Quinceanera
A Quinceanera is the traditional celebration of a girl's fifteeth birthday in many Latin cultures, including Puerto Rico. It is in many ways a teenage girls right of passage; some incorporate religious traditions, and for some it represents social status. In fact, when considering the clothes, food, arena, entertainment, and gifts, a Quinceanera can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000. These celebrations resemble weddings in many ways. The event is very formal; the guest of honor wears a dress which a lot like a ball gown or a wedding dress, and the guests are in formal dress as well.
Although this tradition dates back to indigenous Latin ancestors, some of the triditional elements of the Quinceanera have been replaced with modern preferences. For instance, traditionally the birthday girl's gown would have been white, but it is now common for girls to choose colorful gowns. The ceremonial waltz has been replaced with more modern dances, as shown in the video to the right. A Quinceanera incorporated all the Puerto Rican culture: dance, clothes, food, religion, values, family, and social status, etc.
Family
The staple of Puerto Rican culture, traditions, and holidays is family. Every traditional holiday is celebrated with huge family gatherings. At these gatherings, families dance, sing, prepare traditional meals, eat, play dominoes, etc.
