Although lighted paper lanterns have often been associated with Asian holidays or Chinese restaurants in the past, they are now available for many occasions and holidays. You can buy cheap lanterns online to mark almost any holiday or event, teach your children about other cultures, or simply add a whimsical touch to your home, garden, or pond.

Wishing lanterns

Lanterns used for wishing are available in two different varieties, but both serve the same purpose. Wishing lanterns are used to send wishes along their way in the hope that they may come true.

Sky lanterns float into the air by the use of a small fuel cell that heats the air within. As the fuel is consumed, they float gently back down to earth. Sky lanterns made of completely natural materials such as bamboo, biodegradable paper and wax fuel cells are available online at very inexpensive prices. You can start a new family tradition on holidays such as New Years Eve, releasing sky lanterns with your wishes or resolutions for the new year.

Floating lanterns have been used for centuries in Asian countries to celebrate festivals or to carry wishes along rivers and streams until they reach their metaphysical destination.. Floating lanterns are available with biodegradable materials that cause no harm to the body of water in which they are placed. They can be found online in simple geometrical shapes, to carry your wishes along their way, or in the form of water lilies or lotuses, to brighten a pond or backyard pool.

Both sky and water lanterns can add a touch of magic to an outdoor wedding or party, or bring a warm glow and a feeling of spiritual liberation at funerals.

Holiday lanterns

There is no better way to attract the Easter Bunny than with hanging lanterns in the shape and design of decorated Easter eggs. Christmas can be celebrated with lanterns in the shape of trees and stars and Halloween with pumpkin or ghost shaped lanterns. You can also teach your children about holidays such as Lunar New Year, which is celebrated in several Asian countries with an abundance of intricate lanterns.

Online lantern dealers also sell light kits that can be used interchangeably for many styles of lanterns. You can place the light kit in a convenient window or family area, and simply change lanterns for each holiday or event. You can find enough cheap lanterns online to celebrate every major holiday, or create some of your own new family traditions. The best thing about many paper lanterns is that they are collapsible, which allows for easy storage, and very inexpensive, so you can change them to suit the mood or occasion.