The Quinceañera or Quince Anos) is a young woman's celebration of her fifteenth birthday and acknowledges her transition from childhood to womanhood. It is a significant passage for adolescent girls in almost all cultures. From a north-of-the-border viewpoint, it may be seen as a cross between Sweet Sixteen and a debutante's coming out party. Simply stated, the celebration is a way to acknowledge that a young woman has reached sexual maturity and is thus of a marriageable age. Regardless of how the tradition originated and in spite of the relentless commercialism of our culture today, the celebration of the quinceañera remains as a rite of passage that keeps the bonds of the family firmly cemented.
