New Year's Day in Cambodia is celebrated with much pomp and enthusiasm. Unlike most places that celebrate New Year's Day on January 1, Cambodia's New Year, known as Choul Chnam Thmey, usually falls in mid-April. This difference is due to Cambodia following the solar calendar. The holiday brings a festive season that lasts for three days, during which the Cambodian people indulge in a wide range of fun and traditional activities.
The first day of the New Year is known as 'Moha Songkran' which is believed to be the day of welcoming the new angels of the year. Cambodians clean their houses, make special food offerings to monks, and pay homage to their ancestors by conducting religious ceremonies in temples. A unique tradition that tends to kick start the holiday is the building of a sand mountain or pile. This represents the different layers of the universe, a symbolic way of washing off the sins of the past year.
Over the next couple of days, Cambodians partake in a variety of traditions and customs. These include playing traditional games, visiting family and friends, dancing, singing and taking part in beggar's rituals which include gifting food and clothes to the less fortunate. The holiday also involves a special cleansing ceremony where people wash their face, chest, and feet with holy water in the morning, afternoon, and evening respectively. This is believed to bring good luck, happiness, and prosperity for the New Year.