Chaul Chnam Thmey translates to the Cambodian new year which is based on the lunar calendar. The holiday lasts for three days and normally begins in mid-April of every year. Each day is slated for different activities. The first day, Moha Sangkran, is believed to be the day that angels visit the homes of Cambodians. To greet them, Cambodians clean and decorate. They also pray and offer food to Khmer temple monks to receive blessings for the year. Unique to this day, children of both sexes are allowed to play together and single adults look for suitors. On day two, Wanabot, offerings of food, money and clothes are made to elders, employees and the poor. Day three, Leung Sakk, is marked by the washing of Buddha statues and elders to receive forgiveness for transgressions. Also Poon Phnom, mountains of sand built the evening before at Khmer temples, are blessed.
Laos' Boun Bang Fai is a rain-making festival. It takes place every May and begins with morning prayers at local temples and spirit offerings in home gardens. The festival is marked by droves of Laotians playing music and dancing in the streets behind vehicles carrying huge launch rockets to the outskirts of villages. At their destinations, citizens compete for best-decorated and farthest-travelling rocket recognition. People also carry balloons and dress in beautiful satin attire to celebrate the day's festivities.
Tet Trung Thu is Vietnam's mid-autumn moon festival. This festival takes place during the eighth month of the lunar year and commemorates the end of the agricultural harvest season. It is a time to relax and spend quality time with children who are often neglected when parents have to work. Tet Trung Thu is a family-oriented day characterized by a large show of children parading through streets singing, dancing and carrying colorful, candle-lit lanterns. In addition, indoor stage shows are put on by children who demonstrate months of practice and preparation dancing and singing in a light-hearted, childish fashion for anticipating audiences.
