Sky Paper Lanterns

Paper lanterns are fabricated in a very simple way using a paper bag with a light candle put inside. Sky lanterns, also known as sky candles, are paper lanterns that rise to the sky and float as long as the candle still burns; afterwards, the lantern floats back down to the ground. While paper lanterns can take lots of shapes, sky lanterns look more like a balloon, a necessary shape for flying.

The colours of these amazing flying objects can be really different and even though the shape can't be modified to all kinds of forms, the advantage of the sky lanterns is that truly wonderful messages, wishes, symbols and so on can be written on the paper and carried up high to the sky. It is as though you have written your deepest wish on the lantern's paper and set it free hoping that it will come true.

Sky paper lanterns are used for special events and festivities and they even have a whole festival of their own. We are talking about the Chinese Paper Lanterns Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the first month of the Lunar Year, on a full moon. This festival ends the Chinese New Year festivities and dates back over 2000 years. Another festival of lanterns is organized in Taipei, Thailand. Here, people launch fireworks and sky lanterns simultaneously as a gesture symbolic of the release of their worries and problems and also to bring good luck.

As the sky paper lanterns have burning candles inside them, they have to be released with caution and that's why it is not wise to release them during strong winds. This greatly reduces the risk of fire caused by the lanterns landing on flammable things. It may sound risky, but bearing in mind that this is a tradition more than 2000 years old, caution must be exercised.

Sky lanterns can create an enchanting atmosphere, especially if they are launched in groups or in the night sky. They can be released on special occasions, like weddings, birthdays, Christmas, meetings with friends, vacations, parties and so on. It is also worth mentioning the eco-friendly aspects of celebrating with sky lanterns; as they are made of paper and candles or non-toxic fuel, they are entirely biodegradable and cause no pollution. So, enjoy the moment and the view, and feel the magic floating in the air.