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((Short description|Holiday celebrated in mid-April))
((For|related Thai festival|Songkran (Thailand)))
((refimprove|date=April 2017))
((Infobox holiday
|holiday_name  = Lao New Year / Pi Mai Lao / ປີໃໝ່ລາວ
|type          = Asian festival
|image         = Lao New Year, Buddha bathing.jpg
|imagesize     = 250px
|caption       = [[Lao people]] bathing the Buddha during the New Year
|official_name = Pi Mai Lao (ປີໃໝ່ລາວ)
|nickname      = 
|observedby    = Lao, Laotians
|litcolor      = 
|longtype      = 
|significance  = Marks the Lao new year
|begins        = Generally 13 or 14 April
|ends          = Generally 15 or 16 April
|date          = 14 April
|date2016 = 13 April, [[Monkey (zodiac)|Monkey]]
|date2017 = 14 April, [[Rooster (zodiac)|Rooster]]
|date2018 = 13 April, [[Dog (zodiac)|Dog]]
|date2019 = 14 April, [[Pig (zodiac)|Pig]]
|frequency     = Annual
|duration      = 7 days
|celebrations  =
|observances   = 
|relatedto     = [[South and Southeast Asian New Year]]
))
'''Lao New Year''', called '''Pi Mai''' (((lang-lo|[[wikt:ປີໃໝ່|ປີໃໝ່]])), ((IPA-lo|pìːmāi|))) or less commonly '''Songkan''' (((lang-lo|ສົງການ)), ((IPA-lo|sǒŋkàːn|))), is celebrated every year from 13 or 14 April to 15 or 16 April.

== History ==
Lao New Year is a popular English name for a traditional celebration known in [[Laos]] as "Pi Mai" or "Songkan" (in Lao language). Lao New Year is widely celebrated festival in Laos.<ref name=history-lao>((cite web|last=Sysamouth|first=Vinya|title=History of the Lao New Year|url=http://www.laonewyear.org/content/view/13/100|accessdate=13 April 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130329150144/http://www.laonewyear.org/content/view/13/100|archivedate=29 March 2013))</ref> The festival is also celebrated by the Lao in [[Australia]], [[Canada]], [[France]], the UK and the US.<ref>((cite news|last1=Meny|first1=Josh|title=Hundreds gather for Lao New Year celebration in Coteau|url=http://www.katc.com/story/37854319/hundreds-gather-for-lao-new-year-celebration-in-coteau|accessdate=10 April 2018|publisher=KATC|date=1 April 2018))</ref> 

Lao New Year takes place in April, the hottest time of the year in Laos, which is also the start of the [[monsoon]] season. Lao New Year takes place at virtually the same time as the new year celebrations of many countries in South Asia such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, China (Dai People of Yunnan Province), India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.((cn|date=August 2022))

== Festival dates ==
The official festival lasts for three days from 14 to 16 April, although celebrations can last more than a week in towns such as [[Luang Prabang]]. The first day is the last day of the old year. Houses and villages are properly cleaned on the first day. Perfume, water and flowers are also prepared for the Lao New Year. The second day of the festival is the "day of no year", a day that falls in neither the old year or the new year. The last day of the festival marks the start of the new year. In Laos, Lao New Year is a government holiday, with state offices closed during those three days.<ref name="LNYH1"/>

== Traditions ==
=== Water ===
[[File:Lao New Year, flour throwing.jpg|thumb|right|250 px|Pi Mai celebration, flour throwing]]
Water is used for washing homes, Buddha images, monks, and soaking friends and passers-by.<ref name="LNYH1">((cite web|last1=Bounhouane Douangpangna|first1=Maha|title=Lao New Year History|url=http://www.laoamerica.org/documents/Lao%20New%20Year%20HistoryEng.pdf|publisher=Lao Advancement Organization of America|accessdate=10 April 2018|date=2014))</ref> Students first respectfully pour water on their elders, then monks for blessings of long life and peace, and last of all they splash water at each other. The water is perfumed with flowers or natural perfumes. Some people prefer flowers in the water to give a pleasing smell, as well as adding other things, like cologne and perfume. Over the years another tradition has developed with Lao New Year: people will smear or throw cream (shaving cream or whipped cream) or white powder on each other during the celebrations.

=== Sand ===
((see also|Sand pagoda))
Sand is brought to the temple grounds and is made into [[stupas]] or mounds, then decorated before being given to the monks as a way of making merit. There are two ways to make the sand stupas. One way is to go to the beach, and the other way is to bring sand to the ''vat'', or [[temple]]. Sand stupas are decorated with flags, flowers, white lines, and splashed with perfumed water. Sand stupas symbolize the mountain, Phoukhao Kailat, where King Kabinlaphrôm's head was kept by his seven daughters.

=== Animals ===
Another way to make merit at this time is to set animals free. The Lao believe that animals need to be free.<ref name="LNYH1"/> The most commonly freed animals are tortoises, fish, crabs, birds, eels and other small animals.

=== Flowers ===
Flowers are gathered to decorate [[Gautama Buddha|Buddha]] images. In the afternoons people collect fresh flowers. Senior monks take the younger monks to a garden filled with flowers, where they pick flowers and bring back to the ''wat'' to wash. People who didn't participate in the flower picking bring baskets to wash the flowers so the flowers can shine with the Buddha statues.
In the evening lao people usually go to the temple to worship the Buddhas.

=== Beauty pageant ===
There is an annual beauty pageant in [[Luang Prabang]] to crown Miss Pi Mai Lao (Miss Lao New Year).<ref>((cite news|title=Luang Prabang Arranges Special Lao New Year Activities|url=http://jclao.com/luang-prabang-arranges-special-lao-new-year-activities/|accessdate=10 April 2018|publisher=JCLao|date=7 April 2018))</ref> There are many beauty pageants in Laos, but the old capital Luang Prabang is known for its ''Nangsangkhan'' pageant. There are seven contestants, each one symbolizing one of King Kabinlaphrôm's seven daughters.

=== Music and dance ===
During Lao New Year, there are many spectacles including traditional Lao music and social dancing, ''molam'', and ''lamvông, which translates to 'circle dancing'''.<ref name="LNYH1"/> During the daytime many people go to the temple to worship, hoping to have a healthier and happier life in the new year. During the evening, people of all ages go to the temple for entertainment.
[[File:Buoc chi @Thasala Khamkeuth Borikhamxay'2006.jpg|thumb|300px|A greeting ceremony of Lao New Year in Ban Thasala [[muang]] [[Khamkeut District |Khamkeut]], [[Bolikhamsai Province]].]]
== Greetings ==
In greetings there are several ways to wish someone a happy Lao New Year. The most common expressions are ''sôk di pi mai'', ''souksan van pi mai'' or ''sabaidi pi mai'', which can be translated into English as "Happy New Year".

==See also==
*[[List of Buddhist festivals]]
*[[South and Southeast Asian New Year]]
== References ==
<references />

== External links ==
((commons category|New Year celebrations in Laos))
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110423032808/http://elaao.com/blog/pbeemai/ Sabaidee Pbeemai Lao Festival]
* [http://www.thingsasian.com/goto_article/article.1405.html/ Lao New Year on ThingsAsian.com]
((New Year by Calendar))
[[Category:New Year celebrations]]
[[Category:Buddhist holidays]]
[[Category:April observances]] 
[[Category:Observances on non-Gregorian calendars]]
[[Category:Buddhist festivals in Laos]]
 <!--Please do not remove this category, this article needs to be put into a calendar category-->

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