tell me what you did for your dd's sweet 16 birthday party???

[charming23]

My sweet 16 was almost 9 years ago and I had a small sleepover at my Aunt's house with 6 friends and we did makeovers, watched movies, and made homemade pizza. I never expected a huge party nor did I want one.

Although I did ask my parents for a car for my birthday, specifically a Blue VW Beatle, and I got one. A toy one in the driveway the morning of my birthday. My parents thought it was hilarious (so did I) and reminded me that I never said it had to be one I could drive.

 

[kim929]

When my dd 16 had her birthday she opted to share it with her friend that was also turning 16. They had a cookout that started at 2 at the friends house where there was about 40 kids and then at about 6 half of them came back to my house where they had a night pool party and everyone slept over.

 

[Louiepipbgeeco]

The big over the top SS parties are unheard of in our community. (thank goodness) My DD just turned 12 and we still have cake and supper at home for birthdays with DGP, aunt, uncle and cousins --total of 11 immediate family only. Most of the children at her school don't even have Birthday parties. So no issue here of "keeping up with the Jones"
For her 16 I could see me taking her and a couple friends on a special outing but nothing over the top. That must be a lot of pressure when everyone around you is doing it.

 

[Julia M]

Dd turns 16 in September. She would like a Sweet 16 Party. I anticipate between 20-30 kids at our home. We have a front yard patio as well as the backyard, both with patio furniture (wicker style). A dinner meal, dessert, with music (assembled by the birthday girl on her iPod) and probably some party games.

Theme may be a luau, Disney..not sure. Dessert will probably be a chocolate fountain, since we have one! Main meal will be partially based on theme. Probably some kind of pasta, with fruit and salad and bread. Maybe mexican food bar or potato bar with salads and fruit. I find an actual meal is cheaper than "snacky" foods.

My budget is about $200 and I totally know I can fall within that budget (did oldest ds's confirmation party about 1 1/2 years ago for that price and that included alcohol!)

She hasn't had a party since like this since she was 13. Most parties are a few friends over...I take to the mall, buy them a Jamba Juice, home for takeout Chinese food, movies and a sleepover.

Julia

 

[momxx5]

My DS turned 16 yesterday. I am having tons of mommy guilt for not having a party.

He is having 2 friends come over tomorrow to spend the night....which never happens here.

Things are so strained....financially, emotionally, etc. I just feel so bad.

Good luck with your planning.
Happy Birthday to your DD.

 

[a1tinkfans]

My sibling is giving up their yearly Disney vacation for the daughters Sweet 16! They said it will cost the same amount...that means 4-5K.
Gee, I am LUCKY to have a BOY We did dinner at a restaurant and Cake at Grandmas and of course .he got another Fabulous Taylor, Guitar!

 

[disfan07]

We did nothing for mine. My Bat Mitzvah was 3 years before....and our heads were still spinnin gover the cost of that

I knew ahead of time...Big expensive bat mitzvah party meant nothing for my sweet 16

 

[Nicsmom]

We are taking our DD16 to where else but Disney. I gave her the choice, party or WDW. We are going with our closest friends whose son also turn 16 two days after my DD. She'll have a small party later in the month with her friends. We go to WDW every year but never on her B'day. It will be special for her.bbbbb

 

[kellydizfan]

My DD just turned 16 Christmas Eve of 2009. She didn't want a party. A friend of hers had her party a few weeks before her b-day at the local fire house. Someone called the cops due to the loud music. The party was from 7-11. My DD asked to go to NYC and see a show. She choose from Phantom of the Opera, Wicked or Little Mermaid - which I guess is no longer on Broadway. We went to see Phantom on 1/9/10. She had asked several friends but nobody really wanted to see it but one friend of hers. The mother then told the daughter at the last minute she couldnt go. Here I had a ticket we needed to use. She went back to one of the friends she already asked and the friend decided to go. She absolutely loved it. We took the train from Poughkeepsie into NYC - $29.00 round trip each ticket. The tickets were $81.50 each thru Theatermania.com. I had to purchase three tickets. My DD used her own money for what she wanted. We shopped at Toys R Us, tried to get them on the ferris wheel but they wouldn't do it, went to the M & M Store, Hershey Store, Ate in McDonalds for Lunch, went to a few other stores, the show, then came back on the train and had a late dinner at Olive Garden in Poughkeepsie before arriving back home at 11 p.m. She loved all of it. A friend of mine also went with us. It was a very nice day away and the weather cooperated. My DH will not go near the city unless it is to the ball games. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I spent $15.00 on lunch for the 3 of us. Dinner was $70.00 and then the cost of the tickets. We didn't have the money to throw a big party. Would like to do it again soon though - now I am addicted! My next DD will be 13 this year - we will see what she wants for her 16th B-day. We had just been to Disney for her and her DB's b-day in July.

 

[taximomfor4]

DD16 got regular birthday gifts (We spend $60-100/kid OR throw them a party for $120 or less). I don't remember for sure, but think she got a used older ipod nano and docking alarm clock??? She was thrilled, I remember that.

For her 17th birthday, she opted out of a gift. Instead, she wants us to combine the $ from that, her prom (that she is skipping), her commencement stuff, yearbook $, class ring $, graduation party/gift, and senior pictures... to go as a family to WDW. We got a pin code, so should be able to JUST make it. We won't have spending money, but food/tickets/rooms are paid for. I am going to try to scrimp a little at a time to still get dd SOMETHING but she really wanted a family vacation before starting college instead of all the "senior year" stuff.

 

[auroralark]

My DD just turned 16 Christmas Eve of 2009. She didn't want a party. A friend of hers had her party a few weeks before her b-day at the local fire house. Someone called the cops due to the loud music. The party was from 7-11. My DD asked to go to NYC and see a show. She choose from Phantom of the Opera, Wicked or Little Mermaid - which I guess is no longer on Broadway. We went to see Phantom on 1/9/10. She had asked several friends but nobody really wanted to see it but one friend of hers. The mother then told the daughter at the last minute she couldnt go. Here I had a ticket we needed to use. She went back to one of the friends she already asked and the friend decided to go. She absolutely loved it. We took the train from Poughkeepsie into NYC - $29.00 round trip each ticket. The tickets were $81.50 each thru Theatermania.com. I had to purchase three tickets.

This is pretty much what I did for my 16th birthday! (Which was over 10 years ago... It is the longest running show on Broadway...

Anyway, my parents took me and 3 friends to see the show. This was the tradition in my group of friends - 2 of my other friends did this too (different shows, obviously). After we got home, we just had a sleepover. None of my friends had a big, blowout sweet sixteen parties. HOWEVER. My sister did, as did her friends. They were fun, but I don't think a party like that is required by any means.

 

[winniedapooh]

Listened to her complain and whine for weeks about a sweet 16, I was adamant...no party (said with fingers crossed)! I invited friends, family, and about 10 of her closest friends--total of about 50 to my house. Thank goodness it was nice out. I asked the woman she babysits for to ask her to babysit and paid her. People parked across the street and down the street, she walked in having no idea! My family and I all cooked/baked, bought a Sweet 16 tiara off of ebay for under $10, and bought Sweet 16 candy wrappers for Hershey Minatures with her name and date on them. We used these to hand out to people, I think I could have made them, but had no idea at the time. I took over 200 duplicate pictures (thank goodness I always got doubles), bought a poster size frame, and made a collage. In the middle I put her newborn onsie and both her's and my hospital bracelets from when she was born. She has that hanging in her dorm room. I used baby clothes and shoes for decorations around my house. Cost of party under $100, cost of memories and the look on her face...priceless!

I did one for my son that was more low key, friends and some family--he did not want big. For his 18th next year, I will do the collage and clothes thing. For oldest when he turned 18, I did a cake he requested using all of the old stuff he remembered--Thomas the Tank Engine, Barney, and Blue's Clues--again stuff I had saved from when he was little. I also did collages 3 smaller 8X10 per his request.

Hope these ideas help. They grow up too fast!!!

 

[winniedapooh]

My DS turned 16 yesterday. I am having tons of mommy guilt for not having a party.

He is having 2 friends come over tomorrow to spend the night....which never happens here.

Things are so strained....financially, emotionally, etc. I just feel so bad.

Good luck with your planning.
Happy Birthday to your DD.

Please read my post above about the collages clothes. These meant more to all of my kids than any party. Don't feel guilty please.

 

[dizagain]

We're actually in the middle of planning DD's Sweet 16 party now. She and a close friend have b'days within a few weeks of each other and they are doing a joint party for 30-40 kids in our backyard with friend's house as the rain/too cold location (same neighborhood). Keeping it simple - campfire/s'mores, white lights, appetizers/snack food, cd's put together by the girls, etc. Basketball out front an option and I am ordering one of those giant inflatable bowling sets. Still considering a fun theme or not- girls can't decide if it would be so lame it's cool or just plain lame! The girls are excited and it will definitely be budget-friendly. They've attended lots of parties this year and all were similar. The only sit-down dinner party they attended was boring and nobody had fun at all.

And no car will be in our driveway, that's for sure!! Considering giving her my current car before senior year, though.

 

[AllisonK]

For my 16th birthday (almost 5 years ago) I had a family party (it was also my Confirmation about a week and a half later - we killed two birds with one stone) and invited two friends, and my parents surprised me with a trip (one night) to NYC to see a Broadway show (we even sat 2nd row) and stayed at the Hyatt Regency (my mom got a free night from a previous stay in a different city). I also got my learner's permit haha. No car, though. Still don't have one - I just got my license when I was home for Thanksgiving (long story). I'll be 21 in a few months and I go to school about 25 miles from NYC so I'll probably get a bunch of friends together to go out to eat in the city and maybe see a show???

 

[CC12005]

For my sisters sweet 16, I threw her a surprise party at the paint your own pottery place just for girls. She has always wanted a surprise party. The place has a separate room for parties which they were generous to allow me to decorate the way I wanted. I purchased a large bed tent/canopy net in hot pink to place over the table. I tied the 4 corners with pretty jeweled butterflies. Rented hot pink satin linen to use for a pink dessert buffet and used a plastic overlay on the painting table. The cake was a shaped purse cake I designed with flowers & her initials. I also had hot pink bins & cups for the paint brushes & water cups so that everything cordinated. Favors were little boxes they filled with the leftover candy & their chosen pottery piece. The birthday girl received a piggy bank that had a thumb print of the guest, the pottery place turned those thumbprints into flowers and labeled the name of the guest.

 

[sillysmom]

My daughter will be turning 16 in June 2011. We gave her a choice of a 4 hour party which would have cost me somewhere around $10,000.00, or a 7 day cruise with 3 friends, which we will pay entirely for. She has picked the cruise. The cruise for the week will probably cost with excursions, somewhere around $8,000.00. I wish I would have gotten this choice for my Sweet 16!

 

[disfan07]

I will add, that where I'm from its not the usual to have big expensive sweet 16 parties. the ones who have fancy sweet 16 parties are the ones who get everything they want anyways (new mercedse or BMW for their 16th birthday, $1,000 designer purses, jeans that cost hundreds, etc)

The funny thing is that sweet 16s might not be big but anyone who is jewish adn has a bar/bat mitzvah spends an arm and a leg. Mine was around $40,000 7 years ago for the hotel, transportation, 250 guests, DJ, food, etc.

Now, I'm turning 21 in June and when my parents asked me what i wanted, I told them that i wanted to take my 11 year old cousin to WDW for teh first time and my 3 year old cousin to DL for the first time. I couldnt get both so we are taking my 11 year old cousin to WDW for 10 days in june!!!

 

[shaylahc1]

I can't believe some of the dollar amounts being thrown around. You could buy a car, a college education, put a hefty downpayment on a house....or you could have....a birthday party. I dunno, I'd take the car, the education or the house Then again I am practical that way....I didn't have a big fancy wedding (never wanted one) and to me it seems crazy to throw away that much money on something that will last a few hours and then be gone forever

I didn't get anything special for my 16th birthday and neither will my kids. They can have the usual sleepover or small party, etc, just like they would any other year. My oldest will be driving in a few years and we'll have a "teen car" for ALL the kids to share. If the kids want their own car they can get

A JOB

 

[shaylahc1]

Listened to her complain and whine for weeks about a sweet 16, I was adamant...no party (said with fingers crossed)! I invited friends, family, and about 10 of her closest friends--total of about 50 to my house. Thank goodness it was nice out. I asked the woman she babysits for to ask her to babysit and paid her. People parked across the street and down the street, she walked in having no idea! My family and I all cooked/baked, bought a Sweet 16 tiara off of ebay for under $10, and bought Sweet 16 candy wrappers for Hershey Minatures with her name and date on them. We used these to hand out to people, I think I could have made them, but had no idea at the time. I took over 200 duplicate pictures (thank goodness I always got doubles), bought a poster size frame, and made a collage. In the middle I put her newborn onsie and both her's and my hospital bracelets from when she was born. She has that hanging in her dorm room. I used baby clothes and shoes for decorations around my house. Cost of party under $100, cost of memories and the look on her face...priceless!

I did one for my son that was more low key, friends and some family--he did not want big. For his 18th next year, I will do the collage and clothes thing. For oldest when he turned 18, I did a cake he requested using all of the old stuff he remembered--Thomas the Tank Engine, Barney, and Blue's Clues--again stuff I had saved from when he was little. I also did collages 3 smaller 8X10 per his request.

Hope these ideas help. They grow up too fast!!!

That is so sweet I definitely don't think you have to spend a lot of money to make lasting memories