This weekend I was tossing and turning as I lay in bed (I have been having some trouble sleeping and unwinding at night) so I logged onto Netflix and played the very first Disney Movie I could find, Tangled! It made me laugh, cry and sing out loud leaving me completely relaxed and at peace because (*spoiler alert*) everything works out in the end! Hurray! There is this one part of the movie though, and it has little to do with plot twists or Mandy Moore singing, but it absolutely moved me- The Chinese Wishing Lanterns lighting up the midnight sky took my breath away. I have seen this before (AHEM on the Bachelorette) but this whole weekend they been in the back of my mind. How can I somehow include these lanterns into my next event/party I plan and where can I get them?!
The history behind the lanterns
A long time ago (3rd Century BCE) the Chinese developed Kongming Lanterns commonly know as Sky lanterns as signals for war or enemies approaching.
Now, many Asian cultures have adopted the lanterns for wishing by writing their wishes on the lanterns or as a form of “release” by writing their concerns or problems and watching them fly away.
The custom is poetic and beautiful and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate whatever you are going through in your life than gathering together with a large group of loved ones under a lantern lit sky.
The Lantern Lights have recently started to take American’s buy storm at beach parties, bon fires, weddings and even letters to Santa! I am just in love with this whole concept from the visual effect to the symbolism – I hope you fall in love with it too!
images:
