Enter the year of the monkey this Chinese New Year! Happening early February, many retailers were quick to swap from Christmas to Chinese New Year decorations and music.
If you’re organising an event in February, it might have crossed your mind to add some Chinese New Year festivity into it.
Just because we believe in being environmentally friendly (in-app mobile tickets, not paper tickets), here are 8 green DIY Chinese New Year decoration ideas for your event.
1. Upside down 福 (fu)
福 (fu) means prosperity or happiness. Why upside down, you ask? The Chinese word for upside-down (倒, dao) sounds similar to the Chinese word for arrive (到, dao). Essentially, it represents the ushering in of wealth and happiness.
How: Cut out a square from a recycled cereal box, paint it red, and test your calligraphy skills by writing the Chinese character 福 (fu). Invert it and stick it to the entrance of your event.
2. Monkey figurine name tags
2016 is the year of the monkey according to the 12 Chinese Zodiac signs. Cut out these monkey shapes from the same cereal box as above (or cardboard boxes that supermarkets are more than happy to give away), punch a hole and string through red thread, tie a knot and there you have it – a Chinese New Year themed name tag!
3. Lantern bunting
It’s time to save up on those toilet paper cardboard rolls, instead of binning them, you could make these lanterns. Here’s an idea: String through 10 lanterns at the handle and make a lantern bunting to hang at the door of your event.
4. Firecrackers
Reminiscent of our childhood days, these toilet roll firecrackers makes for a fun project and is sure to spark a conversation amongst your attendees about the good old 90s where iPods/iPads/iPhones did not exist and we had toilet rolls for leisure.
5. Chinese paper cuttings
Traditional Chinese paper cuttings are intricately designed and meticulously cut-out. But for the busy organiser in a fast-paced time-constrained events industry, here’s a quick and easy video tutorial that’s synonymous with the year of the monkey.
6. Ang pao (Red packet) coins
Another flashback to the 90s, Chinese coins made out of ang paos (red packets)! No idea what to do with all the free red packets you’re receiving each time you do your grocery shopping? Try this 5 minute craft.
7. Felt fortune cookies
Trust Martha Stewart to make fortune cookies a perfect decorative fixture for a Chinese New Year themed event. What more, these have no expiry date and can be re-used the next year or perhaps a Valentine’s themed event.
8. Basket full of mandarin oranges symbolises prosperity
Most people have stocked up on their oranges by now. We’ve got 114 oranges in the Peatix office to be exact for our upcoming Backstage Pass! Place a basket stacked with oranges at your registration desk and it immediately adds a bright touch when greeting your attendees. Plus, this decoration’s edible and giving your attendees two of them is a symbol of happiness!
Have fun crafting with your events team and add a nice Chinese New Year touch to your event.
Image credit: Andres Leo, KJ, Red Ted Art, Amanda Formaro, Martha Stewart, Activity Village, Merryn, Lushome
