Safety precautions to take with Chinese Lanterns

It’s always a good idea to read up on safety for your Chinese lanterns before setting them off, particularly if you’re doing so around young people or children, or if you’re planning to use them as part of a party and have a large number of people around.
Once you’ve unwrapped your Chinese lanterns, we find it always helps to have another pair of hands around, to hold the lantern upright whilst you light each corner of the filament. The lantern holder can also keep an eye out to check that the paper doesn’t fall into the flame, which would not only be dangerous, but would also mean that the lantern would find it very difficult to fill with air!
Protecting your hands is also essential, so wearing gloves is a must, to save them from the heat of the flame. Once the filament really gets going, and the lantern is filling with air ready to take off, the flames get hot which is when this precaution is an excellent idea.
As lighting the lanterns outside in also a must, taking a minute to check the wind conditions will help you and others stay safe. If there is any more than a light breeze blowing, the lit lanterns can fly into buildings or trees. If you feel the wind is too strong, save them for another day when you will be able to enjoy them safely and without concern.
Full details of our safety considerations for Chinese lanterns can be found on our website. Happy lighting!