How to Make Chinese New Year's Decorations

The traditional Chinese New Year celebration lasts fifteen days, and each one of them is dedicated to particular activities. It begins on the first day of the lunar calendar, so the exact date of the start of the celebration varies. One of the ways you can celebrate the Chinese New Year is by adorning your home with traditional Chinese decorations. Here are suggestions.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Chocolate coins covered in gold foil
• Candles in red or gold
• Flowers including peach blossoms, narcissus and chrysanthemum
• Construction paper, crepe paper, scissors, glue and tape, stapler
• Tangerines, mandarins or oranges

1. Gather some crafting materials together—construction and crepe paper, scissors, glue and tape, stapler. Include lots of red and gold—these symbolize good luck and wealth.

2. Make Chinese lanterns using a template or by gluing sheets of card or stiff paper together to form a lantern shape. Decorate with tassels, glitter and other sparkly materials. Punch holes in the top edges and thread with yarn to hang the lanterns.

3. Cut out figures in the shape of Chinese dragons or the animal of the year (2007 is the Year of the Pig) to decorate walls, doors and windows.

4. Make a centerpiece or table decoration with red and gold candles and traditional good luck items like tangerines, oranges or gold coins.

5. Decorate with flowers such as peach blossom for good luck, chrysanthemum for longevity, and narcissus.

6. Make a “money tree” by threading yarn through gold foil-covered chocolate coins and hanging them from the branches of a sturdy houseplant.

7. Make good luck “Fu” posters by writing the Chinese word for luck (fu) on squares of red paper. See the Resources section for a template link.

Tips & Warnings

• In 2007 the Chinese New Year festivities begin on February 18. The celebration is also known as the Spring Festival, because it coincides with the beginning of spring on the Chinese calendar.
• Crafting your own decorations for Chinese New Year's is a great way of getting your children involved in the celebration—they’re easy for kids to make.

[awert240]

on 10/20/2008 love it

[Allandra]

on 7/22/2007 I have used CNY red packets (li chee) to make decorations. Just string the red packets together to form a long line (packets should be at an angle) with a thin red tape. If you're creative enough, you can actually make fire crackers and lanterns with them.