People who turn 15 in the U.S. celebrate their birthday with family and friends, just like any other ordinary birthday. But when a girl becomes 15 in parts of Latin America, it’s more than just a birthday. It’s a milestone. That milestone is referred to as a quinceañera, a major celebration symbolizing that a girl is ready to leave her girlhood and move into womanhood. 

This birthday tradition can be traced to the Aztecs of the ancient world. Though this tradition is old, it is not yet time to give it up. A portion of people in the hispanic culture have left behind the tradition. They still celebrate as a normal birthday but won’t commit to making a quince. In the past years, I’ve been seeing people celebrate quinces less and less. I would get invited to quinceaneras at least two or three times a year, but recently, I haven’t been invited to one.

The parents don’t necessarily have to spend all the money on having a quinceañera themselves. The  quinceañera, the girl celebrating her birthday, gets to choose a godmother and godfather whose responsibilities it is to pay for the dress, heels, hair and makeup. This saves the parents more money. Another benefit when throwing a quinceañera is that it’s just a one-time thing. The girl only celebrates it when she’s about to turn 15 years old. The parents won’t have to worry about all the other ages. In the hispanic culture, girls who are young should take advantage of this opportunity.

Throwing a quinceañera can also be a handful because the parents have to plan out the celebration six to eight months prior to the big day. The parents and the quinceañera birthday girl have to stress about the party The girl has to practice her dancing and her prayers, and she has to find the perfect dress and hairstyle for her big day. But when everything comes together, it’s going to be a monumental day for the parents to see their young girl growing up and for the  quinceañera realizing that she’s becoming a woman. It is worth all the stress for parents to be able to share this special day with their daughter.

Having a quinceañera is one of the greatest feelings a young girl could ever experience, but it can have some drawbacks. Money can be a serious issue when throwing a quince. Parents tend to spend around $5,000 to $20,000 in total, according to Activities.Costhelper, a website that gives estimates for throwing a quinceañera party. This estimate includes renting a venue, food and drinks. The fact that it is so expensive causes some parents to turn away from this tradition. 

I believe having a quinceanera is a big accomplishment in the hispanic culture. Having a  quinceañera only happens once in your life. People should take advantage of that and celebrate. Imagine receiving all the gifts by people who greeted and having best friends and family members. I personally never celebrated my quinces, but I regret my decision as I see other girls wearing their big and beautiful dresses while dancing all night. Every hispanic girl should celebrate her quinceañera.