Quinceañeras are a large part of Latin cultures, having been around for centuries. They are especially celebrated in Mexico, where fifteenth birthdays are seen as the transition into womanhood, but are also celebrated in countries such as Colombia.
Representing a new shift in a young woman’s life, a quinceañera is the day to celebrate a girl turning fifteen, and it marks the start of her new, mature self. “Quinceañera” is the name of both the celebration and the person being celebrated.
“Quinceañera” comes from the word “quince,” which in English would translate to fifteen, representing the age of change. Many girls turn fifteen during their freshman year, which is a big change. Freshman year was a year full of new opportunities to be my own person.
Quinceañeras are big deals for me and my family. It was a lot of work planning for my quinceañera. It was a stressful roller coaster of feelings because it was a lot more work than I expected — so much work that I had to push back the date of the celebration by a month, from May 25 to June 15.
The process of planning the quinceañera was a time that I got to bond with my mom. As the celebration is all about details, months of planning beforehand are necessary to execute the event well. I would seek my mom for her opinion anytime I had an idea for the theme or how I wanted my hair styled.
Quinceañeras are occasions to go over the top without feeling out of place, such as buying a big dress and pretty heels that you will likely only wear once, purchasing a tiara, getting your nails done, and going for a bolder hair and makeup look.
The dress worn by the quinceañera always makes a big impact on all the guests, because its beauty illustrates the type of woman the quinceañera is through her style in the color, details and type of dress.
It has just become common for the quinceañera to choose a color she likes and make it her whole theme. I decided that it would be fun to try something different, so I chose a black dress with pink flowers and leaves all around the hem of the skirt and the sleeves. I looked for dresses online and had a couple of ideas beforehand, but one day I went to a dress shop with my mom and that’s where I saw my dress.
I am not as skillful as the fifteen-year-olds in the years before me, like my grandma, who transitioned into womanhood at a young age due to all the responsibility she was given in her crowded household and marrying at 18.
Many quinceañeras have been celebrated throughout the years, but the message of maturity has stayed at the core of the celebration. I do see a shift in my life, as I have entered high school and make additional decisions by myself.
Quinceañeras start with a Mass at a Catholic Church, where the priest gives the quinceañera a blessing in her journey as a more independent individual and hopes that she will continue on a path with God.
My family is Catholic, so the quinceañera had to have a religious aspect, but I didn’t have a whole mass dedicated to me. I just had a blessing from the priest.
Mass is then followed by the celebration, usually in a ballroom, where people gather after mass. The quinceañera will greet everyone as they walk in.
The most common foods I’ve seen are birria, tacos al pastor, carnitas, and asada, which are often accompanied by beans, rice, tortillas, and salsa.
I had birria at my quinceañera and enjoyed it because I usually only have it for special occasions. In my family, birria is one of the foods, unlike tacos, that are more rare to eat, and are saved for big celebrations.
Two events that usually happen at the start are the change of shoes and “La Ultima Muñeca” (the last doll). The quinceañera is either given her last doll or gives one away to a younger family member showing how she is moving away from child-like things.
Another symbol of the quinceañera’s transition is when she changes her shoes. The princess of the night will get her shoes changed into a pair of heels to show that she is growing up.
I did not change my shoes or receive/give a doll because my parents and I agreed that a more simple quinceañera would be more fun. We wanted to focus on socializing with everyone instead of worrying about what event will come next.
Towards the middle of the party her parents are invited to dance with her to a slow song. The father goes first, and the mother follows after. The dance serves as an opportunity for both to privately talk to their daughter on a more intimate and emotional level.
I didn’t speak that much with my father when dancing, but we hugged for a long time as I sang along to the song playing in the background. I chose “Magnolia” by Laufey, which is a soft, almost lullaby-like song. This song made the moment more personal because it was something I chose.
It was a comforting, touching moment and one of the most memorable parts of my celebration.
Anyone is invited to dance with the princess after her parents are done.
The most common song played is “El Vals De Las Mariposas” by Danny Daniel, which has been played at every quinceañera I have attended. The song plays on a loop until everyone who wants to participate does.
Another event with slow dancing is the waltz. This dance is performed by the quinceañera and her “damas” and/or “chambelanes.” They are friends and family around the quinceañera’s age that make the experience even more fun.
After the waltz, my mother gave a small speech, and I teared up as I realized the immense amount of love and work that was put into the occasion to make me feel special.
My mom’s side of the family loves dancing, so they taught me. I love being able to join them at the dance floor at parties because it’s a whole different experience than watching them from my seat.
“Baile Sorpresa” or “surprise dance” in English, is another dance performed by the star of the night and her chambelanes and/or damas.
The dance performed creates an upbeat atmosphere that encourages people to join them on the dance floor. My favorite music genre is cumbia — I love the way it’s danced and brings all my family together because we all enjoy dancing.
Families fly from different states or even countries to support and attend the event. My grandparents flew from Mexico, and I was so happy that they were able to be there. I don’t see them very often because they don’t travel much like me.
This event is a memorable part of my first few years of being a teenager and a confidence boost, as it was a fun experience that I can share with friends and family. I was anxious about the celebration at first because there are always big expectations for these events, but I wouldn’t change a thing about it because it has helped me understand this traditional celebration by living it and has given me amazing memories.
