birthdays

Well, my two youngest children are both hitting some pretty major birthdays this year... 21 and 16.  Before Alex left to go back to college we had a little birthday party for him, along with our family tradition of a slideshow on your 21st birthday.  This year we set up a screen by the pool and let all the little kids float around on rafts as we watched the last 21 years of Al's life go by in photos.  Then, he was off to school where, I am sure, he had the real 21st birthday party with all his friends.  And, next up is Emily's birthday.  What do you do as a parent in the age of extravagant sweet 16 parties?  Can some nice gifts and a tray of cupcakes cut it?  Do you do anything major for birthdays in your family?  Do you have any birthday traditions that fall with certain ages?  Please share!  Perhaps I can come up with something for a 16 year old that isn't too over the top...