Quinceanera

The Quinceanera is a traditional celebration of life and gratitude to God on the occasion of the fifteenth birthday of a young Hispanic girl. It is one of the most important celebrations for Latina Girls. The purpose of a Quinceanera is to mark the passage from youth into womanhood in a young woman’s life through ceremony and celebration. It provides a day to honor and acknowledge the traditions of the Hispanic and Catholic Culture and the important transition that every young woman experiences as she matures, both in the eyes of society and in her own life. The author discusses the quince from many different perspectives. Quinceanera’s can be very elaborate events, often involving preparation a year in advance of the actual fate, and can cost as much a wedding ceremony. The quince ceremony is an opportunity to define their self-identity in the Hispanic community and to show that their daughter is a girl with values and that she is ready to become a woman, however this ritual should be simple and not be a way of showing off the families’ wealth and prestige in the community.
According to traditional usage, Quinceanera’s have been a celebration only for young Hispanic women who are about to turn fifteen. One of the young girl who had her Quinceanera states that boys do not need Quinceanera’s as “boys are born men but girls turn into women” (58). This statement is backed up by her other friends. The Quinceanera is a tradition where the girl gives a speech, selects fifteen people of the most significance to her and celebrates her birthday with them along with many other family members and friends. The purpose of the ceremony is to remind the young woman about her religious responsibilities and her role as a woman.
The Quinceanera celebration is like a rehearsal wedding without the groom” (49). During the Quinceanera ceremony the young girl will place a bouquet of flowers on the altar of the church as an offering. She will be given a crown, and the priest will recite