To prepare our home for Chinese New Year, besides cleaning, we decorate. You are suppose to clean your home and then decorate but I usually do it at the same time because I’m not that organized. Chinese New Year decorations are red and gold because:
- Red – considered the luckiest color. Symbolizes good luck, reunion, health, happiness, harmony, prosperity. It represents all things positive in Chinese culture because of its association with fire, the sun, brightness, life and energy, the yin in yin and yang: .
- Gold – symbolizes wealth and good fortune.
My Princess loves crafts so I scoured the internet to find something we could do together and wouldn’t be that hard for her little 5-year-old hands. I found a DIY (Do it Yourself) tissue paper tassel garland from HGTV that was simple and we could customize to red and gold for Chinese New Year. I needed one additional supply, tape, because I couldn’t get the tassel loop to stay without it. My 36-year-old hands aren’t that DIY experienced.
Materials needed:
- 20×20 or 20×24 tissue paper or mylar, makes 2 tassels. Note: tape doesn’t stick that well to mylar
- scissors
- tape (optional)
- ribbon or cord
Cut Fringe:
- Fold a piece of tissue paper in half and in half the other way so it looks more like a square.
- On the edge where the fold is, draw a line 1 inch below the fold. You can faintly see my line drawn in pencil.
- Cut strips toward the fold until you get to the line. In the HGTV instructions, you will see the fringe is very skinny. Even with the grown-up scissors, it was easier for My Princess to cut thicker strips. Either way, the tassels look great.
- Once all of the fringe is cut, unfold the paper once and cut along the fold to create two tassels.
Twist Tassels:
- Unfold one of the tissue papers. Begin rolling one end tightly. I used two hands to roll but only used one hand to take the pictures (other hand holding the camera). Continue rolling to the end.
- Fold the middle in half and twist to create a loop for hanging.
- I used a piece of tape to hold the loop in place. You can also use a piece of ribbon or cord.
- The tassels will be tangled from rolling so you have to slowly untangle.
- And your tassel if finished!
Creating the Garland:
- Cut a piece of ribbon or cord 3 to 4 inches longer then the area you are hanging the garland.
- Tie the tassels 3 to 4 inches apart. Leave enough room so the tassels don’t crowd each other. Don’t feel like you need to create a color pattern.
- Use a pushpin to hang the ribbon or cord.
Enjoy your Chinese New Year tassel garland! It’s easy enough to put away and put up again next year. The best thing about the garland is everyone who has seen it has been so impressed and that puts the proudest look on My Princess’ face.
Do you have any simple DIY Chinese New Year decorations? Would love to hear them.
The Dumpling Mama xo