A sweet sixteen is a coming of age party celebrating a teenager's 16th birthday, mainly celebrated in the United States and Canada, usually female.

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A sweet sixteen is a coming of age party celebrating a teenager's 16th birthday, mainly celebrated in the United States and Canada, usually female.^[1] As the name suggests, the celebration takes place on a teenager's sixteenth birthday. While some families throw large, lavish celebrations, others choose to celebrate the birthday as if it were a normal occurrence. This event can be formal, casual, or semi-formal.^{[citation needed]}

While traditionally it is common that sweet sixteens are mostly celebrated by girls, they can also be celebrated by boys, who tend to celebrate with their friends on an informal basis.^{[citation needed]} Sweet sixteens can range from modest parties at home with close family to large parties with a hired DJ, makeup, hair styling, expensive gowns and dresses, and hotel ballrooms. Even if it is a small party, the main purpose of the party is to celebrate the person's earliest stage of adulthood.^[2]

In countries such as the UK, Australia and New Zealand, the 16th birthday is eclipsed by a teenager's 18th birthday celebration, the age at which young people become adults and are allowed to vote and legally purchase alcohol.^{[citation needed]}

Alternative sweet sixteen celebrations in the United States can include a religious or church ceremony also, like a Mass or a blessing at church. This religious or church ceremony has its origins in the Quinceañera style, but since there are many American-born Hispanic people, many choose to blend a sweet sixteen American style with their Quinceañera tradition. For example, the girl may go to the church for the religious ceremony and, then, while in the party, choose to have the sixteen-candle ceremony. The religious ceremony comes from the Hispanic tradition, while the sixteen candles ceremony comes from the American tradition.

Traditions[edit]

Montage[edit]

At high end sweet sixteens, a DJ often brings along several televisions or a projector to show a videomontage set to music of the birthday girl containing pictures starting from when she was a baby and getting older, usually ending with pictures of her in her sweet sixteen dress. This is either made by the DJ with photos provided from the family of the birthday girl, by the parents, or by a sibling. The guests can either sit down and watch this montage, or it could be playing in the background while the guests dance.^{[citation needed]}

Shoe ceremony[edit]

For girls, the shoe ceremony is common at Quinceañeras parties. In this ceremony, the birthday girl sits down in a chair while her father, grandfather, Godfather, Uncle, or brother approaches her with high heels on a decorative pillow. The girl would traditionally be wearing flat shoes, such as slippers, and the father ceremoniously helps her into her new high heels. This is symbolic of the girl transitioning into a woman.^[1]

Tiara ceremony[edit]

The tiara ceremony is similar to the shoe ceremony, except the mother or a strong female figure approaches with a tiara instead of shoes and places it on her daughter’s head to symbolize her becoming a woman. Sometimes this is combined with the shoe ceremony so that two people approach the birthday girl, one with a pillow with high heels, and the other with a pillow with a tiara.^[1]

Father-daughter dance[edit]

The father-daughter dance is a tradition that is also frequently performed at weddings. The girl and her father dance to a slow-jazz or traditional song while everyone sits and watches. This is usually the first song of the night.^[1] Sometimes, girls also added a mother-daughter dance as a dedication to her mother.

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Candle-lighting ceremony[edit]

This tradition is most common in Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, Quinceaneras and sweet sixteens, although in different ages. There are typically 16 candles, each of which are given to special family members and friends by the birthday girl. Usually, when the recipient of the candle is named, a few words are said by the birthday girl in regards to why this person (or people) is special to them, they may tell a short story or fun memory they have shared with that person. Although the birthday girl can decide to give her candles to whomever she chooses, in whichever order she wants, here is the traditional order of candles:^{[citation needed]}

- Each of the 16 candles holds a special meaning..

The first candle is for the girl’s parents.
The second candle is for the siblings. (If there are no siblings, then this candle can represent the grandparents.)
Candles 3, 4, 5 and 6 are for the rest of the family members.
Candles 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 are for friends.
Candle 15 is for the girl’s best friend or friends.
The 16th candle is for the boyfriend or a very close male friend.
Some add a 17th candle which represents good luck

First car[edit]

In Canada and many states in the United States, the minimum age to legally drive a car is 16. Sometimes, although rarely, the birthday person is gifted a car as a birthday present. The car can be either purchased new, used, or simply be gifted from one person to another (often within their family).

Other specific coming of age parties[edit]

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Latin America[edit]

Similar celebrations are found in different cultures around the world, such as the quinceañera in Hispanic countries and the festa de debutantes in Brazil, both at 15 years of age.

Philippines[edit]

In the Philippines, the debut (pronounced 'de-boo) celebrates a young woman's 18th birthday. A young man may also celebrate his own debut on his 21st birthday, albeit with less formal celebrations or none at all, .

Judaism[edit]

In Conservative, and Orthodox Judaism, girls reach the age of spiritual maturity at the age of 12, celebrated with a bat mitzvah, and for boys (and girls, in the Reform movement) at the age of 13, with a bar mitzvah, or for both, with a B'nai mitzvah and both girls, with a b'not mitzvah. These are important dates in the Jewish culture, because following these ceremonies, bar or bat mitzvah, the young person is considered an adult.

Christianity[edit]

In many Christian denominations, both girls and boys reach the age spiritual maturity at aro