DIY Lantern for Mid Autumn Festival

The mid autumn festival, also known as the mooncake festival, falls on the 15th day of the eight month of the lunar calendar.  It is on this night that the moon is said to be brightest and of a perfect round.  I cannot say for sure that it is indeed a perfect round, but generally I think the chinese like round or circle a lot as it symbolises the union or 'being together'. 

As a child, I used to play lanterns with my siblings.  Those were the days where the lanterns were made of glass papers and candles are used to light them up.  As the years passed, the candles are ditched.  Small battery operated light bulbs are used instead of candles and the lantern itself is being made of plastics. This went on for years and the traditional lanterns are missing from the shops.  However, the traditional lanterns seemed to be making a big come back this year.  It brings back a lot of memories just to look at those lanterns that we used to play when we were young.   There is one particular design that I don't seem to see it anywhere though, that is the 'flower basket' or in cantonese 'far lam'.   I have thus, decided to make one on my own.

Materials :

Glass paper (colors of your choice)
Crepe paper (colors of your choice)
Wire
Thread
Glue
Colors (for painting)

Method :

1) Wrap a piece of wire over a round tin to make a circle.  Twist the end of the wire to hold the circle in place.  Make 6 of such circles. (Note : Remember to trim the end of the wires so that they won't punch a hole at the glass paper later.)

2) Align 2 of the circles and tape the point where they touch to hold them in place.  Repeat so that you get 4 circles touching each other, side by side.

3) Align 1 circle on top and at the bottom of (2).  Hold them in place with tapes.

4) Cut 4 pieces of glass paper in circles, slightly larger than the circles of the wires. 

5) Glue the glass paper over the body of the lantern.  (Tip :  the glass paper tears easily. However, once it is wet with glue, it doesn't tear as easy).  Repeat so that all four sides of the lantern are covered with the glass paper.  Let the glue dry before painting with motifs of your own preference.

6)  Cut the crepe paper in 8 x 8xm sizes.  Align into a stack of at least 15 layers.  Wrap a piece of wire at the middle of the crepe paper and secure in place.  Bring the layers up one by one and trim into a flower shape.  Attach the flower at the top of the lantern.  Repeat  for all 4 corners of the lantern.

7) Wrap the bottom of a candle with a piece of wire and secure it at the bottom of the lantern.  (Note : wrapping the candle is just to gauge the size of candle holder.  The candle can be replaced easily when it burns out)

8) Cut a piece of 30 x 50cm crepe paper vertically to make the 'tail' of the lantern.  Be careful to leave a 3cm space uncut.  Glue the uncut end of the 'tail' to the bottom of the lantern.

9)  Attach all 4 corners of the top of the lantern with thread and tie a knot once you find that the lantern is balanced.  Attach the end to a piece of stick for you to hold the lantern.  The lantern is now done!

My girls are delighted with the lantern.  Probably because they have never played with one before.   But it does look nice with the candle lighted although a lot of caution needs to be exercised when little kids play with it as it is after all, fire.  Hopefully in the years to come, my girls will remember that mummy made them a lantern.