What usually happens at a Quinceanera celebration?

Question

Hi, I've been invited to my first Quinceanera of a young lady who's mother I'm friends with, should I take a gift? What's expected and appropriate? Is this basically a sweet 16 party?

Answer 1

Quinceanera's are similar to sweet sixteens because they are large gathering that celebrate the birthday of a teen girl. However Quinceanera's have rich latino cultural traditions that are not always present in sweet sixteens, because the quince symbolizes a young girl's journey into womanhood. Check out this link that tells you all about what to do are a guest who has never been to a quince before:

http://www.misquincemag.com/quinceanera-...

Have fun y Buenas Suerte!

MisQuinceMag.com

Answer 2

It is basically a Sweet 16 party.  You are definitively expected to take a gift.  The quinceanera is going to dance a waltz and his father is going to give an embarrassing speech that hopefully she is going to forget before she gets 25.  :)

Answer 3

its like a huge birthday party, almost like  wedding.  yeah u should bring a gift.

Answer 4

As you have never been to a Quinceanera before,let me

tell you a little about it and what to expect. No surprises

this way,you'll know exactly how to act/react. As you no

doubt know this is a Latina/Hispanic tradition to mark a

15th birthday. Think of it as a cross between the Jewish

Bat Mitzvah and the WASP Debut/Coming Out. (There may be slight variations in the event depending on the specific

community the girl comes from,but that's true of anything.)

On a girl's 15th birthday,a "Misa de accion de gracias" (Thanksgiving Mass) is celebrated to commemorate her

transition from childhood to womanhood. She is escorted to

the altar by her parents,godparents and 'court'. The court is made up of Damas (female peers) and Escorte (male peers)

usually numbering 14.(to complete with her, a group of 15)

Mass is performed,there are some speeches made and the girl then leaves her boquet on the altar before leaving the

church. (Oh,she will be decked out in some enormous pink

or white ball gown..) Then it's off to the reception. Lots

of food,lots of music,nothing new here. The Quinceanera

dances the first dance with her father. Sometimes she and her court will take to the floor for some very elaborately worked out waltz.

Next comes the ceremonial presentaion of highly symbolic gifts by the people most important to the girl. Here are some of the traditional things: A ring or bracelet to signify the circle of life, earring so that she will remember to listen to the word of God,then Bibles, Crosses and Rosaries for obvious reasons.

The headpiece/veil that she wore to the church are then

replaced by a tiara to symbolize her worth before God and

a scepter to symbolize her new authority and responibility

in the world.

Toasts are made,the multi tiered birthday cake is cut

and more dancing. See to it that your husband dances with

the Quinceanera,by the way. All the men are supposed to

at some point. The last dance being saved for one of the

Escorts.

The gift you give can be just about anything that is

appropriate for a 15 year old girl. If I were going,I

think I would want to give something a little more lasting

than the latest Outkast CD. Silver picture frames can be

purchased in a wide range of sizes,styles and prices. Get

a nice-ish one and have it engraved with her name and the

date of her "Quince". There is bound to be at least one

special picture from this day that she will want to keep

on her dresser. If this does not appeal to you,just think

along these lines and you will do just fine.

Enjoy the party and DO NOT spend $200.00! She's 15!