Chinese New Year is a time of celebration, tradition, and giving. One popular tradition is the exchange of red packets filled with money to bring good luck and blessings. However, the excessive use of disposable red packets contributes to waste and harm to the environment. Here is an idea for you to turn unused red packets into Chinese new year decorations.

(repost: https://www.greenpeace.org/eastasia/blog/2897/diy-toys-with-your-kid-upcycling-lai-see/)

Recycled ‘lai-see fish’: Wishing you a year of abundance

Materials: 

1 Toilet roll, 2 Red packets, Scissors(Ask for adult supervision), Glue/masking tape, clothes pegs, marker pens/ colouring pencils

Steps:

1. Cut out the packet as shown, and glue them to the toilet roll
2. If you are using standard middle-sized packet, you will find the paper is 0.5-1cm longer than the toilet roll. Just press the remaining paper into the toilet roll, and glue them tight. This will be the mouth of the fish
3. Turn to the opposite side, use your two thumbs to press the side of the toilet roll as shown on the right-hand side of the picture
4. Choose another red packet, draw the fishtail
5. Use a glue gun to stick the tail into the body
6. Further glue up the fishtail and the toilet roll
7. Put clothes pegs onto the fishtail until the glue dried
8. Make the fish eyes and the fins with the remaining red packets, cut them out
9. Stick them onto the proper positions, finished!

Once you are done, you can put them together with a string to become ornaments, or stick them onto a thick paper to create a new year artwork.  Have a fun and sustainable Chinese New Year!