is not expected. Two of her really close friends have turned 16 already, one had no party, the other actually had hers last minute at, get ready for this, Chuckee Cheese, and they had a great time. Can't beat the price. Well, her other two really good friends probably won't have big parties. Rather then a budget party out we are letting my DD invite these 4 friends with us to Disney this summer. I figured any party out would cost at least $2000, (most halls here require you to get their food, even the VFW and such) plus a DJ, decorations, etc, with Disney I hope they will have free dining so we would only have to pay airfare and tickets for each girl and an extra car rental additional to what we would normally spend on a trip. None of these girls have ever been to Disney and I am so excited (and a bit scared) about the whole thing. I am hoping her gifts from these girls are in the normal range and they don't think for a minute that they have to give more because of the scope of the "party".
Donna

My dd brought her best friend to Disney with us for her sweet 16. We were there in August and her birthday was when they worried there was a hurricane coming. Dh tells her he got her a hurricane for her birthday.

 

[Donnainnj]

My dd brought her best friend to Disney with us for her sweet 16. We were there in August and her birthday was when they worried there was a hurricane coming. Dh tells her he got her a hurricane for her birthday.

Bite your tongue! No really I know it's possible, and hope it doesn't happen, but we should be ok, we are going for a week or more, so we should get some weather that's ok. We don't normally get it, but we plan on getting travel insurance for this trip, not just for hurricanes, but also for sickness and such.
Donna

 

[hurleysweety]

Wow...I don't even remember my sweet 16 or anyone else's for that fact...and mine was only 6 years ago! Not one of my friends had a big bash or anything extravagant. So for all the parents out there feeling a little odd, you're not at all. My parents got me a nice stereo, took me out to dinner and I probably had a sleepover of some sort. I think they also got me a copy of the keys to the car that I would soon be driving (not my own car, but the car I drove 80% of the time and I was happy with that!)

For my friends 16th birthday gifts, I usually got them clothes (usually an outfit) or jewelry. Gift cards were just getting popular around that time if I remember, so they were a big deal - especially if you could get them to a friend's favorite store, to make it more personal as my mom would always say