Losar

Tibetan Buddhist festival celebrating the New Year. It is held at the new moon in February. Houses are spring-cleaned to sweep away any negative aspects from the previous year; evil spirits are scared away with firecrackers; and costumed monks perform New Year rituals and chants. Food is shared and there are contests to build elaborate sculptures out of butter. The sculptures symbolize impermanence although, because of the low temperature in Tibet, they do not melt and have to be destroyed.

Butter sculptures are also made during Monlam Chenmo, the Great Prayer festival, held just after Losar.