• Turning 16 is a milestone for your son, so throw him the party that you know he'll enjoy. Choose a theme that represents him well. If he likes sports, use a sports theme, or if he and his friends don't mind dressing up in costumes, throw a costume party. Whatever theme you use, try to be as cool as possible. You could easily be crowned the coolest mom for bringing Las Vegas to your town when you throw a Vegas-themed party.
  
  

Las Vegas Theme

• Even though your teenage son is not able to go party it up in Las Vegas, that doesn't mean that Vegas can't come to him. Surprise your 16-year-old with a Vegas-style birthday bash in your own home, backyard or other venue. Send out invitations with dice, cards, magician hats, Las Vegas hotels or other Vegas images on the front. Rent or purchase slot machines, card tables, blackjack tables and other gambling merchandise. Then for those guests who don't like to gamble much, have other forms of entertainment. Play a movie that the teenagers would enjoy. Choose a popular teenage movie, or a movie that represents the "Vegas" theme. To really add to the Vegas theme, roll out a birthday cake for your son, and have a girl (properly dressed) to represent a Las Vegas showgirl.
  
  

Costume Party

• If your son's birthday is around Halloween, throw him a costume party for his sweet 16th birthday. This gives a teenager an excuse to be a kid without being teased about it. On the invitation encourage the teenagers to dress up by giving a prize for the best costume idea. Decorate your home or venue with Halloween cutouts, tablecloths, balloons, confetti, streamers and other decorations available at Halloween outlets or other party retail stores. If you use one specific theme such as pirates for this costume party, turn your home into a pirate ship. Ask the guests to dress up as ghost or pirates. When each teen leaves, give out jewelry boxes full of fake jewelry, candy gold coins or other items you might find on a pirate ship.
  
  

Sports Theme

• Throw a sporting event for your son's sweet 16 party. Send out invitations with images of his favorite sports team on them. Get real creative and hand out invites the shapes of tickets, or put a copy of the invite inside a sport's water bottle. Instead of the traditional team gear or merchandise, add some personalization. Order life-sized cutouts with your son's face and the team's jersey on, and set the cutouts all around the room. Purchase some cutouts of real team players as well. If you choose a basketball team, order basketball balloons, or necklaces with basketballs attached for the guests to wear. Cook food that you would purchase at a sports arena, such as hot dogs, pizza, nachos and pretzels, for the teenagers to eat. Give out candy bars with a picture of your son in the team jersey as thank-you gifts for the guests.