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Car Crazy Sweet Sixteen

A Sweet 16 Theme Party

In most states, 16 is the legal driving age. If she's like most teens, Miss Sweet 16 wants to get her drivers' license and get on the road as soon as possible. Help her prepare for her learner's permit and when she passes her driving test with flying colors, make that a reason to celebrate. Buy her a car for her sixteenth birthday…or at least give her a "gold" key to yours. Be a big sport and throw in a gasoline credit card to really maker her day!

Sweet 16 Invitations

Since your Sweet 16 missy's been driving you crazy about getting her learner's permit, it makes perfect sense to make her invitation look exactly like her driver's license, complete with her own photo on it!  We have personalized driver's license invitations available for all 50 states and DC! You can also get matching keychains as a favor to the guest of honor, and give one to mom, dad and all the grandparents too!

If you want an invitation that will also be a treasured memory, consider having a caricature invitation made. It is one of a kind and a great way to commemorate this milestone. You can  even use the art for favors, centerpieces, and even thank you notes!

Sweet 16 Decorations and Party Supplies

Start off by hanging a Sweet 16 photo banner outside to let everyone know what a special day it is!  A life-sized cutout or wall graphic of the birthday girl can welcome guests as they enter the party.

Place balloon bouquets that include 16th birthday balloons at the entrance and all around the room. Weight the balloons down with die cast cars.

Make street signs from construction paper or poster board that highlight the birthday girl; "Heather's Way", "West Brittney Dr.", or "Sweet 16 Circle". You can even make signs directing guests to the buffet or the bathroom. Use yellow and white electrical tape on the floors to make lane lines.

Place a few red police lights around the room to accent your lighting (hopefully she won't be seeing any of the real thing!) Place light up traffic lights on the end tables, you mantle, the buffet, and anywhere else that need a bit of decoration. These are so cute and inexpensive, so scatter liberally!

Classic birthday decorations such as a birthday banner and star ceiling dangles are also nice to use in this theme, and they can be used again and again for all your birthday parties!

Sweet 16 Table Decorations

Sweet 16 paper goods are the way to go here. Create silverware bundles with metallic beads wrapped around them as napkin rings. The beads make great favors because they can be hung from the review mirror of a car!

Purchase several orange plastic cones from your local superstore. Place the cones over balloon weights and have 16th birthday balloons coming out of the center of the cones. Die cast cars in assorted styles should be placed all around the bottom of the cones. Finish the table off with a couple more light up traffic lights and your ready to put the pedal to the metal!

Food

It's always nice to serve the guest of honors favorite food for their birthday.  Just ask them what they want! If no requests are forthcoming, pizza is always appreciated (and easy).

But you should definitely surprise her with a special cake. You can bake or special-order a car-shaped cake or decorate any cake with a car motif, a large "16" with a car hitting it, or even make it look like her driver's license. Coordinate the cake with the invitation theme you used. As long as it says "Happy Sweet 16" to your favorite teen, she'll be thrilled (and you will be allowed to live!)

Sweet 16 Party Favors

Send your guests home with a fun favor to remember the day by. We love personalized mint tins; there are great Sweet 16 designs, you personalize the message, and you choose the candy!

Custom birthday pens are another fun, personalized party favor that will get lot of use. You can have 4 lines of text, and every time you click the pen a new line displays. Perfect for writing out those car payment checks!

You can also make a goodie bag for the guests to take home. Throw in a few of these great favors:

• Compass Keychain
• Dashboard Hula Dancer
• Pine Scented Air Freshener
• Magic Slate Keychain
• Light Ups and Glow Items
• Personalized Candy Bars

Have fun! And remember, don't get too crazy when you're behind the wheel (or you're grounded for life)…