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Make Chinese Firecracker Decorations

Chinese Firecracker Decorations
Here we show you how to make a decoration like this made from red card and gold paper.

These decorative firecrackers are hung in bunches of eight or more for luck, but never in bunches of four which is associated with death.

You will need:

  • red A4 card
  • gold coloured paper
  • glue stick
  • scissors
  • single hole punch
  • gold glossy curling ribbon
  • red glossy curling ribbon

What you do:

  1. Download our Firecrackers Decoration template and print out onto red card. One A4 card will make 6 firecrackers. Print the firecrackers template onto red card
  2. Carefully cut out the squares for the firecrackers along the dashed lines.
  3. Using a single hole punch, punch out two holes over the circles on each square. Punch out two holes in each square
  4. Cut some strips of gold paper a little longer than the width of each red square. Glue the back of the gold paper and stick down across each square as shown in the photo below. Stick the strips on well, particularly at the ends which may come unstuck later. Stick gold strips across the red squares
  5. Trim the edges of the gold paper level with the red card. Stick gold strips across the red squares
  6. Use the glue stick to put plenty of glue down the dotty edge of each square and curl the card into a tube. Press the edge down well to stop the firecrackers from springing open. Roll the square into a tube and glue in place
  7. Cut off a piece of red curling ribbon. We used 2 metres of ribbon for eight firecrackers, which leaves enough to be able to hang up the firecrackers.
  8. Thread one end of the curling ribbon through both holes at the top of your first firecracker and tie a knot. This will be the bottom firecracker in your bunch. Tie the ribbon to the first firecracker
  9. Thread each firecracker onto the red curling ribbon, tieing it loosely with a knot. Try to arrange the firecrackers on alternate sides as you tie each one on. You should have a section of ribbon left above the final firecracker and you can use this to hang up your firecracker decoration.
  10. Cut a 1 metre piece of gold curling ribbon, and thread it through both holes in the top firecracker until you have an equal amount of ribbon on each side. Curl each length of ribbon and leave them to dangle.
  11. Hang your firecrackers up in a place where you can see it and enjoy! Tie the ribbon to the first firecracker