<p>DD did not want a sweet sixteen, but since she had been invited to so many bar/bat mitzvahs and sweet sixteens I thought we should do something to reciprocate.</p>
<p>We have a pool and we scheduled at home party for about 65 kids because I thought it was important to include everyone. We had gourmet pizzas, snacks, soda, a rented ice cream cooler and a rented pop corn machine. At sunset we showed Yellow Submarine outside on a rented screen with projector and had a Yellow Submarine cake. We make copies of soundtrack for favors.</p>
<p>She is now 21 and the kids are begging her to have a party for her birthday because everyone still remembers it. Was not very expensive compared to catered, formal shindigs.</p>
<p>D2 is going to be 16 in about six weeks and I am pulling my hair out to know what to do. The blowout parties on MTV are the norm here, in fact, one of D1’s friends was actually on the show. The usual thing is either a big party or a trip (like a cruise) with a group of friends. I refused both of those options and D wanted neither anyway. I offered a trip to Paris with me. She said no. I offered a limousine and tickets to a Broadway show. She said no. Minibus and trip to Medeival Times. No. Spa day. No. Makeover. No. Redecorated bedroom. No. I gave up a couple of weeks ago.</p>
<p>“zoosermom, why “no”? I would have said yes to any of the above, especially Paris!”</p>
<p>I even offered Rome which I thought would have been a hit, but she said no to that too. Some of them were refused because others have done them, but the bottom line is that she is a very unpleasant person these days and this is indicative of the fact that no one can please her.</p>
<p>I think that that there are a lot of posters who would love to be zoosermom’s soon to be 16 y/o daughter! If she won’t be happy with any of these wonderful gifts, then you can always spend it on someone who would appreciate it, like yourself!</p>
<p>We moved to our house when the older daughter was turning 16 and she asked to have the attic finished, which is what we did and she was the most grateful person ever. My husband has reached the point where he says we should put cash into an envelope and let D2 go clothes shopping.</p>
<p>zoosermom, If nothing really pleases her now, perhaps you could give her the money to save (invest it with her). Perhaps she’d like to have it for spending in the future.</p>
<p>for my sixteenth (a few months ago) i went ice skating in nyc with four of my best friends and my family. we were there all day and had a great time. i learned how to ice skate and everything! :] i was invited to six or seven sweet sixteens and attended four of them, and they’re really not my thing.</p>
<p>it all depends on what kind of person your kid is. if they want to have a good time, suggest something unique (one of my friends took us to a museum and dinner, another watched an imax movie, etc). if they’re into parties, make sure they’re cool and unique. the more memorable and fun, the better.</p>
<p>Hi - my D turned 16 last November. Attends an all girls high school - sweet sixteen parties are the norm. Kids are pretty well off at the school, I never heard of one that was remotely over the top. D wanted a party, has a wonderful social group that sort of depends on these things as a way to get together in a nice way with girls and boys. So many of these parties are held, it is actually best to pair up with another friend whose b-day is close - so as not to compete for dates, etc. It also took a lot of the stress out of it to share planning with another family.</p>
<p>We had a Halloween/costume party with DJ at a local hall. Strobe lights, fog machine, they had a great time. Split between 2 families, it was very reasonable (less than $350 was our share, and it wasn’t at MY HOUSE! YAY!) Around 50 kids, the girls have the same basic set of friends. Chaperoning is key, though.</p>
<p>nugget trays from Chik-fil-a rock. so do pigs in blankets from SAMS CLUB!</p>
<p>I’ve been trying to decide what to do about my D’s 16th also. Like zoosermom’s D, my D says she doesn’t want a party - so I am racking my brain trying to figure out another plan. So far, she has vetoed all of my suggestions. I still have a few months to decide - but I wish I had a clue about what she would like best.</p>
<p>I love the idea of mythmom’s daughter’s party - but we have no pool, and our yard is really not large enough for that many kids. But it sounded pretty cool.</p>
<p>My D really wanted a sweet 16 party. She had always had very low key birthday parties - many just with family. She and her friends love to dance and the main thing she wanted was a DJ. We did it at a local hotel - had about 20 kids, a DJ and finger food. It was not very expensive at all and they had a blast. The DJ could barely keep up with them - serious dancers. What turned out to be one of the best parts was the cake. I ordered it from a local baker who did some really cool things - he now has his own show on the Food Network - Ace of Cakes. The cake turned out to be the star of the party.</p>
<p>we had a sweet 16 party for D at a local restaurant/catering place. Costume party with DJ,strobe light,bubble machine and fog. 50 kids, 6 adults. Had a scavenger hunt as an ice breaker, interjected trivia questions about my D during the party. During dinner, showed a 15 min DVD set to appropriate music with pictures of her from newborn to current. A tearjerker for me.
Lots of prizes and gifts for best costume, musical chairs, etc. The DJ kept it rolling with lots of acitivities and music. We all had a BLAST!</p>
<p>LIMOMOF2, I think zooser’s D does want the blow-out party, which is probably why D has nixed all of her mom’s ideas. Zooser, can you please be my mom? I’d love all your other options… She’ll snap out of this…one of these years!</p>
<p>LIMOMOF2" It was my idea, and everyone (read D) thought it was pretty stupid at first, but the idea grew on her. If there’s room in the house to turn it into a home theater could be fun too. The movie was colorful, light, and provided theme for paper plates etc etc.</p>
<p>Use your imagination. One year I turned the house into a planetarium with a start machine projector and make a cakes to represent the solar system.</p>
<p>If your kid is creative, and let’s you be creative, there is no end to the original ideas you can come up with. The problem is that at first they are afraid of how their friends will feel about original ideas, but in the end, the kids love getting to do something they didn’t do at any other party. </p>
<p>I can think of so many ideas, depending on the crowd. In our town everyone swims and has a pool, and her birthday is July 5th, so that was a natural. Showing the movie was my idea to give them something else to do and fed my nostalgia for drive ins. Outdoor parties at night need cintonella candles, off, deet, whatever, and caladryl for the unlucky. It was worth it.</p>
<p>The rented ice cream “truck” (little, just kept sandwiches, pops, cones, ices frozen) and popcorn machine added fun elements. These could be indoors as well.</p>
<p>Mythmom - creativity isn’t the problem in our case - space is…lol. Our house is not very big and neither is our yard. We have no basement at all, never mind a partially finished one…lol. D’s birthday is also during the summer (which is why your party idea appealed to me) - but we would never be able to fit all of her friends and cousins here. Our original idea was to rent a hall, hire a dj, etc. and have the food catered with teen-friendly food. That would have been fairly easy and fun, I think - but D said she isn’t interested. She said she doesn’t want a party - but I think I will feel very guilty if I don’t do something for her. </p>
<p>astrophysicsmom - I guess I missed that part of zoosermom’s post - I didn’t realize her d wanted the big blow-out party. My D is the total opposite - very low-key. She would probably be happier with something small - but she had trouble cutting down her guest list and decided she would rather not have anything.</p>
<p>See, I knew there would be CC posters who would love for zoosermom to be their mother! Astrophysicsmom, I would inquire as to whether you would be allowed to have a few sips of wine with your Italian cuisine if zoosermom is to be your mommy!</p>
<p>Can’t help you if she wants a big party.
But if she is wanting to do something distinctive and meaningful - my daughter was impressed by one on her friend’s family. Each year they give their kids a couple hundred and tell them to give to the charity of their choice. The kids figure out what issue is important to them and check out the charity. They can split the money among several or do a lump sum to one.</p>