Saint Martin’s Day occurs on November 11th each year. It is a festival to celebrate the end of harvest and the beginning of winter. There are certain important foods eaten on Saint Martin’s Day. This is a fun holiday for German children, they get to play exciting games!
On this day children build or buy lanterns of different shapes and sizes. In Catholic areas, children may sing to Saint Martin while celebrating in the streets. Protestants, who do not believe in Saints, sing songs about their lanterns.
The materials needed to make your own lantern is:
A balloon
Coloured tissue paper
Glue
Here are easy steps to make your own papier mache lantern:
- Tear or cut the tissue paper into about 3cm wide strips
- Inflate the balloon, make it as big as you want your lantern to be
- Make a mixture (1/3 water, 2/3 glue)
- Dip a strip in the mixture and place it on your balloon
- Repeat step 4 as many times necessary to cover your balloon, once dried add another layer
- Let it dry
- Pop the balloon and remove it
- Add a candle with the help of an adult
References:
Fiesta! Vietnam, Grolier
Thriftyfun.com
Image source:
Bread: Wikipedia
Lantern at day: Flickr
Lantern at night: Flickr