Quinceañera (sometimes called Fiesta Quinceañera, or simply quinces) is the celebration of a girl’s fifteenth birthday in parts of Latin America and elsewhere in immigrant communities from Latin America. This birthday is celebrated differently from any other birthday, as it marks the transition from childhood to womanhood. The celebration, however, varies significantly across countries, with celebrations in some countries taking on, for example, more religious overtones than in others.

The celebration of “Los Quince Años” has several origins. Most probable, it originates from the pre-Columbian cultures. Puberty rites of the Mayan and Aztecs introduced women into adult life and prepared them for household responsibilities. When approaching the fifteenth year, young women leave the family to attend the school known as Telpochcalli, where they learned the history and traditions of their culture and prepared themselves for marriage. Where in then, they returned to their community to celebrate their Quinceañera.