Personalized Gift Express Posting Page
Thursday, April 24, 2008

Do you have a special young lady in your life that is coming on her 15th birthday? If her family follows Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American traditions, she may be celebrating her Quinceanera. The ceremonies of the Quinceanera celebrate religious traditions as well as the virtues of family and responsibility of young adulthood. The custom is to welcome the girl on her 15th birthday as making her successful journey from childhood to young adulthood.


It's a very happy occasion with music, food and dancing after the ceremony. The celebration of La Quinceanera begins with a religious ceremony held in either a home or a rented banquet hall.

The Quincenera will have a court that is comprised of younger girls (her Dama) and younger men (her Chambelan or Escorte or Galan) and there are traditionally up to 14 persons plus the Quincenera which totals, 15 people.

The Quinceanera traditionally wears a beautiful long gown and her court is also dressed to the nines in gowns and formal attire. Guests attending normally receive traditional favors of capias (corsages) and ceramicas (small ceramic clay items). Modern day Quinceanera celebrations incorporate all of this and more. The favors are now expanded to include photo favors of the young lady, silver crosses or bells and other beautiful keepsakes.

Traditionally, the Quinceanera to receive the following gifts for her ceremony:

  • tiara
  • bracelet or ring
  • earrings
  • cross or medal
  • Bible or Prayer Book and Rosary
  • scepter
At the reception after the ceremony, there is a toast to the Quinceanera, known as the brindis. With traditionally decorated glasses, the attendees raise their glasses and offer congratulations on her big day. A doll is sometimes given to represent the things of childhood are now part of the past and she's a young lady now. The doll is kept as a keepsake of the Quinceanera.

Make her Quinceanera as uniquely special as she is, it's still very possible to keep with tradition and have unique favors to make her day as individual as she is!

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by: Personalized Gift Express


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