It’s November and here in Germany, especially in the kindergartens, we always look forward to the beautiful Laternenfest, where we celebrate with a lantern parade carrying our custom-made or store-bought lanterns and singing songs like “ Laterne laterne.” This is something my kids look forward to every year, and this year is no exception. So for this year’s Laternenfest, I decided to skip the store-bought lanterns and custom-make our own with paper plates. Also, I wasn’t exactly looking for “cheap” or “budget-friendly”; I just really wanted something different and personal for my kids this year.

And because you’re reading this here on 3craftmama (hi again!), I’ll show you exactly how I made ours. And, if you read and loved my recent post “Easy DIY Party Favours for Kids’ Birthday Party,” you’ll find this DIY lantern craft is just as manageable. So let’s get into it.

What Is Laternenfest?

The Laternenfest is a beautiful tradition typically associated with St. Martin’s Day in early November.
Children create or buy lanterns, then walk through their neighbourhood or kindergarten singing songs.

Supplies

How to Make Your Paper Plate Lantern

Prep the papers. Draw and cut out autumn leaves, pumpkins, and paper strips from coloured paper. Cut out two circles from tissue paper as well.

Take both paper plates and make a hole in the middle of them (cut a circle out of the middle). This will be your lantern’s two-sided glow window.

Cut the top of the paper plates with a pair of scissors to create a small opening.
This will be the spot where you can easily place your little LED tea light inside the lantern.

Get your two tissue paper circles and glue them over the cut-out hole of both plates.

Get the strips you cut out from the coloured paper and glue them to the bottom part of one of the paper plates.

Take the second paper plate, apply glue around the rim, and glue it to the other paper plate that has the strips at the bottom, so that they’re facing each other.

Decorate the lantern. Glue the cut-out autumn leaves and pumpkins around the plate.

Punch two holes on both sides, near the top edge of the lantern, and thread a piece of yarn through both holes and tie it securely.

Place a small battery LED tea light inside, and attach it to a stick.
Optionally, if you have the Laternenfest stick, the ones that light up, simply hook your lantern to it.


Good To Know

Just hang on a second, don’t run off just yet. Since this is for busy not-so-crafty moms like myself, here are some tips:

  • Simplify your craft: If you don’t have parchment paper or tissue paper, use what you have – as long as it’s translucent enough for the light to glow through.
  • Prep ahead: If you can, do the cutting while your kids nap or are in kindergarten. At least by the time they’re awake or back from kindergarten, you’ll have everything prepped for them to decorate.
  • Room decor Idea: While the craft is cute and all, that doesn’t mean it cannot get smashed or torn, especially if it’s rainy or muddy outside. But, if that happens, you don’t have to trash it – you could hang it up afterwards in your kids’ room as a keepsake.