Teen Has One Rule For Her Sweet 16, Her Aunt Breaks It Almost Immediately

People’s feelings about their birthday can differ quite significantly: while some want it to come and go as quickly as possible, others spend countless hours planning a big celebration.

The latter was the case with this redditor and her daughter’s sweet 16. Together with her daughter and other family members, the OP was planning an extravagant party, as per a tradition started by the birthday girl’s grandmother. However, one family member wasn’t cooperating, as she broke the one rule the 16-year-old asked guests to follow.

“It’s my birthday!” she squeals, the second the alarm goes off at 00:00. “It’s still my birthday!” she yells as excitedly, upon waking up in the morning. If you’re anything like Lily from How I Met Your Mother, you are probably well familiar with this feeling. And if you know the feeling, you, too, probably throw yearly birthday extravaganzas to commemorate the world being blessed with your presence for another year.

A survey carried out by YouGov found that while not necessarily to the extent of annual birthday extravaganzas, more people than not seem to feel positively about their birthday: 19% say they love it, 24% say they like it, and 47% feel neutral about it. As for those who aren’t as fond of the one day of the year – 7% say they dislike it, and 4% say they even hate it.

The survey found that most people feel happy and excited on the day of their birthday, though roughly one-in-five respondents admit feeling indifferent or calm. Some, unfortunately, don’t experience positive emotions on said day, as they feel anxious (11% of respondents), disappointed (9%), or even angry (3%).

YouGov’s survey found that people commemorate their birthdays in different ways. But when it comes to (nearly) annual traditions, roughly half of respondents say they thank God for being alive and spend time with their families. Other common birthday activities include opening presents and cards, enjoying a special meal or cake, and reflecting on life, among others.

Even if people enjoy celebrating their birthdays, not every single one of them is usually equally significant; for many people, such numbers as 18, 20, 21 or round numbers like 30, 40, 50 might bear more importance than the rest. In some countries, like the US, for instance, the 16th birthday is one to be celebrated, as it symbolizes the transition from childhood to adulthood.

Often referred to as the ‘Sweet 16’, this particular birthday has long been a significant one, especially among young women. In a New York Times article from 1978—nearly half a century ago—the director of adolescent psychiatry at New York Hospital, Westchester Division, Cornell Medical College, Dr. Everett Dulit, noted that this particular celebration is essentially a social ritual.

“Unlike a bar mitzvah, for example, which derives from primitive rites de passage in that it marks the onset of puberty, the Sweet Sixteen is primarily social in meaning, more like a debutante ball. A party for young females, it probably originated as a way of introducing the girl to the task of being a hostess, to the acquisition of social skills,” Dr. Dulit told the New York Times.

While it’s safe to assume that nowadays the Sweet 16 is no longer celebrated as “a way of introducing the girl to the task of being a hostess,” it is still a big deal for many, including the OP’s daughter. In her family, it has become a right of passage, as throwing an extravagant party for her granddaughters' 16th birthday is a tradition started by her grandmother. The birthday girl’s mother emphasized the importance of the celebration in an update she shared on the situation in her family.