| What is a quinceanera? | | | | The Quince girl receives the tiara and scepter |
| The Quinceanera is a tremendous event in Latin | | | | from her grandmother, memorializing her arrival |
| culture, one rich with tradition and heritage. So | | | | as a young woman. When the Mass is over she |
| much so that an outside visitor to the Quince | | | | will sometimes leave the flowers on the church's |
| celebration might feel overwhelmed by the terms | | | | altar as a prayer offering. |
| and traditions. | | | | The Quinceanera Fiesta |
| What is a chambelane? Why does the girl change | | | | The fiesta is a time to celebrate the occasion. |
| shoes at the fiesta? Why are there so many | | | | The Quince girl may have up to several hundred |
| people in the court? | | | | guests in a party that lasts well into the night. |
| If you're planning to attend a Quinceanera but | | | | Music plays a large role, as does dancing. |
| you're not sure what it means or why the | | | | Traditionally, the quince girl will first dance with her |
| celebration is important, read on. | | | | father after receiving her first pair of zapatillas, or |
| The Quinceanera | | | | heeled shoes. The second dance is for her |
| A Quinceanera celebrates a Latina girl's fifteenth | | | | honored escort, or chambelane de honor. |
| birthday, or quince anos - her official coming of | | | | The honor court, or corte de honor, consists of |
| age within her community. The Quinceanera, | | | | the men and women who stand with the Quince |
| sometimes abbreviated to simply "Quince," is an | | | | girl at her fiesta. In modern times, it includes |
| ancient custom with its roots in Aztec fertility | | | | seven chambelanes, or escorts; and damas, or |
| rites and European debutante balls. The traditional | | | | ladies. Combined with the quince girl, the court |
| Quinceanera includes a Misa de Acción de | | | | totals fifteen young men and women. In times |
| Gracias, or Thanksgiving Mass, at her family's | | | | past, all the damas would wear a different colored |
| church. Following the Mass, the girl attends a fiesta | | | | dress, achieving a rainbow effect. Modern gowns |
| in her honor. | | | | more closely coordinate with the quince girl's |
| The Quinceanera is second only to a woman's | | | | gown, much like brides and bridesmaids. |
| wedding day among important occasions. It's a | | | | The quince girl's father will usually make a toast to |
| time when the whole community celebrates. | | | | her daughter's continued health and good fortune. |
| The Quinceanera Mass | | | | The ultima muneca is also sometimes given to |
| The Quince girl attends the Misa de Acción | | | | one of the younger girls present - often a |
| de Gracias accompanied by her parents, | | | | younger sister or cousin. It is sometimes thrown |
| grandparents, and a special set of godparents | | | | in the air, as a wedding bouquet. |
| chosen for the occasion (called padrinos). At the | | | | Finally, the quince girl and her parents will extend |
| beginning of the Mass, the girl presents her ultima | | | | their thanks to the guests. While this was |
| muneca, or last doll, and exchanges it for a | | | | sometimes done to draw the celebration to a |
| bouquet of flowers, called el ramo. During the | | | | close, in modern times it is often performed near |
| ceremony, the priest blesses several items | | | | the beginning of the fiesta, while everyone is |
| including a new Bible, a rosary (rosario), a tiara, | | | | present. |
| and a scepter. | | | | |