Sweet sixteen (birthday)
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2010) |
A sweet sixteen is a coming of age party celebrating a girl's sixteenth birthday, primarily in the United States and Canada.
Types of sweet sixteen party
Sweet sixteens may be extremely formal, casual, or semi-formal; they can range from modest parties at home with close family and friends to large affairs with a hired DJ, makeup and hair stylists, yachts and hotel ballrooms. Large and formal sweet sixteens are featured prominently on MTV's TV show, My Super Sweet Sixteen.
Traditions
Candle-lighting ceremony
Each of the 16 candles holds a special meaning[citation needed]
- 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 a significant male, such as a boyfriend or good friend.
- Some add a 17th candle which represents good luck
Shoe ceremony
For females the shoe ceremony is common at sweet sixteen parties.[citation needed] In this ceremony, the birthday girl sits down in a chair while her grandfather, uncle, godfather, or father 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.
Tiara ceremony
This ceremony is similar to the shoe ceremony, except the mother approaches with a tiara instead of shoes. She 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
The father-daughter dance is a tradition that is also frequently performed at weddings.[citation needed] 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.
Video montage
At high end sweet sixteens, a DJ often brings along several televisions or a projector to show a video montage 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.[citation needed] 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.
Counterparts in other cultures
Latin American cultures
Many Latin American cultures celebrate a girl's fifteenth birthday with a quinceañera. In Brazil, these events are called Baile de debutantes (as well as in other Latin American countries).
Jewish culture
In Orthodox, Reform, and Conservative Judaism, girls reach the age of spiritual maturity at the age of 12, celebrated with a bat mitzvah, and for boys at the age of 13, with a bar 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
In many Christian denominations, both girls and boys reach the age spirital maturity around the age of 13 or 14, with the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Asian culture
When young Filipino girls turn 18 they have a Début. There are 18 roses given by 18 male friends and family - the father has the last rose/dance. Followed by a cutillion or usually a square dance by 18 girls/women and boys/men.
At the age of 15, young Chinese women have a ceremony called Ji Li. Men have a ceremony called Guan Li at the age of 20.
Italy
In Italy it is common to have a party celebrating the 18th birthday of both boys and girls, which is the legal coming of age.[citation needed]
Poland
Eighteen is the age when a young person becomes an adult in Poland.[citation needed] That means he or she can start purchasing, among other things, alcohol and tobacco; and also may participate in gambling.
Because of the above, the 18th birthday is often celebrated without parents, with adult-themed presents.
UK
It is usual to have a party to celebrate becoming an adult when 18.[citation needed] This can be big or reasonably small.