How to Make Chinese Paper Lanterns

If you’re planning a Chinese New Year party for 2008, your decor would not be complete without paper Chinese lanterns. These are usually available at party or craft stores, but it can be really fun to make your own Chinese paper lanterns. There are several ways to make the lanterns, so I’ve included easy and intermediate versions of the craft, as well as creative ways to spice your lanterns up.

Remember, red is traditionally thought to bring good luck in China and is the dominating color during Chinese New Year. Gold is usually used as an accent and Chinese calligraphy is usually done in black ink. However, this is your party and these are your Chinese lanterns, so do what looks good to you and have fun.

These also make excellent invitation ideas. Use a calligraphy pen to write your Chinese New Year invitation information around the top or bottom of the Easy Lanterns. Or make smaller Intermediate Lanterns and paint your time, directions and other information on the side. Add a few Chinese characters or “Gung Hay Fat Choy” (which means Happy New Year). Leave the Chinese lantern invitations hanging on your guests door, porch or cars.

Easy Chinese Paper Lanterns

You Will Need:
Construction paper or thin poster board
Tissue paper
Pipe cleaners or ribbon

What To Do:
Cut the construction paper into rectangles. The height of your paper Chinese lantern will be the same as the width of your paper. (Note: this is the shorter side of your rectangle.) Using a knife or one side of your scissors, cut several long lines into the construction paper. Leave an inch between each one and at the top and bottom of the paper.

Now, roll the rectangle into a cylinder and tape or staple along the seam. Gently, squish the top and bottom of the cylinder a little bit to make your lantern’s “light-holes” open up a bit. Now, take gold, yellow or orange tissue paper and make a wad to resemble fire. Put this in the top of your lantern and push into the center. Add a ribbon or pipe cleaner for a handle. You will be able to the lantern’s “fire” through the slits. These add a lot of color and are super cheap and super easy to make.

Intermediate Chinese Paper Lanterns

You Will Need:
Floral wire (or wire you can mold and bend easily)
Tissue paper in large sheets

What To Do:
Use the wire to mold a shape for your lantern. Large spheres, eggs and cylinders are the most common shapes for Chinese paper lanterns. If you are doing a sphere, for example, make two small wire circles the size you want your lanterns openings to be. Now make a series of concentric wire circles each slightly larger than your openings. Make your largest circle the size you want the widest point of your lantern’s body. Connect them in your sphere shape using wire strips. The brace will be delicate, but should be sturdy enough to hold its shape when sitting gently on the floor.

When you are pleased with your lantern’s shape, you can add the tissue paper to the outside. It is best to use one solid color and then paint or add calligraphy. If you use glue on the entire brace you will see the lines melt through, so I do not recommend this. Instead, fold the top edge of a large square or tissue down around the top opening of your lantern. Glue or tape the seam here and then pull the tissue tightly down around the brace. Do the same thing on the bottom opening. If you are careful, cut your tissue large enough and pull it tightly around your brace, you will only have to glue the top and bottom seams and one seam along the side.

When the glue has dried, use a calligraphy brush (or stencils) to paint good luck characters on your Chinese paper lantern. Or use watercolors to paint a traditional scene – flowering cherry trees, ducks, or dragons.

Instead of using colored tissue paper to recreate fire, consider using real lights in your Chinese paper lanterns. Most craft stores have extension cords with light bulbs on one end. These work best in the larger, shaped lanterns. Or get a string of large white Christmas light and make small Easy Paper Lanterns for each individual bulb. Just remember, with all paper lanterns, never leave them unattended due to fire hazards.