Traditionally, Dec, 29 is the New Year’s Eve on Tibetan calendar. All the Tibetan families will make a traditional food, known as “Thukpa Bhathuk”, a hand-rolled noddle soup with broth. The eating of Thukpa Bhathuk usually is accompanied by religious activities (such as set off firecracker, burn hay, religious chanting) to make evil spirits leave one’s house and to embrace the New Year.

The ingredients of Thukpa Bhathuk mainly involve garlic, beef, beef bouillon, onion, daikon, spinach, tomato, cilantro. The making of Thukpa Bhathuk is quite similar to that of dumpling. Yet, unlike what people do to put stuffing inside the dough when making dumpling, the cook will firstly make the dough rope and next pinch off dough and press its stuffing to the pinched dough.

Meanwhile traditionally the stuffing might be kind of tricky and not that tasty as you expect. The Thukpa Bhathuk cook will put symbolic things like small stone (meaning heartless), harcoal(meaning vicious), chili(meaning speak harshly), wool (meaning kind-hearted), coin (meaning prosperous).  

When the finished Thukpa Bhathuk is served on the table, all the family members will sit around it and begin to eat Thukpa Bhathuk. The moment someone eats the “special Thukpa Bhathuk”, he or she will instantly spit it out. Then the family and entire room will be filled with laughers and hilarious jokes, which further enhance the festival atmosphere.

Therefore, visiting Tibet during its traditional festivals like Tibetan New Year will bring you completely different experience. Check the recommended 5 Days Tibet New Year Festival Tour (http://www.tibettravel.org/tibet-tour/tibetan-new-year-tour.html)  to explore the traditions and exotic customs in Tibet.