"Chinese New Year Lanterns"
Decorating for the Chinese New Year

2008 is the Year of the Brown Rat.
The Chinese New Year's Eve and New Year's Day is celebrated as a family affair, it is a time for reunion and for giving thanks.

The first day of the Brown Rat year 2008 is on 07-Feb-08. In the Chinese Fortune-Telling calendar, the first day of the first month, Tiger month, is called "Start of Spring", which is when the sun enters the 315th degree on the tropical zodiac. In the China's time zone, the time of the Start of Spring is at Feb-06 19:00.

Hands-on time: An hour and a half.Skill: Easy.

Materials & Tools
•Chinese paper lantern (30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm) available in Chinatown and at some home décor stores.
•Decorative wire and wire cutters
•Beads in assorted colors and sizes (I used black beads, wooden beads, and red beads)*
•4 gold tassels
•Scissors
•Clear double-stick tape (by Scotch 3M)
•Spray adhesive (optional)
•Fancy decorative trimming in assorted colors (I used Adornaments Fun Fibers by EK Success available at craft stores. They are sold in packages of 3 meters of 7 different trimmings in assorted colors)
(Materials for this project are available at arts, craft above mentioned stores)

It is said that; the Chinese New Year starts with the new moon on the first day of the New Year and ends 15 days later on the full moon. The 15th day of the New Year is called the “Lantern Festival”, which is celebrated at night with an array of lantern displays for this festive occasion. The paper folding-style lantern is the most common type, however there are many varieties of lanterns made of different shapes and materials.

Chinese paper lanterns; bring to light a certain festive feeling and that is what makes them simply irresistible. Due to their versatility, Asian lanterns also make beautiful decorative items around the home and garden. This tassel lantern project can be made in just minutes and they are ideal in decorating for Chinese New Year's, or any party for that matter!

Hang up the lantern; in order to be able to reach it and to work around it with ease. Make four decorative tassels to ornament the lantern. Insert a wire with a length of 5 cm around the tassel crown, to secure, fold the end back onto itself and twist it. Add four decorative beads of your choice. Make a small L-shaped bend in the wire about 1.0 cm above the last bead.

Place the tassels; one at each of the corners, by gently pushing the wire through the paper and over the wooden base frame and then wrap the wire back onto itself to secure it.

The goal is to adorn; the three center bands of the paper lantern to give it color and style. Adhere a very small piece of double-stick tape to each corner of the three center bands. Then, with the fancy decorative trimming, using one color or type at a time, wrap the decorative strings in a circular motion going around the surface of the lantern in a crisscross fashion. Gently press the corners of the trimmings to the double-stick tape. Repeat this step for each additional color and style of decorative trim added. For extra hold once the lantern is completed you can lightly spray it with spray adhesive.

Decorating for the Chinese New Year, tips and traditions; For Chinese New Year's celebrations, families decorate their living rooms with vases of pretty blossoms, platters of oranges and tangerines and a candy tray filled with a variety of eight, dried, sweet fruit. The walls and doors are adorned with poetic couplets and happy wishes are written on red paper.

Decorations are red and gold; and red clothing is worn because it is considered a happy, bright color which is said to bring good fortune. Also for good fortune, children, unmarried friends, and close relatives are given lai see, which are little red envelopes in which money is inserted.

Flowers and plants; Decorating with flowers and plants is an important tradition for the Chinese New Year.

Among the most valued are such flowers as; plum blossoms, pussy willows, azaleas, peonies, water lilies, narcissus, bamboo and pine sprigs. Each Chinese household should have live blooming plants which symbolize rebirth, new growth and wealth. “Blessed is the home with a blossoming plant on New Year's Day”, this predicts a year of prosperity.


Oranges and Tangerines; Etiquette dictates that one must bring a bag of oranges and tangerines and enclose a red envelope when visiting family and friends during the two-week long Chinese New Year celebration. Tangerines are frequently displayed in homes and stores because they are symbols for abundant happiness, good luck and wealth.

Candy Tray: (Also known as "The Tray of Togetherness"); It is an arrangement of assorted sweet candies displayed either in a circle or octagon fashion to start the New Year sweetly and to welcome guests and relatives who drop by. Adults place a red envelope at the center of the tray after taking several pieces of candy. Each item represents a good fortune such as; candied melon - growth and good health, red melon seed - dyed red to symbolize joy, happiness, truth and sincerity, lychee nut - strong family relationships, cumquat - prosperity (gold), coconut – togetherness, peanuts - long life, lotus seed - many children.

Fireworks are a favourite on New Year’s Eve; another way of sending out the old year in order to welcome in the new year. According to Chinese customs, all the doors and windows are left open at the stroke of midnight to allow the old year to go out.

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