When I was assigned #7 on the List of 25 Crazy Rites of Passage, I was insanely surprised the Western tradition of celebrating (more often than not) a girl's 16th birthday made the list, especially in the top ten.
What in the world?!
I can hardly remember how I celebrated my 16th, other than I didn't attend school and went to breakfast with my mother, like I do every year. I've always enjoyed birthdays with my longstanding group of friends, but the years have blurred with age. But, I can tell you, with an incredible utmost certainty, that that particular October 22nd was in no way, shape, or form painful.
An un-altered photo of my 16 year old self in my high school yearbook.
In my research, I discovered that there are three ceremonies that are performed at a typical Sweet 16 birthday party.
1. Candle-lighting ceremony: each of the candles placed on the cake represents, and is lit by, various people that have been influences in the life of the honored.
2. Shoe ceremony: a father, uncle, grandfather presents the birthday girl (who is wearing flats) with a pair of heels and helps her change into them. This symbolizes moving into womanhood.
3. Tiara ceremony: the mother brings a tiara to place on the noggin of the birthday girl. Sometimes this is paired with the shoe ceremony.
Please, if you would like your mind-blown by financial obscenities, check out full episodes of My Super Sweet 16. I was stunned, shocked, how much money these girls spent--and not of their own cash, but their parents. In.sanity.
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