In some Amdo areas, men get up early in the morning of New Year's Day and run toward the cow or sheep sheds to see in which direction the animals are pointing while they sleep. Wherever their heads point, whether east, south, west or north, that direction will have auspicious conditions in the New Year. Cows and sheep will be painted with three colors or tied with five-color cloth stripes, and made to move in that direction for some distance to ensure good luck.

4. Nyingchi region

In this eastern Tibet prefecture, the residents celebrate the Tibetan New Year on the first day of the 10th Tibetan lunar month.

The special local custom began in 1904. That year, news came to Nyingchi that the invading British troops were arriving. Local Tibetan men in Nyingchi Prefecture began preparing to join the fight against the British invaders to defend their home villages. In order not to miss the new year celebrations, the local people decided to hold the festival events before the men left for the battlefield.

This happened on the first day of the 10th Tibetan month, and the tradition has been handed down until this day.

The locals are fond of dogs, as the region boasts dense forests and dogs are not only house guardss, but also hunting helpers. During the New Year's Eve, dogs are invited to share food with their masters. Traditionally, the food the dogs choose to eat will be abundant in the coming year.

So, if people miss the chance of enjoying the Tibetan New Year in Nyingchi in the 10th Tibetan Month, they still have another chance to enjoy it in other parts of Tibet.