| A Quinceanera is a celebration for young Latina girls on their fifteenth birthdays. It is much like a Sweet Sixteen celebration in the United States or a debutante ball at the age of eighteen. The tradition began with the Spanish conquerors as they mixed with the native people in Mexico. Coming-of-age traditions were blended together. Spanish missionaries had a goal to maintain their Spanish traditions, but with more religious significance. They did this by bringing the 16th-century Spanish tradition to the Americas. A Quinceanera is celebrated in different ways all over the world, even in the United States where separate regions of the Latino community may do things differently from one another. Some traditions that are common are the changing of the shoes, the girl's first dance with her father and the magnificent ball gowns. However, each family may choose to have the quinceanera in their own way. For example, some families may have the Quinceanera just to have a big party and for others it may be an extremely religious event. It is customary for the Quinceanera to receive numerous gifts from her family at the ceremony including a tiara, ring, earrings, a cross necklace and a rosary. Each gift is very symbolic in Catholic traditions. As for the Quinceanera's dress, it has to be beautiful and extravagant, almost like a wedding gown. A traditional Quinceanera dress is white and with a very large skirt. But some fashion forward 15-year-olds may want to go for a beautiful colored gown with embellishments, delicate embroideries and intricate beadwork. |
The Quinceanera: A-Fifteenth-Year Celebration
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