The traditional quinceañera ritual that presents a doll representing the celebrant’s childhood is the last doll ceremony.
The doll symbolizes the final toy of childhood as the celebrant enters young womanhood. A parent, relative, or other participant may hand it to her during the reception, and some families preserve the doll as a keepsake.
This custom is often called the entrega de la última muñeca in Spanish. Like many quinceañera practices, it is not performed at every celebration. Some families replace it with a different symbolic gift or omit symbolic rituals entirely.
The last doll is sometimes confused with the changing-of-the-shoes ceremony. The doll represents leaving childhood behind, while the shoe ritual traditionally marks a change in appearance or status through footwear. Neither ritual is mandatory or identical in every region.