Sweet 16s?

[Minnesota!]

Big Sweet 16 parties are not at all common here. I had one friend in high school that had one-and she whined because she didn't like the color of the brand new car she got for a gift . None of the kids' friends have had one either. Usually you see a surprise party or a back yard bonfire type party with lots of kids but that is about it. DS18 had a bonfire party, the twins didn't have anything. Their birthday was right after spring break and they both got to go on trips for their 16th birthday presents.

Yep!

Not common at all except in the hispanic neighborhoods.

Usually just a gathering of friends - very casual. Out to dinner or bonfire or grilling out.

I don't remember my 16th birthday at all...

 

[agnes!]

We had a lovely 16th party for DD that was ruined by some snotty girls.
She's not having any type of grad party, we're going to WDW instead.

agnes!

Sorry to hear that. Why didnt you send them home?

Sweet 16 parties are getting crazy here!

I wish I could have, we had a nice Hummer limo, picked groups of girls up at their houses (some of the girls had another girl or two there so we didn't waste time driving the limo to pick everyone up before dinner), and then we had a nice tapas dinner at a spanish restaurant.
So this is the snotty thing that happened... a girl called me up the day of the party to ask if we could drop some of the girls off at her house. What did I know, it was a couple of hours before, I was in the middle of getting ready and I'm a nice person so I said 'sure'. Come to find out, as we were dropping the girls off... four girls get out at this one girl's house. She was having a big sleepover and didn't invite DD. Nice huh?

It was awful, and that kind of ruined sophomore year in many ways.

agnes!

 

[Cinderella94]

I turned 16 just a year ago. I had about 10? girls over for a sleepover. We went to the Cheesecake Factory .

 

[SydSim]

Planning DD's sweet 16 for next year. We have had small birthday celebrations about every 3-4 years for DD - nothing expensive or fancy. House party for family, won a free swim party from her summer camp, etc. Didn't have a big first birthday blowout like many of our neighbors and friends have, so we decided that 16 would be the time to give her a nice one.

It will be at some sort of hall, finger foods, music and games for her friends (haven't decided on how many yet) and our family. Quite a few teens have these types of parties for their 16th.

Back to simple bbq for graduation/college send off.

 

[Aisling]

I never had one, but I did have one for my DD. It was sort of a big party with DJ, photographer/videographer, buffet, lighting of the candles, etc. Not over the top, like on MTV. It was a great time. In my area, it is the norm. I was so happy when my DD's last friend turned 16 last year, because it seemed like every weekend she was going to one!

Hi Robmom!

You said it, it's the norm here to have a Sweet 16 in a reception hall. I'm glad I only have boys! But I felt your pain when my sons friends were all tuning 16. One girl had a Little Mermaid Under the Sea theme and wore a sparkling green mermaid-style gown; it was beautiful. But all girls look beautiful at their Sweet 16s.

Like you, when I was 16 it wasn't the norm to have a big party, but nowadays you won't find one girl around here having a house party for that. I would have loved a party in a hall with the DJ, lighting of the candles, video, buffet etc, but there was no way my parents could have afforded that back then with three daughters close in age.

 

[krcit]

I'm on LI, NY and Sweet 16's are a big deal here. My dd just turned 16 but we didn't have a party, she chose to get a MacBook instead so we saved on that deal She already has gone to one big party and has 3 invites on the 'fridge for June and July. They are all at catering halls and very fancy..one of them is at the hall where I got married

 

[Feralpeg]

I did have a Sweet 16 party for my daughter. I rented a small hall. I decorated it and brought in trays of food. I did not hire a DJ. We had a bunch of CDs that we put together. DD invited about 40 kids.

Unfortunately, the party turned out to be the same night of another Sweet 16 party for a girl from my daughter's school. They had a live band in a huge hall with catering. Only about six of my daughter's closest friends came to her party. Two girls came for a few minutes, but said they just wanted to say hi before going to the neat party.

It was a disappointment for both DD and me, but a life lesson. That was the first time that DD learned that there are "friends" and "sort of friends".

 

[IDoDis]

Did any of you have big sweet 16 parties for your DDs? By big I don't exactly mean MTV worthy, but you know what I mean.

My mother and I were talking today about how I never had a quinceanera or a sweet 16 like most of the girls I went to school with and how she felt a little guilty about it. I was just telling her that I didn't mind not having a huge party and that I don't think I would want a quinceanera for my own future daughter (I think they're a Catholic thing as well as cultural, but I could be wrong) but wouldn't be opposed to a sweet 16 party.

So, did any of you have any "big" coming-of-age parties?

In my area, a Quinceañera happens when a girl turns 15, not 16. They are somewhat common out here for hispanic families.

DD will turn 16 next April. We won't have anything huge because she said she'd rather put the money towards a better car.

 

[castmember19]

Just to clear things up, yes I know quinceaneras are for 15 year olds but since a Sweet 15 isn't common in other cultures, I went with Sweet 16.

Also I did not mean that quinceaneras were just a Catholic thing, but more of a "Hispanic AND Catholic" thing.

 

[collegejunkie]

I'm on LI, NY and Sweet 16's are a big deal here.

me, too. however, one of my friends actually was on the mtv show. they are definitely a big deal here, especially if you didn't have a big bar/bat mitzvah, but sometimes even if you did lol

i was offered a big party, but i asked for a car and a trip to WDW instead. my sister did the same thing (she's a year older than me). i wanted something that would last longer and then i still got to celebrate on my trip. i don't regret my choice at all.

 

[marcyinPA]

I did not have a sweet 16 party. My dad took me out for dinner...

My DS16 has been to a couple of girl's sweet 16 parties this year, and is invited to another one over the summer. I wouldn't say they go all out, but they invite a lot of friends, eat and hang out. The one this summer is at a park (rented pavilion).

We are going to a 16th birthday party today for one of his guy friends (we are all invited..friends with the family). It is at their house.

We didn't have a party for DS when he turned 16...we had cake at home with family, and then went out for dinner his birthday night.