Easy Craft Ideas for Chinese New Year

These affordable Chinese New Year crafts and shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NewYearFortune #CollectiveBias

With the Chinese New Year just a few days away, these Chinese paper lanterns and a festive cocktail umbrella wreath are the perfect way to decorate your home. The Chinese New Year is a great time to join with friends and celebrate the wish of “good fortune” in the year ahead, while enjoying traditional appetizers and red-envelope gifts.

When I was a child, we used to visit a local Chinese restaurant to celebrate the Chinese New Year with friends. And the restaurant staff would always put a cocktail umbrella in my Shirley Temple. For me, cocktail umbrellas go hand in hand with the Chinese New Year. Making a cocktail umbrella wreath is an easy way to add a little fun to your home decor.

To make a cocktail umbrella wreath, you’ll need cocktail umbrellas and a foam wreath form.

This project is fast and affordable. You can pick up all the supplies that you need for under $10!

Before you start sticking the cocktail umbrellas into the wreath form, use a toothpick to make guide holes for the umbrella sticks. They’re delicate and break easily. {Ask me how I know that!}

Alternate the colors of the umbrellas as you work your way around the wreath form. Consider opening some all the way and leaving some closed a bit.

Continue sticking the cocktail umbrellas into your wreath form until you’re satisfied with how it looks.

Before you hang it, flip it over. Looks messy, right?

Slip on a pair of protective glasses and snip the ends of the umbrella with a pair of sharp scissors. You may want to do this part outside as the ends tend to go flying. We have too much snow here for me to do that.

 

 

We’ll be celebrating the Chinese New Year with authentic, restaurant inspired Chinese food: Tai Pei® Egg Rolls and Tai Pei® Spring Rolls. You can find them in the convenience foods aisle of the frozen section at your local Walmart.

While getting to work on the Chinese paper lanterns, I slipped a few Tai Pei® Chicken Egg Rolls and Mini Vegetable Spring Rolls into the oven.

I’m not typically a dipper, but when it comes to Egg Rolls and Spring Rolls I must have a dipping sauce or two! Lucky for me, included in the package is a few packets of dipping sauce (yes, I said a few!). I added Soy Sauce and a spicier sauce we had on hand to ensure everyone’s taste buds were happy.

In the fifteen minutes it took to bake the Tai Pei® Egg Rolls and Tai Pei® Spring Rolls, I was able to make multiple Chinese paper lanterns.

Supplies
Construction Paper
Glue Stick or Double Stick Tape
Scissors
Washi Tape
Bakers Twine or Fishing Line for hanging

This is another easy craft idea for the Chinese New Year that doesn’t cost a lot of money. I had all of the supplies I needed on hand.

Start by cutting a one-inch strip off of the short end of the construction paper. This is going to be the handle on the finished Chinese paper lantern.

Fold the construction paper in half lengthwise.

Cut from the folded edge upward, leaving a one-inch border.

Using your glue stick or double stick tape, join the ends of the lantern together. While the glue dries, repeat this process for as many lanterns as you are making.

Decorate the Chinese paper lanterns with Washi tape. Grab your glue stick again, and affix the handle to the lantern.

If you plan to hang your lanterns, add Baker’s Twine to the handle and hang. If you live in a warm climate, these would look pretty on a tree in your front yard.

Let’s get back to the delicious appetizers for a moment. The Tai Pei® Chicken Egg Rolls and Mini Vegetable Spring Rolls are packed with traditional style and flavor chicken, vegetables, pork or shrimp.

The fresh cut vegetables and crispy wrappers had my mouth watering in seconds.

For more Chinese New Year inspiration, head over to Pinterest or Twitter. Head over to the Tai Pei® Facebook page and experience the tradition of The Red Envelope for yourself with a $2 off coupon available while supplies last.

I’ve shared our Chinese New Year traditions with you. I’d love to hear about yours! Leave a comment sharing how your family celebrates.