Make this sixteenth birthday party extra sweet with a candy theme. Let Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory and the board game Candyland be your inspiration. String gumdrops into garlands, hang lollipops from the ceiling using ribbon, and fill the room with bowls of jellybeans, gumballs and mini chocolates.
Celebrate that the birthday babe is of legal driving age with a car-themed party. Decorate with posters of luxury cars, and give car-logo keychains as party favors.
A dancing theme works well for co-ed and single-sex parties. A few disco balls, colored light bulbs and a strobe light are all you need to re-create that nightclub vibe. Have the guest of honor and close friends choreograph and perform a special dance during the party.
Costume parties are a great way to get your friends in on the fun.
Some themes we love:
• Mardi gras — beads, elaborate masks and clothes in gold, green and purple
• Princess — pink, pink, pink and sparkly accessories
• Old Hollywood — black-and-white dressy clothes, dark sunglasses
• Wig party — the bigger, the better
• Color party — choose decorations in one color, and ask guests to dress exclusively in that color
Forget what you see on TV. You don’t need a millionaire father, a flashy sports car and a bad attitude to have a good sweet sixteen party.
Make it great with one of these cool twists:
• Take a limo ride around town
• Have a tarot card reader tell fortunes
• Hire a henna tattoo artist
• Book a dance teacher to give lessons in salsa or hip-hop
• Host a singing or dancing contest where guests perform
Honor the birthday person’s favorite people with a special candle-lighting ceremony. Before the party, choose the 16 most special people in the birthday person's life. Keep the candles on the cake unlit, and ask each of the 16 people to come up individually and light one of the candles.
Grown-up versions of party favorites like burgers, pizza, skewers and fries hit the right note for this important birthday milestone.
Even dessert should be more adult than the usual cake and ice cream. Think tiramisu, sophisticated sundaes, raspberry and white chocolate fondue, fruity granitas and chocolate truffles.
Featured Sweet Sixteen Party Recipes from Epicurious.com
Fizzy Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri (serves 6)
• 12 ounces frozen concentrated limeade
• 10 ounces frozen strawberries
• ice
• lemon-lime soda
• fresh strawberries, for garnish
Pour limeade and strawberries into a blender filled with ice cubes. Blend. Pour into chilled glasses; top with a splash of soda. Garnish each with strawberry. |  |
| 1. | Sixteen Candles / The Crests
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| 2. | Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen / Neil Sedaka
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| 3. | U Can’t Touch This / MC Hammer
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| 4. | C’mon ‘N Ride It (The Train) / Quad City DJs
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| 5. | Twist and Shout / The Beatles
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| 6. | Shout / The Isley Brothers
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| 7. | Hot Hot Hot / Buster Poindexter
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| 8. | Mony, Mony / Tommy James and the Shondells
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| 9. | Greased Lightnin’ / Grease Soundtrack
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| 10. | Sweet Sixteen / Billy Idol |
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