What is the significance of "sweet sixteen" birthday parties?

[luvflorida]

Just curious as to why turning sixteen is more important than turning any other age, and why does it seem more important to girls than to boys?

I can see the significance behind turning 13, (a new teenager), or 18, or 21, but I don't get the "sweet sixteen" parties. I have a feeling it has something to do with traditions from the past. Google.com didn't seem to have any answers. Anyone know?

 

[Traumawolves]

My guess is that is the accepted age when a girl becomes a woman.

 

[whtyger97]

This is just speculation on my part but I think the significance is that 16 was the age you 'came out' to society. I think thats where the tradition of a big 16th party came from, and why its more important to girls then boys.

 

[nemo1987]

I don't have an answer for you, but I am agreeing with you. I never had a party for my 16th bday or my 18th bday. It is just another bday IMO. Maybe some people feel 16 is special because they get their licenses or something, but I never saw the real significance...
-Sarah

 

[sfskgn]

Around here becoming 16 means you can get your learner's permit and both boys and girls look forward to this special birthday.

 

[bicker]

And that's why you see different practices in different cultures -- though not so much because girls traditional "become women" (i.e., are viewed by the society as being ready for marriage) at different ages in different cultures, but rather because the practice of putting a stake in the ground with regard to when girls become women were formalized at different points in history. In many Latino cultures, the age is 15. In some very older cultures, the age was 13 (when marriage happened a lot earlier in life). In the broader secular society, 16 seems to be the age (though I'm sure some anxious fathers would rather it be 18, 21, 25, or 30. )

It is a source of conflict, though, that we still acknowledge and make a big deal about these (what we would consider youthful) ages, when in reality society no longer considers girls ready for marriage at those ages any more. (Similarly, with regard to boys becoming "men.")

 

[wdwgirl03]

I don't really get why some people make such a big deal about it either, but what do I know? I didn't have a sweet sixteen party. And that's not because I couldn't, I just didn't really care.

 

[cijay]

As far as western culture goes, it was probably nothing til Perry Como, Chuck Berry and Neil Sedaka got in there.

I always write the last part of the Neil Sedaka's song in the birthday cards of 16yr old girls.

 

[TAX GUY]

As far as western culture goes, it was probably nothing til Perry Como, Chuck Berry and Neil Sedaka got in there.

I always write the last part of the Neil Sedaka's song in the birthday cards of 16yr old girls.

I think they were still popular when this thread was first started too

 

[NHdisneylover]

I think they were still popular when this thread was first started too

Yeah--no kidding! Weird bump for sure lol
I hadn't notice the date until I noticed "bicker" posting and then checked--I'd almost forgotten about him.

 

[CPanther95]

It's when you can drive and have adult relationships (in most states).

 

[pryncess527]

This is just speculation on my part but I think the significance is that 16 was the age you 'came out' to society. I think thats where the tradition of a big 16th party came from, and why its more important to girls then boys.

This would be my guess too. I kind of think of Sweet Sixteen parties as old fashioned. That stuff happened in movies from the 80s, but I don't know anyone who actually had a fancy Sweet Sixteen party.

course the MTV Sweet Sixteen craze hit when I was past that age, I can see that causing an uptick in them, but it just wasn't a thing where I lived, and to the best of my knowledge still isn't.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Is this another "Suggested Threads" bump?

 

[nugov2]

I think they were still popular when this thread was first started too

 

[Gumbo4x4]

16 = Driver's License!



Probably has nothing to do with the party though.

 

[ImDMous]

In certain groups of society, 16 is when you are a debutante and have you cotillion or coming out dance to get introduced formally to the members of the opposite sex for "social" purposes. Obviously, this isn't done much any more in general. But my aunt had a big to-do along with other girls her age in the social group my grandparents hung out with. Everyone that turned 16 within a few months of each other was formally introduced to society and there was much rejoicing and lots of weird traditions with jr debutantes, formal escorts, specific dresses, etc. I guess it's very much like a quinceanera if you think about it.

 

[DeaverTex]

When I was 16, a "coming out party" meant something entirely different, and it would be a very, very quiet affair indeed.

 

[cijay]

I think they were still popular when this thread was first started too

Is this another "Suggested Threads" bump?

I thought this one was timeless. The ones that deal with "I'm getting married" or "should I..." are a different story but with the exception of a few people who may remember it from 2005, I would look at it as a new loop of people to weigh in on it, no?

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I thought this one was timeless. The ones that deal with "I'm getting married" or "should I..." are a different story but with the exception of a few people who may remember it from 2005, I would look at it as a new loop of people to weigh in on it, no?

Oh, I'm not really complaining. I mean, I do prefer recurring threads as opposed to seeing 20 of the same thing. It just seems a little weird since the context is now 11 years old.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I didn't even realize this was old until someone mentioned it. (So if I liked your really old post - surprise!!)

Anyway, for girls, I think it's a leftover of "coming out" traditions where a young girl was introduced to society. For boys, I think it's all about the driving!