DIY Lantern for Mid-Autumn Festival

Make Your Own Mid-Autumn Lantern in a Few Simple Steps

Mid-Autumn Festival is one of Hong Kong’s most festive traditional celebrations. Every year on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, many people get together with family and friends for dinner, share mooncakes, admire the full moon and enjoy lanterns. Lanterns have long been a familiar part of the festival, and instead of buying one, you can also make a simple paper lantern at home.

How to Decorate Your Home with a DIY Lantern

With Mid-Autumn Festival coming up, you do not need a lot of decorations to make your home feel more festive. A few sheets of paper, some glue and a pair of scissors are enough to make a simple paper lantern.

This craft is easy enough for both adults and children to try together. Once finished, the lantern can be placed in the living room, near the dining table, by a window or anywhere else around the home. It can also work well for a school craft activity.

You may already have most of the materials at home. If not, they should be easy to find at a stationery or craft shop.

Let’s Make a Mid-Autumn Paper Lantern

Paper lanterns can also be used as simple decorations throughout the year. During Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong, you will often see different lantern designs in parks, streets and festive displays.

This version uses mainly red and gold paper. The materials are simple, and the steps are easy to follow.

What You’ll Need:

1 sheet of red paper

2 to 3 sheets of gold paper

Pencil and ruler

Scissors

Decorative-edge scissors, if available

Glue

Tape

Stapler

Instructions:

Step 1:
Use a pencil and ruler to draw straight lines on the paper, leaving about 3 cm between each line.

Step 2:
Cut along the lines, but leave a small section at the top uncut so the paper stays connected.

Step 3:
Use tape to secure the bottom of the paper.

Step 4:
Cut the gold paper into thin strips and stick them onto the paper as decoration.

Step 5:
Fold the red paper in half. If you want a neater fold, use a ruler to press gently along the crease.

Step 6:
Take one sheet of gold paper and apply glue to one side.

Step 7:
Roll the gold paper into a tube and secure the ends. This will form the centre of the lantern.

Step 8:
Wrap the red paper around the gold tube and secure one side first.

Step 9:
Gently adjust the red paper so the outer layer forms a rounded lantern shape, then secure the other side.

Step 10:
Cut two strips of gold paper and stick them around the top and bottom of the lantern to cover any tape or staples.

Step 11:
If you want to place the lantern on a table, trim any extra part of the gold tube. If you want to hang it, leave some space at the top for attaching the handle.

Step 12:
Cut one more strip of gold paper to make the handle and attach it to both sides at the top of the lantern.