Chinese New Year is just around the corner and it is the Year of Dog! According to experts, people born in the year of the Rooster are very loyal, independent, and sincere. Roosters are very decisive, too! For all you hardworking Dogs and everyone else, we have the perfect Chinese New Year activity. If you are looking to spend more quality time with your family and friends other than the usual celebration routines, we share 20 easy and unique DIY Chinese New Year Decorations using red packets that you can make at home. You can easily get the materials at Giant!

1) Traditional Red Packet Chinese Lantern

Photo and DIY idea by: China Family Adventure

Materials Required:

• Red paper and gold paper (one sheet each)
• Two to three red packets (different colours)
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Regular Scissors
• Scissors with fun shape (optional)
• Glue
• Tape
• Stapler

Directions:

1. Use pencil and ruler to draw vertical lines about 1.5cm apart along the whole length of the red paper.
2. Cut the lines and leave approximately 2 cm uncut at the top or bottom. These will create the lantern’s outer shape when you connect the paper in a circular direction.
3. Use tape to stick the other end that was cut together.
4. Use scissors to cut red packets in stripes at length slightly shorter than the red paper. Then, glue one on top of each red stripes.
5. Fold a line on the top and bottom of the red paper.
6. Take a piece of gold paper sheet and roll it into a tube. Secure with glue before folding it. Roll the red paper over the gold tube.
7. Match one side of the red paper to one end of the gold tube and stick them together. Use staple to secure it.
8. Match the other side and leave some parts (upper or lower) of the gold tube and create the shape of balloon surrounding the gold tube.
9. Cut two strips of gold paper with 1cm thickness and stick them to the top and bottom of the lantern (red).
10. Make the handle with a strip of gold paper and stick it on both sides of the lantern top.
11. Cut the remaining gold paper at the bottom into strips to create nice tails.

2) Red Packet Chinese Fan

Photo and DIY idea by: Paper Blog

Materials Required:

• Red packets
• Gold thread
• Cute stickers.
• Scissors
• Glue

Directions:

1. Fold the red wrapping paper in simple zig-zag folds with 12-panels (or more) and two parallel folds that go in opposite directions.
2. Fold it in half and stick them together.
3. Choose one side and cut two little triangles.
4. Tie the gold thread at the bottom of the paper.
5. You can stick some stickers in flowers or star shapes to make the fan look dazzling.

3) Ang Pao Cracker

Photo and DIY idea by: ET Speaks From Home

Materials Required:

• Toilet roll
• Red packets (at least three)
• Scissors
• Glue
• Aluminium foil

Directions:

1. Cut two circles from a red packet to cover both top and bottom of the toilet roll.
2. After sticking the two circles, use the rest of the red packets to glue on the surface of toilet roll.
3. Roll an aluminium foil into a small and thin stick and put it on top of the toilet roll.

4) Toilet Roll Oranges

Photo and DIY idea by: Crafty-Crafted

Materials Required:

• Toilet roll
• Paper plates
• Water colours
• Brush
• Scissors
• Glue
• Red packets

Directions:

1. Glue the red packets around the toilet roll.
2. Cut the toilet rolls into rings that are about 2 cm thick.
3. Cut several oranges with leaves shape from the paper plates.
4. Color the orange shaped paper plates.
5. Stick the orange shaped paper plates on the ring sized toilet rolls.
6. Glue the finished products on the back of a plate. You can hang this orange decoration on the wall.

5) Chinese New Year Red Packet Basket

Photo and DIY idea by: Irene BL Chua

Materials Required:

• 20 red packets
• Cardboard
• Scissors
• Glue
• Tape

Directions:

1. Cut six cardboards to fit into six long red packets.
2. Use tape to stick the six packets together.
3. Cut a hexagon from the cardboard and cover it with red packets.
4. Glue the six glued red packets on top of the hexagon cardboard. You now have a red basket, minus the handle.
5. Cut six stripes of red packets and roll them into small tubes.
6. Stick them to the sides of the basket.
7. Fold 12 small fans using the red packets and stick them to each side of the basket (two each).
8. Cut a long stripe of cardboard and wrap it with red packet. Stick both ends to the top of the basket to create the handle. Feel free to decorate your basket with any small ornaments!

6) Red Packets Wheel of Fortune

Photo and DIY idea by: Submerryn

Materials Required:

• 10 rectangular red packets or 20 square red packets.
• Stapler
• Scissors
• Glue
• Gold Thread
• Tail ornament

Directions:

1. Fold the rectangular packet and cut it.
2. Take two red packets and staple the middle at two sides.
3. Do the same for the rest of the red packets to connect them.
4. Connect the head and tail to create the wheel shape.
5. Staple the gold thread on top and tail ornament at the bottom.

7) Cherry Blossoms Card

Photo and DIY idea by: Crafty-Crafted

Materials Required:

• Red packets
• White Paper
• Water paint
• Brush
• Scissors
• Glue
• Cardboard

Directions:

1. Stick the red packets on the cardboard. Cut a piece of white paper such that it is 2cm shorter than the cardboard in width and length.
2. Draw tree branches on the white paper and colour the branches green or red.
3. Paint your fingertips with pink or light red paint. Stamp “flowers” all over the branches.
4. Wait for the paint to dry. Stick the paper on the red cardboard.

8) Red Packet Flower Lantern

Photo by: Submerryn

Materials Required:

• 60 red packets
• Stapler
• Red or gold thread

Directions:

1. Shape one red packet into a cone and staple it. Repeat this step for the rest of the red packets.
2. Staple one cone to another cone by sides to form a flower petal using five cones.
3. Staple the petals together. Start with two and then all of the rest one by one.
4. Staple the red or gold thread to create a hanger.
5. Another DIY red packet decoration is born!

9) Chinese Fish Ornament

Photo by: Angeline Lim

Materials Required:

• Red packet
• Scissors
• Glue
• Ruler
• Stapler
• Red thread

Directions:

1. Draw a line in the middle of the red packet to create two triangles.
2. Cut out the fish shape with the help of the lines together with tails and heads.
3. Cross the tails to create the shape of fish tails and staple them.
4. Loop a red thread on top of the fish so you can hang it on your tree or window.
5. You can even hang it on your other DIY red packet decorations too!

10) Small lantern ornament

Photo and DIY idea by: Crafty-Crafted

Materials Required:

• Red Packets
• Stapler
• Red Thread

Directions:

1. Fold the red packet in half lengthwise and make cuts that are 0.5cm apart from one end of the red packet to another. The cuts should end about 2 cm from the edges of the red packet.
2. Staple one point from the end of the red packet and another point diagonally across.
3. Tie a red thread on top of the ornament and hang it.

11) Dragon Puppet

Photo and DIY idea by: Baabaabeep

Materials Required:

• Cardboard
• Red packets
• Five to six different colour papers
• Scissors
• Glue
• Colour pencil
• Masking tape
• Glitter
• Popsicle stick

Directions:

1. Use black pencil to draw the head and tail of the dragon (Use your imagination!). Colour them too.
2. Draw the hands and body on the cardboard or red packets and cut them out.
3. Trace the shape of your hand on cardboard and cut it out. Repeat this step to get at least 5 or 6 hand shapes for the dragon’s body.
4. Stick them together to create the dragon’s body.
5. Glue the dragon’s head, body, and hands together to complete the puppet. Stick two popsicle sticks to form handlers.

12) Paper Fortune Cookies

Photo and DIY idea by: Kix Cereal

Materials Required:

• Red packets
• Double-sided tape
• Scissors
• Jar lid or water bottle (round)
• Pen

Directions:

1. Draw circles on the red packets using the lid or bottom of water bottle. Cut it out.
2. Fold the circles in half but only crease the middle part.
3. Open it and fold it in half in another way. You will find the crease from earlier.
4. Join two ends to each other and secure with double sided tape.
5. Repeat step 1 to step 4 to create more fortune cookies. Place your finished cookies on your table or inside a basket.

13) Panda Stamps

Photo and DIY idea by: I hearts arts and crafts

Materials Required:

• Potato
• White Paint
• Black Paint
• Plain colour red packet
• Red or gold thread

Directions:

1. Wash the potato and cut it in half.
2. Colour the surface with white paint and start stamping on the plain coloured red packet.
3. Then use black paint to complete the face of the pandas.
4. Stick the red packet on your wall. You can also attach a loop of red or gold thread and hang the red packet on your door, window or closet.

14) Candle Lantern

Photo by: Submerryn | DIY idea by: Crafty-crafted

Materials Required:

• 16 ice cream sticks
• 4 pieces of tracing paper
• Cardboard
• Water colours
• Brush
• Glue
• Red packets

Directions:

1. Cut out an animal shape from the red packet and stick it on the tracing paper.
2. Use four ice cream sticks to create a square by sticking them with glue.
3. Stick the tracing papers onto the square frame.
4. Create a lantern by creating four square frames with tracing papers attached, then gluing the four frames together to form the lantern sides. Attach a square base made out of cardboard to the bottom of the lantern.
5. Light a candle and be impressed with your own DIY red packet decoration.

15) Chinese Drums for Kids

Photo and DIY idea by: Gift of Curiosity

Materials Required:

• Two paper or plastic plates
• Red or gold thread
• Two tiny bells
• Tape
• Wooden stick
• Paint or watercolours
• Red packets

Directions:

1. Glue the red packets to the back of the plates in red.
2. Tie the bells to two red threads that are about 10 cm long and stick them to the sides of one of the plates.
3. Stick the wooden sticks on one of the plates to form a handle.
4. Glue or tape the plates together and start playing with it.

16) Paper plate lantern

Photo and DIY idea by: Kix Cereal

Materials Required:

• Paper plate (yellow or red)
• Vanguard sheet (yellow and red)
• Ribbon or yarn (gold, yellow, or red)
• Glue
• Marker (preferably black)
• Tape
• Red thread
• Water color
• Red packets

Directions:

1. Cut each sides of yellow vanguard sheet such that it is 2cm shorter in terms of length and width than the red vanguard sheet. Stick them together to form a red and yellow card.
2. Use black marker to write Chinese blessing words such as ‘fu’ or ‘chun’.
3. Glue the red packets all over the paper plate.
4. Glue the red and yellow card on the paper plates.
5. Create a smaller version of the red and yellow card featured in step 1.
6. Use tape to stick the red thread to the back of the paper plates and small cards.

17) Paper Plate Fish

Photo and DIY idea by: Activity Village

Materials Required:

• Paper plate
• Gold and red packets
• Scissors
• Wiggle eyes
• Double-sided tape

Directions:

1. Cover the whole paper plate with gold and red packets.
2. Cut a triangle out of the plate and stick it at the back to form a tail.
3. Glue the wiggle eyes onto the plate.
4. Stick double-sided tape to the back of the fish and stick it on the wall.

18) Red Packet Small Lantern

Photo and DIY idea by: Sweet PHK

Materials Required:

• Red packet
• Scissors
• Glue

Directions:

1. Fold the red packet in half lengthwise and use the scissors to make cuts 1 cm apart (don’t cut all the way through!).
2. Connect the top and bottom of the red packet to form a tube. Secure with glue.
3. Cut a thin strip from another red packet for the handle for the lantern.
4. You can hang this on your door or use it to cover your decorative lights.

19) Tassel Garland

Photo and DIY idea by: A pair and a spare DIY

Materials Required:

• 10 sheets of assorted coloured tissue paper (gold, pink, red and yellow)
• Scissors
• 2 m of rope
• Tape
• Red packets

Directions:

1. Fold a sheet of tissue paper to form a smaller rectangle.
2. Use the scissors to cut the tissue paper into strips that are about 1cm apart. Leave about 1 cm at the top untouched.
3. Open up the folded paper. Roll it up, then fold to form a roll of tassel with fringe on either sides.
4. Use tape to secure the roll and fold it in half to make a single tassel.
5. Twist the head of the tassel and use the rope to poke through the hole.
6. Thread the twine through this hole to attach the tassel to the twine.
7. Repeat Step 1- Step 5 and slot in the red packets in between to create a lengthy tassel for your house or room.

20) DIY Red Packets

Photo and DIY idea by: China Family Adventure

Materials Required:

• Red A4 paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Black marker

Directions:

1. Cut the paper into quarters.
2. Fold the quarters into envelopes.
3. Write your desired words of blessing on the red packet. Insert money or small gifts into your DIY red packets and present them to your friends and family!

Celebrating Chinese New Year is one of the most anticipated holidays for Chinese around the world. The great thing about these DIY Ang Pao decorations is they are easy and cheap to make and personalise! Did you like these 20 Chinese New Year decorations using red packets?