New trends add spice to Wood Horse Losar celebrations in China

Tibetans embraced the "Wood Horse Losar" on Sunday, the first day of the Tibetan New Year, somewhat differently. Technology, imported food and environmental awareness played a role in century-old celebrations. Mobile application WeChat has become a favorite among locals. In addition to sending new year greetings, Tibetans sent and forwarded public-interest messages calling for a greener Losar. "After last week's smog I want to cherish and protect Lhasa's clean air and blue sky," said Lhamo, a resident who appealed to her friends not to set off fireworks. In the unusually quiet neighborhood of Gyarong Village, only one family practiced the old tradition. Dawa Yudron, a university graduate, can barely part with her iPhone. "Compared with the celebration rituals during my childhood, Tibetan New Year has become less rigid and more fun," she said. While traditional food and drink including milk tea, tsampa, yak cheese and highland barley are indispensable, exotic delicacies such as mangoes, oranges, dates, grapes, bananas and red wine were "new-comers" to the family dining table. Women made guthuk, a snack similar to a dumpling, with special "fillings", like pepper, salt, nuts, wool, and even coal. "This year my family put a chewing gum in the dumpling. Whoever bites the gum becomes the most 'mindless' person of 2014 in the house," Dawa Yudron said.