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🎄❄️ Inside Mongolia’s New Year Traditions
Mongolian Winter Travel Surges Across Southeast Asia
Khulan MendsaiKhan
December 22, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes
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Good morning! 2026 is just 9 days away. Starting this week, we’re rolling out our year-in-review series, covering inside Mongolia’s economy, politics, capital markets, and more. So be sure to follow our social media for the full series. 👀☝️
What’s inside today’s edition…
👨New Central Bank President Appointed
❄️ Inside Mongolia’s New Year Traditions
✈️ Where Mongolians Travel in Winter
No Time to Waste. Let’s Get Started! 🦘
MARKET
CN: China’s coal imports through Gantsmod, its main land port on the border with Mongolia, reached 38.24 million tonnes as of December 15.
MNG: B. Davaadalai has been appointed as Acting Chief Executive Officer of “Erdenes Mongol” LLC.
GOV: The government’s appointment of 16 deputy ministers faces opposition from the Democratic Party.
BOM: S. Narantsogt has been appointed President of the Bank of Mongolia.
🎄❄️ Inside Mongolia’s New Year Traditions
The New Year is one of the most beloved holidays in Mongolia. As soon as December begins, the entire country eagerly starts counting down to the celebration. This time, we’re sharing some of the most common and unique New Year traditions in Mongolia.
✍️ Please note this article highlights widely practiced traditions, but celebrations may vary from family to family.
👨👩👧👦 A Family-Centred Celebration
The New Year is one of the most family-oriented holidays in Mongolia. On December 31, families typically gather at the home of their eldest members to welcome the New Year together. A unique, unwritten tradition sees guests placing money on the New Year’s tree, symbolising good fortune. While tinsel once dominated decorations, many households now favour more modern, minimalist styles.
🐣 When it comes to gifts, the focus is largely on children. Younger kids usually receive bags filled with sweets, while teenagers are more commonly given money.
Mongolia also has its own version of Santa Claus, Mongolian Santa, who wears a blue costume similar to Russia’s Ded Moroz. A decade ago, he was extremely popular, frequently invited by families, schools, and companies to deliver gifts during celebrations.
😋 Cuisine: A Festive Table
A Mongolian New Year table is unimaginable without cake and champagne. Alongside these, families prepare a variety of meat-based dishes, reflecting Mongolia’s culinary traditions. Equally essential are salads made with eggs, potatoes, and fruits. One distinctive feature is that most of these salads are generously dressed with mayonnaise, a strong influence from Russian cuisine.
🎁 Office “Secret Santa” – Monita
Meanwhile, in offices and schools, the New Year comes with its own tradition known as “Monita.” Participants randomly draw a name and, over the course of a week or longer, secretly leave small gifts or warm notes for that person. On the final day, everyone reveals themselves and exchanges the main gifts.
💃🥳 Beyond this, company and school New Year parties are major, often lavish affairs. Women dress to kill in elegant gowns or cocktail dresses, while men opt for suits or tuxedos. A standout moment of corporate celebrations is the announcement of the Employee of the Year, adding both excitement and motivation to the festivities.
Finally, many Mongolians enjoy welcoming the New Year at Sukhbaatar Square, where a large New Year’s tree and ice sculptures create a festive atmosphere for the midnight countdown. Just before the clock strikes 12 am, the President delivers a New Year’s address to the nation.
Yet even after midnight, the celebration is far from over. One of the most iconic New Year rituals takes place on January 1, when people hike up nearby mountains before sunrise to watch the first sunrise of the year, believing it brings positive energy and good fortune for the months ahead.
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ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Azerbaijan Bought Mutton from Mongolia for $979,600 in 10 Months. (ABC.AZ)
Erdene Sees the Mongolia Gold Mine Anchoring Future District. (Mining.com)
E-Mart Opens Sixth Store in Mongolia. (BusinessKorea)
Mongolia's Mining and Extractive Industry Sales Up by MNT 2.7 Trillion from 2024. (KazInform)
POLITICS
Mongolian Ambassador Outlines Promising Projects with Belarus in the Science Industry. (Belta)
China and Mongolia are Battling to Control Massive Dust Storms. (King’sCollegeLondon)
ADB Kicks off Mongolian Grassland Restoration Pilot Project. (ADB)
120 Million Trees to be Planted in Mongolia's Capital by 2030. (BalkanWeb)
Ulan Bator and G7 Countries Sign Strategic Agreement. (PimeAsianNews)
How Much CO₂ Does Mongolia Emit Per Person? (OurWorldData)
CULTURE & LIFESTYLE
✈️ Mongolian Winter Travel Surges Across Southeast Asia
In winter, due to extreme cold and air pollution, traveling to warmer destinations has become a seasonal tradition for many Mongolians. Over the past years, the number of locals heading to Southeast Asia has been rising rapidly.
🔥 Explosive Growth
In 2015, only 1.4 thousand Mongolian travelers visited Vietnam and Thailand combined. Last year, that number soared to 34.4 thousand, a 24-fold increase over 8 years. Breaking it down further, travel to Vietnam has increased 108.7 times to 20.9 thousand visitors, while Thailand saw a 10.9-fold rise to 13.4 thousand. This remarkable growth reflects the rapid development of the tourism industries in both countries.
🇻🇳 Vietnam on the Rise: Vietnam is expected to welcome 17.5 million tourists in 2024, representing a 38.9% year-over-year increase, and generate $33.2 billion in tourism revenue. Its appeal lies in affordability: the average daily spend for tourists ranges from $25–$40, 10%–20% lower than in Thailand.
🇹🇭 Thailand Continues to Shine: Last year, Thailand attracted 35 million tourists, generating $48 billion in tourism revenue. Successful campaigns, such as “Amazing Thailand,” combined with stunning beaches, delicious cuisine, and the legalization of cannabis use in some regions, continue to draw travelers from around the world.
Why Southeast Asia? While the surge in winter holiday travel looks exciting on the surface, the real driver is more sobering. Mongolia’s harsh winter is also its most polluted, prompting many families to seek warmer, cleaner destinations to protect their children’s health. The pleasant weather in Southeast Asia, in contrast to Mongolia’s extreme cold and smog, makes countries like Vietnam and Thailand an appealing escape.
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Publisher: Ts.Ankhbayar
Writer: M.Khulan
Graphics by: Ts.Tselmeg
Disclaimer: The information Inside Mongolia provides is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be or constitute financial advice, trading advice, or any other advice. The decision whether to consider the information we provide is solely our readers' independent decision.