The Quinceanera Is All About You!

By: Katie Weiss

Felicidades! Your fifteenth birthday has finally arrived!!!
You've come a long way, and now you stand on the verge of becoming a beautiful young woman. As you might already know, the Quinceanera is a tradition dating back many hundreds of years. While preparing your celebration, you'll probably want to stay true to these old-fashioned customs – at least to a point. Even if you love the old traditions (and who doesn't?) there's still some room for you to express a little style. It's your life, after all!

Keep in mind that your Quinceanera party can reflect the best of both your worlds. You can use your favorite parts of 21st Century life as you plan your celebration, while remaining true to your heritage at the Mass and through the clothing and customs. For example, you can dress up your ultima muñeca in the latest fashions, but wear a gown that's old-school elegance and charm. Or, you might choose to have your court of honor dance a vals to the latest high-energy rhythms. It is whatever you want!

Your Quinceanera is really the beginning of a new stage in your life. It's an event custom-made to celebrate your past, your present, and especially your future.

Experts say the celebration takes its inspiration from many sources. "Crowning a young girl on the occasion of her Quinceanera is really a celebration of a young woman's growth," says one student of Latin culture and heritage. "Her childhood is carefully set aside. Her family and community recognize her coming into her own as a young woman. It's an important time in her life, but it should also be a happy one."

The modern Quinceanera celebration in America, particularly in parts of the Southwest and Northeast, has become a time to celebrate the Quince girl's constantly evolving membership in two worlds. As both American and Latin cultures compete for her attention, the result becomes something new and unique. Over many years, the Quinceanera event has adapted itself to reach across the various languages, geography, and even cultures.

"If you look at pictures from modern celebrations," one expert says, "You'll see uniquely American elements in the gowns, music, and decorations, even though the dancing and atmosphere are very much a part of Latin culture."

"There really is an effort to bring the two worlds together. Sometimes the girls do it without even meaning to. Modern Latina girls go back and forth between worlds all the time. It's only natural that the celebration reflects that."

Possibly the easiest approach when planning your Quinceanera celebration is to hold the Misa de Acción de Gracias as close to family tradition and community heritage as possible, but let your creativity run wild during the party. The tiara you wear might be a family ornament, but at the party your crown might have plenty of glitzy, fashion-forward style. Your Thanksgiving Mass can include your family and closest relatives, but it's your damas and chambelanes that help you dance the night away afterwards.

Remember, too, that different nations and cities have their own Quinceanera customs and traditions. Sometimes, they even change from neighborhood to neighborhood! Your own personal heritage might include special decorations or customs that distinguish your event from others. But ultimately, the Quinceanera celebration is about you and your wonderful coming of age. While the traditions belong to your whole community, the style is uniquely yours.