TRADITIONAL NEW YEAR HOLIDAY
White month traditional new year is celebrated in many cases in February, exact date is calculated according to the lunar calendar. White month celebration source is connected to the celebration of Thanksgiving Day celebrated until XIII century in autumn. Chinggis Khan decided to celebrate it in the spring and called White month. The white color is symbol of all that is beneficial, purity and frankness. The popular form of this festival includes a series of deeply symbolic rituals that must be carried out in strict observance of the rules to ensure a happy and favorable year. The New Years Eve is called Bituun and each family takes feast in the Eve day. The feast meals are steamed whole meat of sheep, dumplings, tea with milk, bakeries and milk products.
On the first of spring White month people greet to each other and show respects with blue silk scarf called khadag. The greetings are expressed through very specific ritual gestures and mutual salutations. However, this greeting is not used between husband and wife. Once the ritual greetings are done, parents say a blessing and express good wishes to all family members and guests.
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