Meaning

• The word quinceañera is actually two words put together. "Quince" means fifteen and "añera" is a derivative of "año," or year.
  
  

Origins

• The earliest roots of the Quinceañera date back to about 500 B.C., to the Mayan and Aztec civilizations of Mexico.
  
  

Indigenous Influence

• In Mayan and Aztec tradition, girls were educated in social graces and domestic skills. At 15 or 16, they were ceremoniously presented to the community as young women who were ready for marriage.
  
  

Spanish Influence

• When the Spanish conquered Mexico in 1521, they blended Catholic traditions with those of the natives and the true Quinceñera took shape.
  
  

Religious Influence

• Early Quinceañeras involved a thanksgiving mass, during which the young woman reaffirmed her Catholic faith. She was also expected at this time to choose whether to devote herself to marriage or the church.
  
  

Festivities

• The mass was followed by a ball and a ceremonial dinner. Though the religious aspects of the ceremony have diminished over time, a typical Quinceañera still involves a formal dinner and dancing.