The Importance Of Quinceañera In Mexican Culture

A Quinceañera can also be referred to as a quince or fiesta de quinceañera. It is a party in which a teenager is presented to society, they can have usually Catholic, secular or religious orientation. The word quinceañera makes reference to the girl itself who is turning fifteen.
This celebration is one of the most important celebrations in Mexican culture. A quince marks the transition to womanhood, to represent a young woman to the community and also to give thanks to God for his blessings. The celebration does not only recognize the young woman for her maturity but also her family, parents and godparents. Her mother and father as well as the padrinos (godparents) play important roles throughout the ceremonies. Each society has different rituals or customs when it comes to the transition of adulthood for both men and women but a quinceañera is very different. Back in the day when a girl turned fifteen is was signal that she was ready to take on her responsibilities as a grown woman as well as marriageable age and status. Today, this tradition has …show more content…
Family members, parents and godparents all chip in to make this event fancy and memorable. Presents that can help the young woman in her transitions to social life, school, and or work are often given. The cake is an essential component to this celebration because the grandmother is the one who usually bakes and decorates it. There is a lot of dancing; a DJ, a live band, mariachi who sing happy birthday, genres like cumbia, salsa, bachata, banda, and other old songs are played for both young and old guests. The young woman officially starts the party by dancing a vals (waltz) with her father. Soon after there is a toast, in which the guests celebrate and see pictures of the quinceañera’s childhood through a projector. During this moment her parents give a special speech to the birthday girl, with words of