The Quinceañera is a celebration of a young woman's 15th birthday, marking the transition from childhood to womanhood. This right of passage has its origins in the ancient Aztec and Maya civilizations, when 15 was the age when many women were married. It continues to be practiced as the beginning of dating for a woman in South American countries. Some Latino communities in North America also celebrate the Quinceañera; it is the closest equivalent to the "sweet 16" birthday party.
The celebration consists of a mass (if Roman Catholic) and a fiesta. The most symbolic act is the father changing his daughter's shoes from flats to heels, which signifies her becoming a young lady. This is the first time she wears high heels and makeup. Some other traditions in the celebration include the throwing of a "quince" doll to other female children, which represents the young lady's last doll as a child. The young woman also wears a tiara, symbolizing that God considers her a princess on the Quinceañera, and she wears a formal white or pastel dress. The celebration can include musicians, horse-drawn carriages, ethnic dancing, a court of attendees, and presents.
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