Tomorrow night is my good friends daughters sweet 16 party. Their family is Mexican, and the sweet 16 "coming of age" party is a really big deal in their culture.

My friend has been planning for months - it has been like planning a wedding! They are having it at a country club, 3 course dinner, DJ - the whole 9 yards.

I am planning on gifting her money, because I know they have set up a trust fund for her college education. (She is super smart and will likely be going to Stanford!)

Anyway, I have no idea what the "appropriate" $ amount to give is... Our families are very close friends and neighbors. The Mom considers me one of her closest friends, and often helps me out watching my 9 year old DS. 14 year old DS and the daughter are also very good friends.

How much $ do you think we should give her?

That is a great suggestion! I helped with the planning, so I know they paid $23 per adult, and $10 for kids. So, our family cost them $79. We gifted her $200, which I hope was good, because it was all we could really afford!

Anyway, everything was great! It was so heartwarming to be a part of the traditional celebration. After we finished the private family/close friend dinner, before the party started, her Mom and I helped her change in to her ball gown, and put on her makeup.

Then she presented a doll to a child, and her Dad too off her child-hood shoes and helped her put on her grown-up shoes.

Then the party started! The teenagers & kids danced all night and had a blast, and us adults had a great time watching, and catching up with each-other.

Your # wasn't offensive - it really does vary depending on where you live! Heck, I some kids get brand new cars for their 16'th birthday! Ironically, my friend called me the other day, after her daughter had opened all of her cards, and said "Jenn! What the heck were you thinking giving her $200!!" I told her to let her spend $50, and put the rest towards her college fund.

That's funny.... I was thinking about this last night... wondering what kids get nowadays, because it used to be so different when I turned 15. For one thing, my family didn't do the party thing, our gift would be a trip...
but, mostly, your parents wouldn't give you a "gift" (they gave you the party and dress), and some of the closest members of the family would give you expensive things, like a locket, or your first string of river-pearls or a ring with your birthstone.... friends gave you things like photo frames and photo albums... stuff like that...
But, yeah, the party itself is a great production...