My name is Kim, and it’s always been a life long goal of mine to make a lantern for the moon festival. As a child, I was always jealous of my peers who competed in our community’s lantern competition with pikachu, powerpuff girls, or firefly lanterns made by their parents. I learned that during this time of the year, Vietnamese parents spend time with their kids by making them lanterns. My parents lacked this skill, and so I wanted to preserve this culture when I have kids in the future. During my senior year of high school, I attempted to make a large goldfish using cellophane; however, when it came to lighting up the lantern, I discovered that the heat easily melted the cellophane. I enjoyed reading your blog and seeing your lanterns photo and I would appreciate it if you can offer me basic advice to create a traditional lantern, such as what materials are appropriate to use, where I can buy glass paper (if that exists in the US), how to light up the lantern without melting it, etc. Every piece of detail will help me. I look forward to your reply.

- Kim