There are events that define our Latin culture and mark our identity. Some of these celebrations, such as the Quinceañera, have been adapted to current times and are far from the original purposes for which they were celebrated in the past.
Formerly, the party of fifteen, also known as debut party , it was a presentation in society so that the girl protagonist of the celebration could find a husband. Prior to this, she was taught to sew, cook and other domestic tasks useful for marriage and childcare.
Fortunately everything has changed and, although the tradition of celebrating is maintained, the goal is solely to create a memorable event to share with friends and family. After all, it’s not every day you turn fifteen!
It is an age to which films, books and songs have been dedicated, so there is little to pay tribute to. This is how some families do it: they invest thousands of dollars in organizing a party so elaborate that it takes months to prepare. A real madness, if you think that the costs are similar to those of a wedding ceremony.
EXPENSES OF A QUINCEAÑERA
The average of a typical quinceañera entails an approximate expense of about $21.07 dollars and you can have more than 200 guests, according to a study carried out in 2019 by Mi Padrino, an organization dedicated to the planning of Latino events that has suffered a loss due to the pandemic.
Indeed, the coronavirus affected this celebration and all the elements or satellite businesses involved: venues to host the party, event planners, music bands, making and selling dresses, makeup and hairdressing…etc. The list and the losses are long, since many young people and their families had to cancel or postpone the celebration.
But now, many of these companies that organize this type of party are seeing growth your business to figures that go beyond those before the pandemic.
If we search Instagram, we find more than two million posts with the hashtag “quinceañera”.
Photos of dresses, style recommendations, hairstyles, makeup tips and even announcements of dance academies for help the teenage birthday girls with the perfect choreography for their dance.
The Quinceañera dances are very important, that is why they are prepared thoroughly.
The themes for the party are the most varied, from recreating a forest enchanted, Hollywood movies to something more traditional like a cowboy party with a more Mexican character, the typical charra party. It should be remembered that it is a festival that is celebrated throughout Latin America and that each culture gives it its own touch or style.
In the United States, the states where quinceañeras are most celebrated are Texas (24 %), California (24 %), Illinois (7%) , Florida (6%) and Arizona (4%), according to infobae.
The ways of celebrating are varied and you just have to keep in mind that the protagonists are always them, the girls who become young. Despite the enthusiasm of families to organize a great party, there are adolescents who do not wish to celebrate an event of such dimension. They prefer to save the money for university, for a future trip to Europe or for a car. Some simply don’t want to spend what their family has been saving for so long.
In any case, the important thing is to celebrate in harmony and turn that fifteenth birthday into a unique and unforgettable moment.