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