Mother, Baby & Kids

5 DIY Chinese New Year Decoration Using Red Packets that You Can Do with Your kids

Merryn Tan

In continuation to my Chinese New Year article series, I will be writing about something different than my usual recipe sharing.

I am going to share how you can craft your own decorations using red packets, special for the upcoming celebration.

The Chinese New Year celebration is about ushering in good luck and a prosperous new year ahead.

This is why you see plenty of red and gold decorations during the festival.

The colours red and gold symbolise happiness, strength, and good fortune with lots of good luck.

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Photo Credit: cf.shopee.sg

Red and gold decorations are believed to drive off bad luck hence it is good to hang them on plants, trees, ceilings, walls, doors and even windows.

To bring harmony among family members, we are encouraged to make our own decorations together.

There are many simple yet beautiful Chinese New Year crafts you can make together with the kids.

The main material used for these crafts is usually red money packets and this is the reason why I keep all my boys’ used angpow packets; so that we can repurpose them the following year.

Since we are going to welcome the Year of the Ox this year, let me share with you a simple DIY Angpow Ox wall décor.

Materials needed:

  • 4 red angpow packets
  • 1 gold angpow packets
  • 1 yellow angpow packet (you may also use gold packet if you don’t have yellow packet)
  • 1 black craft foam
  • A pair of scissors
  • Glue

Instructions:

1. Cut open a red packet.
2. Fold the red packet in half, press to make a crease and then unfold.
3. Fold to meet the middle line, make a crease and then unfold.
4. Fold to meet the first line.
5. Turn the red packet around and continue to fold accordion style.
6. Keep folding until you reach the end of the red packet.
7. Fold it in half, apply glue and paste them together. You will need to make four pieces.
8. Now paste them together to form a complete circle.
9. While waiting for the glue to dry, cut out ears from the unused back piece of the red packet.
10. Cut a smaller piece of ears and paste onto the bigger ears.
11. Cut out the yellow or gold packet for the horns.
12. Now, using another yellow or gold packet, cut it to make the mouth and nose area.
13. Cut two black circles out of black craft foam or hardboard paper.
14. Use a paper punch to punch out small white circles for the eyes.
15. Cut a smaller piece from the black paper to form the lips and paste it onto the yellow/gold mouth shape.
16. Give your Ox some hair and it is done! Stick a double layer tape at the back and paste it on your wall, window or door.

Here is a tutorial on how to make this OX RED PACKET WALL DECOR:

Other than this Ox Angpow wall decor, you can try the other DIY Red Packet crafts below that you can decorate in your house and do it with your kids.

YEAR OF THE OX RED PACKET ENVELOPE

CHINESE NEW YEAR ANGPOW LANTERN

CHINESE NEW YEAR ANGPOW LUCKY BAG TREE ORNAMENT

CHINESE NEW YEAR ANGPOW FLOWER BALL LANTERN

I hope you enjoy doing these Chinese New Year crafts with the kids. Get them involved in hanging these decorations all-around your house.