During the Tsa Hauv Toj celebration, Hmong dress in traditional clothing and enjoy Hmong traditional foods, dance, music, and other forms of entertainment. These beautiful and unique annual celebrations help preserve Hmong traditions and culture. They are held in selected areas where Hmong community exist and in a modified form where smaller communities come together. Hmong New Year celebrations frequently occur in November serving as a Thanksgiving holiday for the Hmong people.
Historically, the Hmong New Year celebration was created to give thanks to ancestors as well as to welcome a new beginning. It is also a time of the year where Hmong people gather with family and meet with relatives from other regions. Traditionally, the celebration would last for ten days, but has been shortened in America due to the difference between the traditional Hmong farming schedule and that of the modern schedule of the 40-hour work week.
