A Red Packet Lantern

We had been tasked by school to a handiwork session at home with Ewan. I read his communications book thrice, making sure they weren't asking us to bring red packets to school for the children to craft these Chinese New Year lanterns with the teachers. My comprehension did not fail me. Mummy & Daddy were the main crafters for this one. 

I had absolutely no clue how to construct a lantern out of red Chinese New Year packets and procrastinated till the eve of submission. All these while, daddy gave me moral support by saying, "Easy Peasy Lah! Lantern Only!". 

I delayed no more and decided to get this done for the school's Chinese New Year celebration. These lanterns will be hung along the corridors of their classrooms to liven up the festive session. As you know me to be, I like to be unconventional. So I wasted no time deciding on which red packets to use. A two-toned lantern in blue and purple. While Ewan wasn't much help crushing the red packets, my first lantern actually turned out quite practised.

If you have some free time this weekend, do get some lanterns up in your homes. Inject a short crafting session with your children while finishing up on last minute spring cleaning. Here are the steps I took to get this lantern looking like a flower (while the hubs said, "Wow! Look like car rims! Cool!). Have fun folks! 

STEP ONE

Select 15 red packets

STEP TWO

Fold into vertical halves

STEP THREE

Open them and dog ear each corner to the centre crease

STEP FOUR

Line 5 red packets dog ear to dog ear into the shape of a flower

STEP FIVE

Staple each dog ear to the next

STEP SIX

You will get a flower

STEP SEVEN

Let's double that to two

STEP EIGHT

Line the 5 purple packets around the flower, dog ear to dog ear

STEP NINE

Staple them in

STEP TEN

You are almost there

STEP ELEVEN

Prepare red thread, cardboard and scissors to craft the weight

STEP TWELVE

Place the hanging thread in the middle of the cardboard 
stuck on double-sided tape

STEP THIRTEEN

Fold the sides of the cardboard in

STEP FOURTEEN

Half the cardboard and staple to secure

STEP FIFTEEN

Place the weight in the lantern and run the string 
through the centre of your lantern

STEP SIXTEEN

Connect the second flower to the rest of the lantern to finish

STEP SEVENTEEN

Tada! All Done! 

With this design, you can choose to hang it vertically or horizontally. Long red packets make a better looking vertical lantern like what we have done. If you chose to use small squarish red packets, they will turn out looking like the regular traditional lantern ball as you hang it horizontally. So go explore and have fun! 

Oh yes, if you have time to make a tassel for the tail, it should look really pretty and definitely more traditional. Ours is a twist of modern and old. 

Have a great Lunar New Year and we wish you all prosperity, health and happiness. 

新年快乐

马年大吉

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