How much did you spend on your dc for their 16th?

[Suchafrabjousday]

Of course I know this is all depending on financial circumstances etc but just wondering what may be the average spend for a 16th birthday?

I know it’s not a special birthday like an 18th or 21st but dd seems to think 16 or ‘Sweet 16’ as she keeps referring to it as (bloody social media) is a special birthday.

Same as every other year.

More than usual as he had a party, but his birthday is round Christmas and people are usually busy so he hasn't had one for years. Did a belated one in January instead.

My dd is coming up 16 and and I am a teacher and ot does seem to be getting bigger and bigger with the sweet 16.

Boys receiving canada goose or the moncler. Girls jewellery hair extensions, phones. Big parties.

I am not sure yet what to do for my dd.

To answer your question: no difference here and I'm not aware of much extra happening in the rest of my circle.

16 just means you can legally have sex (i.e. have children) and marry. It's a relic of the days when everyone but the wealthiest of men were expected to partner up and reproduce. 'Sweet sixteen' is actually rather creepy in that context and is generally a load of nonsense. Businesses got in there quick to commercialise and monetise it before people really took notice of how weird, creepy and antiquated it is to make a big deal out of 16.

probably less than other years as he didn’t choose a gaming headset/pc/Xbox! . Less presents but more cash (as he didn’t really know what he wanted). Spent about £250 in total.

It’s dd 16th today and I’ve spent around £200 and tbh it doesn’t look a lot at all. A few bits of jewellery, a couple of items of clothing, some make up and bits and bobs and that’s £200 gone. She has received around £150 spending money from grandparents and I will also pay for her to have her ears pierced so personally I think she’s not done too badly.

But many of her friends receive so many very expensive gifts from their parents things like Nike Jordan’s, designer and popular branded clothing, jewellery by Vivienne Westwood, Abbott Lyon etc and they get their nails and hair done, it’s becoming a competitive thing amongst them all.

Dd also has prom in 2 months, don’t even get me going on how much that’s is costing. It’s like the year’s top competition.

My son was 16 last month. Home made birthday cake, lego brick heads and some money.....he was happy 😀

Quite a bit. DD asked for a bottle of French perfume - so she and I had a trip to Paris to buy it and did the sights whilst we were there😁.

Hoping to take DS to New York, more than we usually spend, not sure why I see 16 as special, I think maybe more because of the significance in his education and that point in his life. I suspect 17-18 will be car related so feels like the right time to do it.

Metre 16 like all the other years around 50 to 100 pounds. And then on the 18th gave them £500 to travel with.

Don't buy into it OP. My daughter coerced me the same way. It cost me a weekend trip to Lonfon and an expensive piece of jewellery. Then found out after the event that her friends parents had been more savvy than me and dealt as just a normal birthday. They're crazfty manipulative twonks those teens...

Ummm, a few balloons and presents, nothing special (it was during the pandemic but don't think that made any difference). Didn't splash out on the kids' 18ths either.

Tickets to Reading festival

Oh, what a lovely time together.

Livelovebehappy

They really are lol

Gift wise - similar to other years. Some books, bits of inexpensive jewellery (she loves simple siver rings) and an experience.

She got her nose pierced and we booked a owl experience with 2 friends in lieu of a party. 16th birthday parties were either a really big one or just pizza with friends in her friendship group.

From the grandparents she got money to go shopping. We went to the US and she spent it in NY. That trip was a joint 50th, 16th and GSCE survival celebration trip.