Rituals of celebrating the Eve of Lunar New year

The Lunar New Year, or Tsagaan Sar, is one of the most important and deeply rooted celebrations in Mongolia. The evening before the New Year, known as Bituun (Битүүн), marks the final day of winter according to the traditional lunar calendar and is symbolically a “dark moon” day, when the moon is invisible.

The Meaning of Bituun

Bituun means “to be closed or sealed,” symbolizing the end of one cycle and the quiet, inward moment before the renewal of the year. It is a time for spiritual and physical cleansing, harmony, and preparation for the coming year.

Preparation and Rituals

On the day of Bituun, Mongolian families engage in a number of important rituals:

1. Cleaning and Purification

In the days leading up to Bituun, households thoroughly clean their homes—dusting, washing, and even repairing items—to rid the space of the old year’s misfortunes and to invite new blessings. This deep cleaning also includes washing livestock enclosures and religious altars.

2. Spiritual Offerings

Families perform offerings to household deities, especially the fire deity (gal khan), as fire is considered sacred in Mongolian tradition. In the evening, the head of the household places three pieces of ice or white stones on the doorstep to invite prosperity and fresh energy. At the same time, dry weeds or thorny branches are placed above the entrance to ward off evil spirits.

3. Traditional Clothing

Everyone in the family dresses in new deels (traditional robes), symbolizing renewal and respect for the occasion.

4. The Bituun Feast

The Bituun dinner is a central part of the evening and must be abundant. It includes:

• Boiled sheep back (uuts) or cow breastbone (övchüü)

• Layered traditional pastries (ul boov) arranged in ceremonial food towers (tavgiin idee)

• Sweet rice with butter, raisins, and sugar (berees)

• Various dairy products, meat dishes, and milk tea (suutei tsai)

When setting the table, tradition dictates that the meat platter is placed on the right and the ceremonial food tower on the left. It’s believed that the appearance of the table will influence the abundance of the coming year. The mother of the household customarily serves the first cup of tea to the father, symbolizing respect and the continuation of harmony.

Meanwhile, men often tend to their horses, grooming them as a symbol of dignity and readiness for the new year’s travels.

Important Taboos on Bituun

To ensure a peaceful and prosperous year ahead, Mongolians avoid the following on Bituun:

• Visiting others’ homes: It is believed that wandering or staying overnight elsewhere causes your soul to roam restlessly throughout the year.

• Neglecting or mistreating dogs: Dogs should be fed and treated gently. Causing them to bark or whine is considered a bad omen.

• Speaking loudly between inside and outside the ger: Doing so may bring family disputes throughout the year.

• Eating nothing: Going hungry on Bituun is believed to bring poverty or hunger for the entire state in the coming year.

• Spilling dirty water carelessly: Especially while walking outside with a full mouth—it’s believed evil spirits may “lick” your mouth, leading to illness.

• Leaving the home unlit: These acts may invite misfortune or illness from roaming spirits.

Conclusion

The Eve of Lunar New Year in Mongolia is more than a tradition—it’s a powerful cultural practice rooted in purification, respect, and harmony. Whether in a rural ger or a city apartment, families continue to honor this sacred night with deep reverence, connecting the past, present, and future in a single, heartfelt ritual.

1. As this day is the very last day of the year people avoid to wander around going from ger to ger and spend night at someone else’s home. People believe that soul will wander the whole next year. Fathers or household head should stay at home so that all the good blessings stay at household.
2. Beating or getting the dogs whining. It is believed that dogs should be fed and treated nicely, otherwise the whole next year bad things will happen
3. To walk out with full mouth and spill dirty water on the ground. It is believed that bas spirits will lick the mouth and bring bad health.
4. To leave the house dark, leave the outer garment outside and call the babies by their names. It is believed that bad spirits will do harm.
5. To stay hungry on Bituun evening. It is believed that staying hungry on this day will prophet hunger for the whole state so that everyone makes sure that one has eaten.
6. To talk to each other loudly from inside and outside ger, otherwise the whole year the household will be experiencing disputes.