Sweet 16 Gift Idea

Most Americans consider the 16th birthday as the one that marks a person’s “coming of age.” For this reason, the gifts that are given tend to be a little more elaborate than usual. If you’re looking for Sweet 16 birthday gift for a niece or nephew, godchild, or child of a close friend, then consider this budget conscious yet memorable gift idea. Select around 5 practical or personalized gifts, then round the gift count to 16 gifts with some of the “just for fun” items.

Practical Gifts (Pick one or two)
1. Cash (even a $5 bill is fine)
2. Gift Card (iTunes or to the movies, perhaps)
3. A typical present you may have gotten for any other birthday, like a necklace, shirt, DVD, etc.

Personalized (Pick two or three)
1. Gift dollars to their favorite fast food restaurant.
2. Hobby minded gift (good art pencil set for the artist, guitar pic for the musician, blank CD’s for the computer fanatic, blank journal for the writer, etc.)
3. A small photo album that shows them growing through the years, particularly if you’re a family that spends many holidays or vacations together. Even ten photos will do. Write a caption for each picture.
4. Accessories for any big item purchase their parents may have gotten such as a mouse pad for a computer, key chain for their new car, (I live in a neighborhood where this seems to be a very common practice, though my own children will have to work for their first car), extra earphones for their iPod.

Just for Fun (pick enough of these to round out your gift count to 16)
1. A small flashlight or candle: “You light up our lives,” or “No one can hold a candle to you.”
2. A box of Lucky Charms: “We’re so lucky you’re a part of our lives.
3. 100,000 candy bar: “You’re priceless,” or “You’re worth more than a million of these.
4. Almond Joy: “You bring joy to our lives.”
5. A pack of orbit gum: “You’re out of this world.”
6. Breath mints: “You’re a breath of fresh air!” or “You’ve mint so much to us!
7. Hersheys hugs and kisses: (self explanatory)
8. A bookmark: “You’ve made a special mark in our lives.”
9. An apple: “You’re the apple of my (our) eye.”
10. Bubble gum: “Hope your birthday bubbles over with fun.
11. Bag of instant dried soup: “You’re souper!”
12. Nuts: “We’re nuts about you.”
13. A Hostess cupcake: “You take the cake!”
14. A box of crayons/color pencils: “You color our world!”
15. Anything sweet: “Happy Sweet 16th!”
(Be creative, there are endless possibilities).

Wrap each present separately, making sure to add the tag for each of the “just for fun” gifts or they’ll make no sense, and then make a gift basket that is as much fun for the recipient to open as it is for onlookers to watch.