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Sweet 16 Birthday Traditions

Sweet sixteen birthday parties are an especially important event for a teenage girl because it is symbolic of her coming of age and entering womanhood. Coming-of-age celebrations vary for each culture, but here in America there are several traditions that mark this special occasional. Does this Spark an idea?

  1. Candle-Lighting Ceremony

    • For this tradition, the girl will have 16 or 17 candles on her cake. The very first candle is lit by her parents, and the second by her siblings or grandparents. The next four are then lit by additional family members. Seven through 14 are for important friends to light, and number 15 is for her best friend. Lastly, the 16th candle is for an important boy in her life, and the optional 17th candle is for her to light for good luck.

    Birthday Speech/Toast

    • This speech is typically given by the father before the the gifts are opened. The speech focuses on the joy the daughter has given her father over the years, and how proud of her he is. It can also center on his wishes for her as she embarks into adulthood.

    Shoe-Changing Ceremony

    • Originally popular with the Hispanic culture, the shoe-changing ceremony has begun to cross over to the sweet 16 celebrations in America. The birthday girl sits in the middle of the room, and either her father or grandfather will bring a pair of heels into the room and change her flats to the heels. This is symbolic of her walking into womanhood.

    Tiara Ceremony

    • This can be done either with or without the shoe-changing ceremony. Again, either the grandfather or father will bring out the crown and present it to the birthday girl to celebrate her womanhood.

    Father-Daughter Dance

    • The father has the first dance with daughter to represent the change in the birthday girl's relationship with her parents. It also symbolizes how she now needs less guidance and care. After the dance, the father then hands her over to her friends for a group dance and leaves the dance floor.

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