The Quinceañera I Never Had
A couple of weeks ago I wrote No Time, an entry jotting four topics that I wanted to expand on but didn't have time to before. Now, I'm ready to reply.
The nearest grocery store to us, in the woods, is 12 minutes away. The closest hispanic-anything is north of 20 minutes from us. Not complaining. But that's the reason why it was so easy for me to spot a group of teens practicing for a quince1 outside on their driveway.
A quince, short "quinceañera," refers to a traditional 15th birthday celebration in Latin American culture that marks a girl's transition from childhood to womenhood.
Rituals of a Quinceañera Celebration
- The court of honor: A select group of family and friends who perform a surprise choreographed dance with the birthday girl.
- The waltz/vals: A special father-daughter dance. Sometimes other family members are also invited to dance with the quinceañera one by one.
- Changing of the shoes: The quinceañera enters wearing flats or sneakers, and her parents replace them with high heels to mark her first steps into womanhood.
- Candle lighting ceremony: The quinceañera lights 15 candles, one by one, each dedicated to a person who has made a big impact in their life thus far.
This celebration marks an important milestone for young girls. They require months, if not years, of planning and committment. And as you can imagine, they are EXPENSIVE! Not joking, today, they probably cost more than my budget-friendly wedding in 2024. Yikes!
I Opted Out of One 16 Years Ago
I don't regret it. No Quinceañera. No Sweet 16. My parents gave me the option but they also offered me the opportunity to go to Costa Rica with my best friends for two weeks. That's just something I couldn't pass. I was only fifteen but since then I've been very smart especially when it comes to long term investments. When I weighed my options it was between a rites of passage that was going to happen anyways OR a trip I'll never forget about. And guess what?!?!? I haven't.
Even though I haven't spoke to those friends in years, I can hands down say I made some of the best, most authentic, memories ever! In just two weeks, we did so much from exploring the mountains, visiting family in the countryside, and relaxing in the tourist hotels. I vividly remember the excursions we did like the banana boat, volcanic water springs, zip-lining, and so much more!
As I work on building out my Bear Blog space, I've been thinking about highlighting some of my travel memories through photos and anectdotes. Time to undust my hard drive and get started.
Quince translate to the number 15 but also short for quinceañera. And quinceañera also refers to the girl turning 15. Confusing much?!↩