As the most ceremonious festival in Tibet approaches - the Tibetan New Year, or Losar, Tibetan residents begin to prepare for the festival by making colorful prayer flag trees, a custom reflecting their good wishes for the New Year.

A prayer flag tree is made of multi-colored prayer flags, which are sewn onto tree branches in the order (from the top to the bottom) of blue, white, red, green and yellow. The sequence of colors cannot be changed since they symbolize in order the blue sky, white clouds, red fire, green water and yellow earth, and carry the good wishes of people through each of these elements.

Every year Tibetans will stick new prayer flag trees onto their roofs or the mountaintops to replace the old ones that faded in the past year. They do this in order to pray for good harvests, good luck and happiness in the coming year.

The day to replace prayer flag trees is usually chosen after the first day of the Tibetan New Year, on an auspicious "white day". Every member of the family will dress in their best clothes and carry festive dishes and tributes onto the roof, where they will hold a prayer ceremony while they change the prayer flag trees of the house. Later the family will enjoy a feast together and express their blessings to each other.

Celebrated on the first day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar in most areas of Tibet, the Tibetan New Year, or Losar falls on Feb. 19, 2015 in most Tibetan-inhabited areas this year.

Photo shows a Tibetan worker carrying prayer flag trees, which symbolize auspiciousness and good luck in Tibet. [Photo/ China News Service]

Photo shows a Tibetan worker sewing prayer flag trees, which symbolize auspiciousness and good luck in Tibet. [Photo/ China News Service] 

Photo shows a Tibetan worker carrying prayer flag trees, which symbolize auspiciousness and good luck in Tibet. [Photo/ China News Service]

Photo shows a Tibetan worker sewing prayer flag trees, which symbolize auspiciousness and good luck in Tibet. [Photo/ China News Service]