How to Make Egyptian Ramadan Lanterns
Egypt's Ramadan festival comprises the ninth month in the Muslim calendar. Muslims fast during each day of Ramadan, abstaining from food, alcohol, tobacco and self-serving activities. Ramadan days teach Muslims patience and reflection. People are allowed to break their fast after sunset and, after eating, they often celebrate in the streets. A long-held tradition is the use of special colored lanterns called "fanoos" to decorate the landscape; they are most often carried by children, who enjoy the chance to be on the streets at night. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Gold card stock
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Utility knife
- Colored parchment paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Battery flicker candles
Instructions
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1
Place the gold card stock in front of you so the long sides are horizontal.
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2
Draw six long, thin rectangles on the stock, spacing them about one inch apart and leaving one inch of space on either end of the card.
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3
Cut out the rectangles with a sharp utility knife, which creates six "windows" in the card stock.
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4
Cut six pieces of colored parchment paper for your lantern, making them about ½ inch larger than the windows. For instance, if your windows measure 2.75 inches wide by 3.5 inches tall, the parchment pieces should measure 3.25 inches wide by 4 inches tall. Choose up to six paper colors.
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5
Glue one paper rectangle over each window. Allow the glue to dry for at least two hours.
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6
Fold the card stock into a hexagon, creasing it between each of your windows and creasing the last ½ inch of each end of the stock. Glue the folded ends over each other to complete the hexagon.
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7
Place your lantern over a battery flicker candle. Don't use real candles; they pose too much of a fire hazard.
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Tips & Warnings
Create larger or smaller windows to make lanterns with fewer or more sides. For instance, if you cut four large windows, your lantern will be a square. If you cut eight small windows, the lantern will be an octagon.
