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Guy Fawkes Lantern

Crafts

Light up Bonfire Night with your own Guy Fawkes Lantern!

Bring a little glow to November with a homemade lantern that’s lovely to make on a cosy afternoon, ready for a Bonfire Night walk or a spot of garden sparkle.

Bonfire Night is all about crackling fires, bright skies and wrapping up warm. But you don’t need fireworks to make the evening feel special. A homemade lantern is a simple craft to try together, using things you may already have tucked away in the craft drawer.

It’s a good one for a drizzly afternoon, too. Put the kettle on, clear the kitchen table and let little hands get creative.

Make your own glowing lantern

You’ll need:

  • A clean, empty glass jar
  • Coloured tissue paper
  • PVA glue, watered down slightly
  • A paintbrush
  • Ribbon or wool
  • Scissors
  • A battery-operated LED tea light

Let’s get making!

  1. Get sticky. Tear the tissue paper into small pieces. They don’t need to be neat. Reds, oranges and yellows give a lovely bonfire glow, but blues, greens and purples look just as good.
  2. Decorate your jar. Brush a thin layer of glue over the outside, then add the tissue pieces, overlapping them to create a colourful pattern. Smooth them down gently with the brush and add another light coat of glue.
  3. Add a finishing touch. Once the glue has dried, tie ribbon or wool around the top. Grown-ups can help secure it, especially if little fingers are keen to get on with the next step.
  4. Switch on the sparkle. Pop a battery-operated LED tea light inside and watch your lantern glow. Place it on a windowsill, use it as a table decoration or carry it carefully on an early-evening family walk.

Make it your own

Try adding paper stars, silhouettes of fireworks or a friendly little Guy Fawkes face. Younger children can enjoy choosing colours and sticking on larger pieces, while older ones might like creating patterns or experimenting with layers.

And remember, the best lantern isn’t necessarily the neatest one. Wobbly stars, wonky faces and gluey fingerprints are all part of the fun.

A quick safety note: Always use an LED light, never a real candle. Keep lanterns away from naked flames and fireworks, and make sure an adult supervises cutting, gluing and any outdoor use.

Now all that’s left is to find a warm coat, switch on your lantern and enjoy a little homemade glow as November draws in.

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