BajaNomad

Need help choosing a quinceañera gift.

Maderita - 6-18-2011 at 06:00 PM

Hey folks, I could use some suggestions on a quinceañera gift. The party will be on a ranch, east of Tecate, and I have ben invited to attend. My proposed budget is $75 to $100 USD.

A couple questions:
Is that an appropriate dollar amount (not too cheap, yet not so much as to make anyone uncomfortable in a working class family)?
Is a nice card, with cash or gift cards inside, culturally acceptable?
I have no clue about the young lady's clothing sizes or her other needs.
Thanks in advance.

DENNIS - 6-18-2011 at 06:07 PM

Your idea sounds good. Show me a teenager who wouldn't like money.

I wouldn't get all involved with clothes since the Quinceañera is a form of puberty rites and sizes might morph at any time.

You're doing fine.

Loretana - 6-18-2011 at 06:35 PM

Maderita asked

"Is a nice card, with cash or gift cards inside, culturally acceptable?"


That is exactly what you would be expected to give.

The dress, shoes, hairdo, cosmetics, etc. were chosen months ago!!
They spent more than they could afford on that stuff.

The envelope with the money is to cover the costs of "the cake",
por supuesto.

You'll have fun. :saint:

BajaGringo - 6-18-2011 at 06:54 PM

Cash in an envelope with a card would be a perfect gift and very appreciated...

Generous!

Dave - 6-18-2011 at 07:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Maderita
My proposed budget is $75 to $100 USD.


With those kinds of numbers you would have made the final cut on my bar mitzvah invite list. ;D

rob - 6-19-2011 at 09:35 AM

That sounds like a generous gift - I was advised to use small notes, the idea being to make the gift look as generous as possible, which in turn perhaps lifts the status of the recipient.

There are so many subtleties that I just follow the advice.

805gregg - 6-19-2011 at 07:01 PM

15 years old, how about $50, thats a lot unless it's in peso's.

choyero - 6-20-2011 at 07:53 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Maderita
Hey folks, I could use some suggestions on a quinceañera gift. The party will be on a ranch, east of Tecate, and I have ben invited to attend. My proposed budget is $75 to $100 USD.

A couple questions:
Is that an appropriate dollar amount (not too cheap, yet not so much as to make anyone uncomfortable in a working class family)?


$400 pesos would be more appropriate. $100us is a lot of money for a ranch family. It would take the father about 3 days to earn that amount. I'd feel bad if I was the father and some gringo gave my little girl a huge present that I couldn't match.

Also give a gift rather than cash, that way you insure the gift goes to her and not for groceries. With a gift to the value is not easily known, so if you want to be generous, you can. Just say you got a great deal on the gift if it seems excessive.

just my 2 centavos.



[Edited on 6-20-2011 by choyero]

DENNIS - 6-20-2011 at 08:08 AM

The question raised by Loretana is whether the money received as gifts is used to supplement the costs of the event or is it solely for the use of the young lady. Perhaps [ya think??] there's a part of this structure we arn't aware of.

In our culture we have a similar event, the Debutant Ball, but that is definitly reserved for the better-off folks and expense probably isn't an issue.
In Mexico, even the most less fortunate man will give everything he has to present his daughter at a Quinceañera. It's more a showcase of his worth than the daughter's and the anticipated "gifts" may be a part of that.

I don't know.



.

[Edited on 6-20-2011 by DENNIS]

Loretana - 6-20-2011 at 08:34 AM

Dennis...

I spoke from my experience as the "madrina" (godmother) of a young lady here in Loreto. I had helped her family from the time she came into my life at the age of five. She wanted a quinceanera very much and let me know that I was her only hope for a nice party. There was no father around, and so my husband was proud to be the "padrino".

We got her a lovely dress, and all the usual stuff, including a great tropico music band, rental chairs and tables, tons of food, 1200 beers, hired off- duty police as security and invited virtually everyone in Colonia Zaragoza to attend. It was a smash, and the party went on until the wee hours.

The family spent all the extra money I had given them to begin with and then some. At the end of the pachanga, I went around and did the "Italian silk purse" roundup amongst the more well heeled guests (mostly gringos) and collected $300+ dollars for her next year at the Preparatoria. The money was given lovingly and without hesitation by all our friends.

In this case, it did go solely for the use of the young lady, ostensively, but I know in my heart that household bills were paid, groceries were bought, and the gift of cash was the right thing to do, as far as local "culture" goes.

IMHO. :saint:

DENNIS - 6-20-2011 at 09:15 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Loretana

IMHO. :saint:




Greatly appreciated. I find myself reaching for my wallet.

It's the little things such as your effort here that will shape a young lady's life in her future. Value...worth...self-esteem.
You did good.

Loretana - 6-20-2011 at 12:45 PM

Muchisima gracias, Dennis

I had some real warm fuzzy memories come flooding back thinking about Lupita's sweet 15 party...

Andrea Guadalupe is now 29, with a good husband, two well behaved boys and lives in Agua Verde where her husband works in kayaking and eco tourism.

I want to share a favorite photo taken in 1997 during a Christmas trip to Guadalajara and San Miguel de Allende the same year she turned 15...we had a great time!!

A bit pretentious...

Dave - 6-20-2011 at 01:18 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by choyero

$400 pesos would be more appropriate. $100us is a lot of money for a ranch family. It would take the father about 3 days to earn that amount. I'd feel bad if I was the father and some gringo gave my little girl a huge present that I couldn't match.

Also give a gift rather than cash, that way you insure the gift goes to her and not for groceries. With a gift to the value is not easily known, so if you want to be generous, you can. Just say you got a great deal on the gift if it seems excessive.

just my 2 centavos.



I would think. :rolleyes: