Sweet sixteen (birthday)

A sweet sixteen is a coming-of-age party celebrating one's 16th birthday, mainly celebrated in the United States and Canada. While they are not a legal adult, typically, when they turn 16 is when many people learn to drive, get jobs, and assume other adult responsibilities. For many, the 16th birthday celebrates adulthood and marks the end of a childhood. As the name suggests, the celebration takes place on a sixteenth birthday and is celebrated across all genders, though it is typically more common with girls. In the past, sweet sixteens tended to be formal, but they no longer tend to.

Shoe ceremony
For girls, the shoe ceremony is common at Quinceañeras parties. In this ceremony, the birthday girl sits in a chair while her father, grandfather, godfather, uncle, or brother approaches her, carrying a decorative pillow with high heels. The girl traditionally wore flat shoes, such as slippers, and the father ceremoniously helped her into her new high heels. This is symbolic of the girl transitioning into a woman.

Tiara ceremony
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.

Candle-lighting ceremony
While also performed at Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and Quinceañeras, this ceremony is common for Sweet Sixteen celebrations. There are typically 16 candles, each given to special family members and friends by the birthday girl. Usually, when the recipient of the candle is named, the birthday girl says a few words 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. The birthday girl can decide to give her candles to whomever she chooses.

Other specific coming-of-age parties
like the United States, Similar celebrations are found in different cultures worldwide, some even brought to America.

Latin America
While it's thoroughly combined when living in the States, the most famous coming-of-age celebration is mainly the quinceañera, which is shared amongst the large Mexican American population from California to Florida, as well as within the other Hispanic communities throughout the country in Hispanic countries and Puerto Rico and the festa de debutantes in Brazil, both at 15 years of age.

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

Japanese


Coming of Age Day (成人の日, Seijin no Hi) is a Japanese holiday held annually. It is held to congratulate and encourage all those who have reached or will reach maturity. Festivities include coming-of-age ceremonies (成人式, seijin-shiki) held at local and prefectural offices and after-parties among family and friends.

Judaism
In Judaism, boys reach maturity at the age of 13 and it is celebrated with a bar mitzvah. Girls reach maturity at age 12 and in some communities, a girl may have a similar ceremony, the bat mitzvah. A B'nai mitzvah is for more than one boy or a boy and a girl and two girls have a b'not mitzvah. These are important dates in the Jewish culture because the young person is considered an adult following these ceremonies.

Christianity
In many Christian denominations, both girls and boys reach spiritual maturity at the age of 14, with the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Popular culture
Like most coming-of-age events, sweet 16s are common on TV, in movies, music, books, and online.

Music
Songs that talk about or represent sweet 16s.


 * "When You Were Sweet Sixteen" - Written by James Thornton, published 1898, #3 hit for Harry McDonough in 1901
 * "16 Candles" - recorded by the Crests and several other artists, including Roy Orbison
 * "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" - Neil Sedaka
 * "Sweet Little Sixteen" - Chuck Berry
 * "Sweet Sixteen" - Iggy Pop
 * "Sweet Sixteen" - Billy Idol
 * "Sweet Sixteen" (no connection to the Billy Idol version) - Hilary Duff, it later became the theme song for MTV's reality show My Super Sweet 16.
 * "You're Sixteen" - written by the Sherman Brothers, recorded by Johnny Burnette, Ringo Starr and others.
 * "My Little Girl" - Tim McGraw
 * "Butterfly Kisses" - Bob Carlisle
 * "Dear god" - Kevin Gates
 * "Only Sixteen" - Sam Cooke