My favorite festival Losar (Tibetan New Year)

Every year, I eagerly look forward to celebrating Tibetan New Year, cherishing the happy memories of my childhood and continuing the rich cultural traditions of my heritage. I feel proud and blessed to share this celebration with my family and friends, promoting love and compassion through our festivities.

As a child, I enjoyed every aspect of Losar without fully understanding the significance of the rituals. Yet, I knew I wanted to continue celebrating and passing it on to the next generation. Growing up in an open-minded, multicultural family made it easier to embrace my love for culture and tradition. I am grateful to those dear to me who encouraged and shared in the joy of Losar.

I fondly remember the Gutor ceremony on New Year’s Eve, where we played games over a special Gutuk dinner and performed a ritual to cleanse our home of evil spirits. My mother would stay up late, passionately decorating the Derga offerings. The best part was waking up on New Year’s morning to the aroma of Kondy, a special drink made of Tsampa, rice wine, and rare Tibetan herbs. Alongside it were Tibetan cookies and Dresi (a type of rice pudding).

The first day of Losar began with greetings, dressing in our finest attire, and visiting the temple for prayers and blessings. We continued the festivities for three days, visiting and inviting friends and family to share in the joy of the New Year.