Ideas for Sweet Sixteen birthday party

[mom2-4]

My oldest DD will be celebrating her 16th birthday this August. (OH, my gosh, it doesn't seem like she could be that old)!

But, anyway, I would like to have a surprise party for her. On a tight budget.

I was never lucky enough to have a 16th birthday party, nor was I ever invited to one. So I am clueless as to what to do!

Recently, one of her friends had a party at her house. But, living in a 3 bdr. mobile home without a basement kinda puts that out.

Does anyone have ideas of where to have a party? that is not ovely expensive.

And, do they still do "theme" birthday parties? If so any ideas for a theme?


There's some renewed interest in this thread so let's get those ideas flowing again! -- ajrsmom

[Abear]

I didn't have a "Sweet Sixteen" party either. Nor have I ever been to one.

Lots of teenagers around here have birthday parties outdoors. They put up a canopy or two, put out some lawnchairs and some people bring their own chairs, light some of those candles to keep away the mosquitos, grill burgers (or boil crawfish during season) and have a table set up with chips, etc. They ice down canned sodas in a couple of coolers. They put out a big radio/CD player and have a good time. (lighting is provided by the home flood lights/street lights or they set up some portable lights)

[ajrsmom]

How many kids are you planning on inviting? Both boys and girls?

I like Abear's ideas for an outdoor party. If you like themed parties, how about a retro party? This could easily be done outdoors. If you could get a cheap disco ball, that would be great for lighting and for using with the music. Play retro music ( Of course picked out by the BD girl and ONLY if she and her friends like that type of music ).

Have a table decorted with an autograph book and a camera so that when guests arrive, they can sign a quick note to the BD girl and you take their pics. together.

You can decorate with lots of flowers ( flower power ), peace signs and smiley faces. Lots of balloons too.

Seems like retro is the clothing style now ( or at least it was a little while ago--am I still with the times?) Drag out the bell bottoms, clogs, funky shirts and wear braids in your hair.

Pass out peace sign necklaces.


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If you are only having a few kids, A video night party would be fun too.


You could set up your living room like a movie theatre and not spend much to do it.

Rent a couple of movies that she would like to see.

Serve popcorn in buckets, a variety of candy and chocolates and soda to drink.

Later, Serve pizza and you could even set up a nacho bar.

Ice cream cake for dessert.


Create invitations that look like movie tickets.

To decorate, you can purchase movie posters usually pretty cheap from video stores ( some will even give them away)

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Is there something in particular that your daugher is really interested in? We could help to plan a party around that idea too. Just let us know.


Tami

[sharlibird]

None of my kids have turned 16 yet (but will in Jan)... When I turned 16, my mom had a beach party for me at our local riverfront beach. She had chips, cake, ice cream, etc. inside the pavilion where we could play music on the jukebox...strung up balloons & crepe paper... I'm pretty sure she had to rent the building, but don't know how much she paid for it. If you are blessed enough to live near a beach and know someone who owns a place by the beach, you could do this for just the cost of snacks (bring your own music via a "boom box").

I would like to know from others what I could do for my son who will turn 16 on Jan 26th next year. With my birthdays being in the summertime, it's hard to know what to do for a winter & "Super Bowl" baby (usually his bdays coincide with Super Bowl weekend plans). Times I have planned something, we got snowstorms or ice storms and had to cancel.

Any ideas?

[Jacquie]

Charlene, I too am VERY interested in boys' 16th birthday parties....they are important too! lol...seems like most stuff like this, is mentioned for little kids or girls. Our son will be 16 NEXT year, but would luv to prepare for it now, not to mention save up money, LOL. His birthday is in November, & up here, it's rare to not have snow already at that time of year, so anything outdoors is not the way to go. Sometimes I think it's too bad it's not when there's even more snow later in the year, cause at least they could all go skiing/snowboarding for the day, but not enough snow in Nov for that...unless we get a freak blizzard, lmao.

Hugs, Jacquie

[ajrsmom]

For the boys, Are you wanting ideas for parties at home, at a rented place or for them to go somewhere in a group or ???

For how many kids?

Ill put on my thinking cap and come up with something!!

[Jacquie]

Well, for my son, it could be either, who the heck knows what's going to be the "in" thing by then, lol....There was a lot of interest in paintball last year, but we just couldn't afford it. There could be 10 kids total, depends how popular Shea is at 16, hehehe.

Last year for his 14th, we paid for all the kids to go to theatre, snacks as well, they bussed it home, then overnited with pizza, pop, snacks & cake, plus some recent rented movies & they all had a blast! Cost us about $200 total, which wasn't bad...

So any kinds of ideas are appreciated indeed! Thx in advance, lol

Hugs, Jacquie

[sharlibird]

For me, cost would be an issue due to having so many kids still @ home. I have a small house, so an "at home" party would only consist of a few kids, but our church does have a huge family center (basketball/gym area in one area & eating/TV in another). Downfall with that is you can't have any overnights...not sure about dances (have to check the church's rules).

I'm considering having an "un-birthday" party for him next spring/summer if he's snowed out of a party in Jan...probably down by the lake (minimal cost for renting a covered picnic area with a grill) & have a cook-out...just not sure how he'd feel about that.

I'm not sure if boys feel differently than girls, but if mine had been postponed, I'd have been heartbroken!

[mtsstoll]

My neice's sweet 16 party was an outdoor party also.For my neice's sweet 16 party (in May) my sister did a retro party and it was really cute. She decorated the tables in my neices favorite color with matching balloons from the dollar store. She then scoured flea markets and second hand stores for old albums from the 70's. she hung the records from the ceiling in the garage from strings and tacked the album covers to the back wall. she hired a dj to play 70's music but you can do this yourself with a cd player and a tape of favorite songs. Her cake was done in pyscadelic colors with a little toy punchbug (vw) and plenty of icing daiseys in wild colors. it was really fun. She even wrote on the invitation that it was a 70's party and you were to come in costume. It was neat seeing everyone dressed up and the best part is you can usually pick up retro clothes second hand. Everyone had lots of fun.Hope this helps.

[ajrsmom]

For the boys......

Do they have a particular interest that a party could be formed around?

Some other ideas:

Go bowling and then out or home for pizza and cake

Paintball was on my list too but its already mentioned

Ice skating

If they are into video games, you could have an XBOX or PS2 party by borrowing other guys machines and hooking them up around a room then have different challenges at each station. Set up a break station with munchies and drinks then have pizza and cake during a time out. You could even award prizes for the champs of each game

For Novemeber-- Do you have anywhere to have a bonfire? You could have music, roast hot dogs and make s'mores

I like the un-birthday party too!

I dont think that boys worry as much about a 16th bd party as girls do.


I love the retro party ideas!!

You could also do a them party around a type of food that he and his friends really like...... Mexican, Italian, American, Junk food


Lastly, I would ask the boys what ideas they have, then go from there. If they give you some ideas, let me know and we'll work around that too.