La Quinceañera

The fifteenth birthday is an event typically overlooked in the lives of many non-latinos. At fifteen, the government grants you no new abilities, such as the right to drive, or to gamble, or to purchase alcohol. Despite the uneventful nature of the fifteen year old birthday in the English world, in the Spanish world, specifically for girls, the fifteen year old milestones is a momentous event.
This momentous event takes place in the form of a quinceañera, an array of events focused around the celebration of a woman’s 15th birthday. It typically starts with a waltz between the birthday girl and her friends, with fifteen couples dancing. Then the father of the birthday girl changes her shoes from tennis shoes to high heels, symbolizing her advancement into womanhood. The girl dances her last dance with her father, and is given a porcelain doll, which she passes on to a younger sibling. This is followed by a crazy party.
It is interesting to note how different birthdays are important to different cultures. For instance, in America, the 16th birthday is celebrated far more than the fifteenth birthday. And in some cultures, the 18th birthday is the most important. The quinceñeara is a very important, and intriguing, part of Spanish culture.