Sixteen years has traditionally become a time when a girl ceases to be a child and becomes a lady. This transformation is celebrated in a so-called sweet 16 birthday party and is popular throughout North America. Some girls anticipate their 16th birthday almost as they would their weddings, so eager they are to get into adult life. Numerous things are possible to do at this party.

Candles are traditionally used to represent years at a birthday party. However, in a sweet 16 birthday party, they can stand for different things, according to SweetSixteenStore.com. The first candle symbolizes the girl's parents, while the second on stands for her siblings (or grandparents, if no siblings). Candles three to six represent other family members, while candles seven to 14 are for friends. Candle 15 symbolizes the best friend or friends. Candle 16 stands for a significant male (boyfriend or good friend). Candle 17 is lit to bring good luck.

A traditional blow-out-the-candles cake preentation is not necessary. Instead, it is possible to arrange birthday candles on a table or anywhere around the house. You can also attach a tag to each candle, noting whom the candle represents.

Because sweet 16 birthdays are somewhat like a wedding general rehearsal, some of the latter's traditions made their way into the birthday party. The father-daughter dance is one such tradition. The girl and the father dance to a slow song while the guests sit and watch.

Another ceremony borrowed from some weddings will work for a sweet 16 birthday, according to Gustav Woloszyn, a New Jersey-based professional photographer. As the birthday girl sits, wearing flat shoes like slippers, her father, grandfather, uncle or godfather approaches her with high heel shoes on a decorative pillow. He then ceremoniously helps her put on her new high heels. This is symbolic of her transition into a lady.