Chaul Chnam Thmey

That's Khmer for "Happy New Year".

There is a three day run of celebrations to ring in the Year of the Dog.

A bit about it:

In Cambodia, Khmer New Year is the greatest traditional festival. The Khmer New Year festival originated from Bramhmanism, a part of Hinduism, which was a religion that Khmer believed in before Buddhism. Later on Buddhism became associated with the festival and then took all the important roles in the festivity.

Usually, Khmer New Year is celebrated for three days.

The first day of New Year is called as Moha Sangkran, and it can be described simply as the inauguration of the New Angels who come to take care the world for a one-year period.

The second day of New Year is called as Wanabot, which means day of offering gifts to the parents, grandparents and elders. Khmer People like to share gifts or presents to employees and also donate money or clothes to poor people. In the evening, people go to temple to build a mountain of sand and ask the monks to give them a blessing of happiness and peace.


The third day is called as day of "Leung Sakk;" that means the year starts to be counted up from this day, for example the year of 2005 begins to be 2006. Traditionally, in the morning, we go to the temple to perform the ceremony of the mountain of sand to get blessed. In the evening, to complete the New Year festival, our Khmer people need to perform the last ceremony, called as "Pithi Srang Preah", which means giving a special bath or a special shower to Buddha statues, the monks, elders, parents, grand parents to apologize for any mistake we have done to them and to gratify them. Every one must have a wonderful time during this ceremony because it is a great opportunity for every one, young and old, man and woman to have much fun by spreading out water to each other.

My family wishes everyone a Chaul Chnam Thmey ... and as is traditional in Cambodia, here's to good health, happiness and success in business in the Year of Dog.