Following
the Chinese New Year, everyone in China celebrates the
Lantern Festival. It is on the 15th day of the first lunar
month - usually late January or early February. In China,
most of the lanterns are red to symbolize good luck and
happiness.
These simple paper lanterns can be strung together
to make decorations for your own Lantern Festival. You
can make red lanterns or choose any colors for your
string of pretty lanterns. You can use extra wrapping
paper left over from the holidays or a birthday party.
Here is how to make your lantern:
1. Start with a piece of rectangular paper. Construction
paper is perfect. If you are using other paper, make
it the size of a piece of construction paper.
2. Fold the paper in half - it should be long and skinny.
3. Start on the side that the paper is folded and make
cuts - about as far apart as your little finger. Don't
cut all the way across the paper. Leave about two finger
worth of space at the top, the bottom and at the unfolded
edge.
When you are done, your paper will look almost like
a comb - two solid sides and a solid bottom with many
slivers.
4. Open the paper and you will see two short ends at
the top and bottom with slits in the middle. Attach
the short side's solid ends together with tape, glue
or your stapler so that you have a round lantern with
a solid band at the top and bottom.
5. Cut another piece of paper for the handle of your
lantern. Make it about two fingers wide and long enough
to reach both sides and still have some room to hang
your decoration - about 25 cm or 6 inches.
6. When you are done make some more.
7. When you have made all the lanterns you need, hang
them from the string or ribbon. If they slide too much,
you can use a small spot of glue or a small piece of
tape to hold them in place on your string or ribbon.
You can also loop the ribbon or string in a loose knot
around each handle to keep the spacing the way you want.
Don't make the knots too tight or they will crush the
paper handles!
8. Use your tape to attach the ribbon ends wherever
you need pretty Chinese lantern decorations.
Have a happy celebration!
