- Title: Facebook birthday party invite goes viral in Mexico
- Date: 9th December 2016
- Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (DECEMBER 8, 2016) (REUTERS) MEXICO CITY RESIDENT WALKING IN STREET, ANA PAULA GARCIA (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICO CITY RESIDENT, ANA PAULA GARCIA, SAYING: "I thought it was funny because I thought it was local. Then I realised how many people all over Mexico and the world knew about the 15th birthday party and I thought it was strange because he (birthday girl's father) didn't make such a notable video for it to become viral."
- Embargoed: 24th December 2016 02:11
- Keywords: La Joya Facebook quinceanera Rubi
- Location: INTERNET + LA JOYA, SAN LUIS POTOSI STATE + MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- City: INTERNET + LA JOYA, SAN LUIS POTOSI STATE + MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- Country: Mexico
- Reuters ID: LVA0025C10H8J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Not quite your intimate birthday party. A video posted on Facebook in which the father of a Mexican girl invites "everyone" to his daughter's 15th birthday party has gone viral and so far 1.3 million people have accepted the birthday invite.
The Facebook video - published on the social network's public setting - shows Crescencio Ibarra standing next to his daughter Rubi and his wife Anaelda Garcia inviting all to the party scheduled for December 26. Ibarra has confirmed the idea was to have party for only people they know, but he hopes not to turn anyone away, according to media reports.
Mexico City resident, Ana Paula Garcia, said she was surprised the video spread so far.
"I thought it was funny because I thought it was local. Then I realised how many people all over Mexico and the world knew about the 15th birthday party and I thought it was strange because he (birthday girl's father) didn't make such a notable video for it to become viral," Garcia said.
There's no clear reason why the rather mundane video invite has caught fire the way it has.
Nevertheless, companies have taken advantage of the craze, with airline Interjet offering a 30 percent discount to people who wish to attend the celebration.
Another Mexico City resident, Cintia Camacho, thought the cause was a bit of bright news among so much negativity.
"We do pay attention to more important things but in the end we have fun. We try to have fun. That is why we pay attention to those type of things. Everything we live through is too much that stops us from laughing at things," Camacho said.
Ibarra says in the Facebook video that three local bands will play at the gathering and a meal will be offered. A horse race will also take place, where the winner stands to win 10,000 pesos ($490).
In Mexico, a girl's 15th birthday party is seen as a major milestone where a girl comes of age.
La Joya, in San Luis Potosi state, is a quiet rural town which follows these strong traditions.
This is the church where a Mass for Rubi Ibarra will be held prior to the party.
Wedding-style receptions are usually held to mark the big occasion, where girls wear tiara's and huge princess-lilke gowns.
A friend of Rubi's, Alondra Morales, said some of the countless meme's published about the party on Twitter and Facebook had been hurtful to the birthday girl.
"Well some memes, I think, were made with bad intentions and some yes, made her (birthday girl) feel bad," Morales said.
Resident and friend, Maria Morales, hopes everything will work out with the bash, which will go ahead as planned.
"Always, communities here have always held very big parties but more here. It was a lovely thing here and over the top but we hope everything will work out ok," Morales said.
The director of the local police force, Isidro Rodriguez, said they would provide security at the event.
"There are four to ten policemen in town. Of course the number of policemen is very low but it's a fact we'll do what we can at the party and ensure everything is ok," Rodrigiuez said.
It is unclear whether more security will be provided for the event. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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