14y old has been asking for a “Quincenera” (sp?) party since last year (at 13).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meu Deus do ceu! Isso e pq vc nunca deve perguntar americanos nada. Faz a festa pra ela e nao se preocupe com povão.

Pqp, né?

[Anonymous]

OP I would try to figure out what they do in Brazil these days and take it from there. Call it whatever Brazilians call it. Also as a middle eastern immigrant I agree that the obsession with cultural appropriation is an American thing. First generation immigrants don’t understand what the fuss is about and tend to see what Americans call cultural appropriation as a type of flattery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I would try to figure out what they do in Brazil these days and take it from there. Call it whatever Brazilians call it. Also as a middle eastern immigrant I agree that the obsession with cultural appropriation is an American thing. First generation immigrants don’t understand what the fuss is about and tend to see what Americans call cultural appropriation as a type of flattery.

If you don’t know and have to ask then its probably not for you. OP should just do a sweet 16.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am in the event industry. Quince's in this area cost about the same as weddings, which is to say they start around 25K, and many are upwards of 50K, and even higher is not that unusual. It's not even your culture. Tell her no.

I teach at a high school that has an almost entirely Hispanic student body and many of the girls have quinces. Many also forgo quinces for cars instead, or because they are so expensive. One thing about them though is that when they’re part of your culture, the burden of the cost is lifted by others - many of my students’ quinces are community funded in a way because the aunt and uncle’s gift might be paying for the food, the grandparents might pay for the alcohol, etc. So the parents don’t typically pay all $25k because it’s such an important family event that the quinceanera’s loved ones help pay for aspects of it.


That wouldn’t really apply to OP so she’d be paying $15-$20k for a version of a quince she and her daughter just kinda made up since neither are familiar with the tradition. It’s more than just the party; there’s the religious ceremony, the dance with the chambelan- op didn’t grow up doing this despite being Brazilian so I really don’t know how she and her kid would properly plan it or if the daughter really just wants a sweet 16 with a fancy dress.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meu Deus do ceu! Isso e pq vc nunca deve perguntar americanos nada. Faz a festa pra ela e nao se preocupe com povão. Good heavens! That's because you should never ask Americans anything. Throw her a party and don't worry about the crowd.

If OP was still in Brazil, she’d have known what to do there. She was looking for what others may have done if also in similar situation outside of Brazil.

[Anonymous]

Too long to read all posts but not seeing on first page or last anyone answering OP’s about cost. The cost would be reason many would not be able to pull off.

Here’s a budget worksheet if OP does decide to do. https://www.thebash.com/articles/quinceanera-budget

“This milestone celebration typically costs anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000, although lots of people go the DIY route and spend less while others host an elaborate celebration for hundreds of guests and could spend upwards of $50,000.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I would try to figure out what they do in Brazil these days and take it from there. Call it whatever Brazilians call it. Also as a middle eastern immigrant I agree that the obsession with cultural appropriation is an American thing. First generation immigrants don’t understand what the fuss is about and tend to see what Americans call cultural appropriation as a type of flattery.

If you don’t know and have to ask then it’s probably not for you. OP should just do a sweet 16.

Go away troll.

[Anonymous]

Op Here. OMG, this thread has delved into culture appropriation???

I only posted it because since I haven’t been living in Brazil for the past 20 years nor I’m part of the Hispanic community, I have no idea of costs for this type of party or how to go about it in this country.

And if we decide to throw her a party, of course I wouldn’t call it QUINCENERA because we don’t even speak Spanish. My daughter was the one who approached the subject with this name because, I think, it is her frame of reference since I have never even mentioned to her “festa de Quinze anos” or “festa de debutante,” (what is called in Brazil.

And I thought you peeps would understand better what I was talking about if I said quincenera since you guys seem more familiar with Hispanic culture in general than the particulars of each country in Latin America.

In any event, the cost seems too much for just a random birthday party. I think I will just give her a nice piece of jewelry and offer a trip to Japan instead (Japan because she is into their culture and I know it is one of the places she wants to visit).

Thanks everyone for your input.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op Here. OMG, this thread has delved into culture appropriation???

I only posted it because since I haven’t been living in Brazil for the past 20 years nor I’m part of the Hispanic community, I have no idea of costs for this type of party or how to go about it in this country.

And if we decide to throw her a party, of course I wouldn’t call it QUINCENERA because we don’t even speak Spanish. My daughter was the one who approached the subject with this name because, I think, it is her frame of reference since I have never even mentioned to her “festa de Quinze anos” or “festa de debutante,” (what is called in Brazil.

And I thought you peeps would understand better what I was talking about if I said quincenera since you guys seem more familiar with Hispanic culture in general than the particulars of each country in Latin America.

In any event, the cost seems too much for just a random birthday party. I think I will just give her a nice piece of jewelry and offer a trip to Japan instead (Japan because she is into their culture and I know it is one of the places she wants to visit).

Thanks everyone for your input.

OP-I think it’s only one troll yapping about cultural appropriation even after us Brazilians explained we have the tradition as well. Boa sorte!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op Here. OMG, this thread has delved into culture appropriation???

I only posted it because since I haven’t been living in Brazil for the past 20 years nor I’m part of the Hispanic community, I have no idea of costs for this type of party or how to go about it in this country.

And if we decide to throw her a party, of course I wouldn’t call it QUINCENERA because we don’t even speak Spanish. My daughter was the one who approached the subject with this name because, I think, it is her frame of reference since I have never even mentioned to her “festa de Quinze anos” or “festa de debutante,” (what is called in Brazil.

And I thought you peeps would understand better what I was talking about if I said quincenera since you guys seem more familiar with Hispanic culture in general than the particulars of each country in Latin America.

In any event, the cost seems too much for just a random birthday party. I think I will just give her a nice piece of jewelry and offer a trip to Japan instead (Japan because she is into their culture and I know it is one of the places she wants to visit).

Thanks everyone for your input.

Wow- wish I could go back and ask my mom for a quinceanera if there was a shot at my getting jewelry and trip to another country instead!!! That would be awesome! Have fun with your daughter.