How to Make DIY Chinese New Year Decorations
You can DIY your lunar New Year decorations and make this fun occasion more festive than ever.
In fact, few other holidays lend themselves to the handmade approach quite so well as the Chinese New Year, simply because paper crafts are such a big part of the holiday to begin with, and paper is an easy medium to work with.
DIY Chinese New Year Decorations by Using Red Packets
Giving red envelopes full of money is a cherished Chinese New Year tradition.
If you plan to give money, you can simply slide a few dollars into red envelopes. You could also decorate them with stickers or calligraphy to jazz them up a little. Remember, if you give money you should give even amounts: odd amounts of money are considered very unlucky. The number four is also very unlucky.
If money is tight and isn’t an option, making red packets out of paper lets you offer warm wishes on stationary, or small gifts like candy, sticks of incense, or erasers. Candy is especially appropriate, as sweet food signifies a “sweet life.” Just avoid wrappers with unlucky colors such as black, white, or blue.
Origami Chinese New Year Decorations
Grab some red, gold, and yellow paper and you can make fun origami animals or shapes. If you’re feeling ambitious you could even fold one into the year’s animal.
Flowers, fish, stars, and fans are also quite traditional.
If you’re holding a party, setting out sheets of red paper and instructions for children who want to try their own hand at a little origami can be a fun way to entertain the younger ones while the adults get caught up.
Chinese New Year Baskets
Fill a pretty basket with red tissue paper and tie it with a red bow, then add whatever you want.
Traditional basket gifts include oranges, cakes, chocolates, and candies. Fortune cookies are also appropriate, and you don’t have to stick to plain ones. They come in a variety of flavors and colors, and you can either make them yourself or order them.
Banana fortune cookies might be especially fun, as yellow is a lucky color and a bright pop of cheery yellow in a predominantly red basket could look quite incredible.
Chinese New Year DIY Lanterns
Red hanging lanterns are traditional, and you can make them out of red and gold paper. While they won’t light up, they’ll still look festive if you hang them all over your space. It’s not hard to find instructions for several good designs.
If you want light-up paper lanterns you’re better off purchasing those, and stringing them up according to the instructions.
It’s Easy to Make Your Own Chinese New Year Decorations
Just bring your creativity and your sense of fun. Your decorations don’t have to be perfect, and the very act of making them can bring you and anyone you invite to join you a ton of joy.
We have Chinese New Year party ideas too!
Need to find all the paper, glue, glitter, scissors, envelopes, stickers, candies, and other decorations you might need for your Chinese New Year celebration? Come on down to Paper Plus. We’ve got all of this and more in stock right now!
