Mass

• A Misa de Acción de Gracias (thanksgiving Mass) is attended by the birthday girl, maids of honor and chamberlains. The honoree sits near the altar throughout the mass.
  
  

Fiesta (Party)

• Traditionally, a mariachi band comes to the house of a girl on the eve of her 15th birthday, and serenades her in front of the house. The next day, a party is held, with the first dance reserved for the father of the birthday girl.
  
  

Viaje (Journey)

• Some girls celebrate their quinceanera with an excursion far from home, although, in contemporary times, fiestas are the more popular option.
  
  

Formality

• All who attend a quinceanera dress formally, particularly the birthday girl, who wears a long, frilly dresses not unlike a wedding dress. Parties are as large as a family and community can afford, often with formal dances, live music and a tiered birthday cake.
  
  

Rite of Passage

• The quinceanera is essentially a rite of passage that has been traced to Aztec times. Following quinceanera, a girl is expected to take on behavior and responsibilities of an adult woman. Moreover, the quinceanera traditionally signifies sexual maturity and openness to marriage.