Quinceañeras: A Guide to TraditionsBouquet bouquet a structure resembling a cluster of flowers. The quinceañera girl often trades her last doll (see below) for a bouquet, which she holds during the Mass. If she's not including the last doll in the Mass, she will often enter carrying the bouquet. At the end of the Mass, she usually places it on the altar as an offering. Chambelanes The seven boys -- friends, male family members, and so on -- who make up half of the quinceañera girl's court. Damas The seven girls who make up the other half of the quinceañera girl's court. With the quinceañera girl herself, the total number in the court equals fifteen. Quinceañera Pointer: While it's traditional to have a court of 15, it's no longer the rule. It's now considered acceptable to have more or fewer. If you're planning on having an elaborate partner dance, however, make sure you keep the number of guys and girls even. Quinceañera traditions vary from culture to culture: For example, the way Cubans celebrate is very different from the way Mexicans do. The same goes for different areas of the country -- certain communities may choose to emphasize different quince quince, shrub or small tree of the Asian genera Chaenomeles and Cydonia of the family Rosaceae (rose family). The common quince (Cydonia oblonga traditions than others. Gifts It is not uncommon for the priest to bless bless tr.v. blessed or blest , bless·ing, bless·es 1. To make holy by religious rite; sanctify. 2. To make the sign of the cross over so as to sanctify. 3. To invoke divine favor upon. a bible, rosary rosary [rose garden], prayer of Roman Catholics, in which beads are used as counters. The term, applied also to the beads, is extended to Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist prayers that use beads. , or other gifts for the quinceañera girl during the mass. These are not given to her during the service, however; instead, they are usually presented later at the reception when the girl's family, court, and padrinos (see below) are introduced. In some cases, girls are also presented with earrings and a ring or bracelet. Last Doll Some girls enter the mass carrying a doll dressed as a quinceañera which is called their "last doll." In other cases, the last doll ceremony will take place afterward af·ter·ward also af·ter·wards adv. At a later time; subsequently. Adv. 1. afterward - happening at a time subsequent to a reference time; "he apologized subsequently"; "he's going to the store but he'll be back here at the reception. Putting down the doll (or in some cases, giving it away to a younger sister or cousin) represents putting away the things of childhood. Mass A thanksgiving Thanksgiving annual U.S. holiday celebrating harvest and yearly blessings; originated with Pilgrims (1621). [Am. Culture: EB, IX: 922] See : America Thanksgiving national holiday with luxurious dinner as chief ritual. [Am. Pop. mass, or misa de acción de gracis, begins the Quinceañera celebration. The quinceañera girl enters in a processional with her court. If she enters holding her last doll, she exchanges it for a bouquet before taking her seat of honor. The purpose of the mass is to give thanks to the quinceañera girl's family and friends, and also to present the quinceañera as an adult member of the congregation. Other than the processional and in some cases, a coronation coronation, ceremony of crowning and anointing a sovereign on his or her accession to the throne. Although a public ceremony inaugurating a new king or chief had long existed, a new religious service was added when Europe became Christianized. ceremony in which the quinceañera's parents or godparents godparents npl the godparents → los padrinos godparents npl the godparents → le parrain et la marraine godparents npl present her with a tiara, the elements are much the same as at a regular mass. Padrinos Godparents or sponsors who are chosen by the family to present the gifts to the quinceañera are called padrinos. They may or may not choose the actual gifts, but they participate in the presentation (whether handing items to the priest to be blessed or presenting them to the quince girl). Padrinos often are included in the processional at the mass, and are presented along with the family members and court at the reception afterward. Scepter scepter symbol of regal or imperial power and authority. [Western Culture: Misc.] See : Authority scepter denotes fairness and righteousness. [Heraldry: Halberts, 37] See : Justice Often during the presentation of the quince girl, her court, family, and padrinos, the quinceañera's godparents will present her with a scepter, replacing the bouquet she had left on the altar. Along with the tiara, it undoubtedly marks her as queen for the day. Shoes The quinceañera girl usually wears shoes for the ceremony, exchanging them for heels (which are often put on her by her father) at the beginning of the Quinceañera. Like the last doll, exchanging flats for heels also symbolizes the change from girl to woman. Afterward, the quince girl and her father will generally perform a traditional waltz waltz, romantic dance in moderate triple time. It evolved from the German Ländler and became popular in the 18th cent. The dance is smooth, graceful, and vital in performance. . Vals The vals, or waltz, is the dance performed by the quinceañera and her court, usually at the beginning of the party. Though these days the waltz is likely to include more modern dance moves, elements of the traditional waltz are usually kept in place for these elaborately choreographed dances. Tradition also holds that the quinceañera girl first dances with her father before performing with her court (at which point she may also trade for a more sprightly spright·ly adj. spright·li·er, spright·li·est Full of spirit and vitality; lively; brisk. adv. In a lively, animated manner. spright dancing partner). Quinceañera Pointer: Don't feel stepfathers, grandfathers, or other special family members need to be left out. If the quinceañera girl is especially close to her stepfather step·fa·ther n. The husband of one's mother and not one's natural father. stepfather Noun a man who has married one's mother after the death or divorce of one's father Noun 1. , she may choose to have her first dance with him. It's more important to honor those she feels most close to than to play it by the book. 
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