My Quinceanera

A quinceanera is a traditional celebration in Latin American cultures that marks a girl's 15th birthday, and introduces her to family and the community as a “lady.” A quinceanera is a big party with family and friends, often including a religious ceremony, a fancy dress, and lots of dancing and food.

My quinceanera was Dec. 4, 2021. Originally, I didn't want one, and my parents gave me other options: to get a car or to go anywhere in the United States with a friend. I picked the trip with a friend. But one night, early in 2021, my mom's cousin sat us down and told me that I only turned 15 once and I could take a trip anytime. He was telling me that if I chose to have a quince, he and his family would help me with everything.

So, within the next week, a quince was on my mind, and I didn't know what to decide. On March 15, 2021, my parents sat me down and asked me what I wanted to do because my birthday was coming up in December, so I said I wanted a quinceanera. You need a lot of time to prepare for this event, and my mom and her cousin's wife helped a lot.

During a quinceanera, there are several traditional customs. The Mass is first; it’s a religious ceremony usually held at a church. Mine was held at Saint James Catholic Church. The family gives thanks and receives a blessing.

After mass, I drove from the church with my dad to get some ice for the coolers. After getting ice, we drove to the venue that we had rented. At the venue, my mom was on the phone with the caterers, because the food was not yet there at the time that it was supposed to be, and my mom and I were stressing. While my mom was on the phone, people started to show up, so I had to go around and socialize with everyone and thank them for coming. After a little while, the caterers finally showed up.

The venue was getting packed and people started to get in line for the food. After everyone was done eating, we started the ceremony by putting on my shoes. My cousin changed my flats to boots, symbolizing my transition into womanhood. Once that part was over, I had a daddy- daughter dance and a mommy-daughter dance. In the daddy-daughter dance, I received a teddy bear from my dad, representing my last childhood toy. When that ceremony was done, I thanked all my sponsors, who had helped make that day possible, with a dance.

After that I gathered all my immediate family and they gave a toast, expressing their love and wishes for my future. Then, finally, the fun could begin, after all that stressful ceremony stuff was out of the way! We got to party and had fun. I'm so thankful to be able to have experienced my quinceanera; it created a special and memorable bond with my friends and family.