Thursday, April 20, 2017

Quinceanera and Sweet Sixteen


"Isn't your dress purple?" 

"No, it's the color of champagne... Champagne. And silver." 

A prom conversation? It's the right time of year, but this was a freshman math class. (Same class I discussed yesterday.) Ninth graders don't go to prom. But why else would these girls be discussing gowns so obsessively at this time of year? 

Yeah, so I butt into conversations all the time... 

"I have to have a quinceanera and a sweet sixteen. My sibling had both. It can't look like my parents love her more than me, so I have to have the same thing she did." 

The wording on that explanation had me wondering, so I asked... 

"I know they don't love her more than me. (They love me more.) But in my family they may think..." 

Appearances are everything with the aunts and cousins, she explained. 

Well, alrighty, then... 

(I live in southern California. We have a large Latino population. Quinceaneras are a thing.) 

Did you have a sweet sixteen party? A quinceanera? Or did you have any big birthday party around those ages? 

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...

31 comments:

  1. Hi Liz - no I had the traditional at that stage 21st ... funny I didn't really want one - but we went ahead ... I learnt about the Quinceanera - interesting word ... and tradition - cheers HIlary

    http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/q-is-for-quirky-quizzy-facts-and-quaggas.html

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  2. I had a bat mitzvah at 13. Huge party,

    Both daughters were very spoiled, each had a bat mitzvah and a Sweet 16. Yeah, I'm a sucker when my daughter's are concerned.

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    1. At least you had three years between the two...

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    2. Hahahahaha. Jen's bat mitzvah was in 2003. Becca's was in 2005. Jen's sweet 16 was in 2006, Becca celebrated hers in 2008. Jen graduated from high school and started college in 2008, Becca in 2010. Can you say "broke"?

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    3. Ah, I see. I was thinking three years between for each. I wasn't looking at the big picture.

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  3. New word for me.
    Friends took me out bar hopping for my twenty-first birthday. First and last time I was ever really drunk.

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  4. Can you imagine having a quinceanera, sweet sixteen, and then a few years later a wedding? Talk about the expense and I've seen how some go all out for the quinceanera. Multiple that by several daughters in a family. Talk about going bankrupt!

    betty

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  5. My 16th birthday all I had was a black eye. I took a football to the face, hehe. It was an impressive bruise!

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  6. I never had any big parties like that. Man, I can't believe they get both. And fancy dresses. Can I have a double quinceanera?

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  7. In my up bringing having a big blast cause you turn 16 was not something we did. I actually think I only had one birthday party in my life....

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    1. I didn't either. But apparently nowadays it's a thing.

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  8. What is the significance of age 15 for Latinas? Is that considered an age of maturity? When they can date? Hold down a job? just curious...
    ----------

    Gail Park

    Making Life an Art

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    1. My daughters went to a few quinces, and if I understand correctly, it's a maturing thing, a transition from childhood to young womanhood. Traditionally there were rituals to indicate the young woman was ready for marriage, and suitors were supposed to bring gifts to make up a dowry. now it's mor elike a Sweet 16.

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    2. What songbird said. Nowadays it's just an excuse to have a big party. With formal wear.

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  9. No sweet sixteen, no coming out, no debutantes ball. I was just thrilled to get my driver's license. A lot of the ladies where I worked were all into the quinceaneras. Beautiful girls, beautiful gowns, lots of celebration. We have a fairly large Mexican community in Beaumont - right off the Old Spanish Trail.
    Perspectives at Life & Faith in Caneyhead

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  10. I can only shake my head at recall of that age. My family treated me well but I had to make my own memories.

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    1. You probably had a pretty good childhood, then. I don't know if these parties are actually a good thing.

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  11. Liz, It's been a long time! My memories are vague but I think I had a Sweet Sixteen sleep over. That's been too many years ago. lol

    Art Sketching Through the Alphabet "Q" is for the Evil QUEEN from Snow White.

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  12. I had nothing after I turned 12. My parents clearly didn't love me at all.

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    1. I don't know about that. These extensive parties reek of someone trying too hard to prove something.

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  13. Nah the Old Woman just couldn't be bothered and my darling dad wouldn't have known which end was up. But I did try to make up for it with my girl, but might have occasionally wished I hadn't , cos I wasn't like the other kids' mothers. It's all a crap shoot.

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    1. This is true. What one girls loves, another may detest.

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  14. I didn't have a sweet sixteen. I don't really remember my 16th birthday, except that it snowed or iced because I couldn't go get my driver's license. I didn't have many friends so I might have had my best friend spend the night but that's probably about it. Girl Who Reads

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    1. It sounds like none of us actually had a big shindig.

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  15. I am just so sad that they are that image conscious. Now off to see what your Q actually means

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    1. I see what it means...it's like the coming of age party that many girls would have. Some have to dress in white....ughhh. I'm with Jezebel....I would dress in Red or black:)

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    2. Oh yes, very image conscious. I think it's the age more than anything.

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  16. Oh man. What a family. But I guess better to be careful then have hurt feelings maybe even if it's just the appearance. I didn't do either of them. Never saw a need.

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