Free Printable Chinese New Year Firecrackers – Year of the Horse!
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Get ready to welcome the Year of the Horse with our free printable Chinese New Year Firecrackers!
This engaging craft activity is perfect for families and kids of all ages, immersing you in the heart of Chinese traditions. Not only is it a fun art project, but it also brings a slice of Chinese culture into your home.
(We should point out that the paper firecrackers are not explosive. They are made simply with the free printable template, scissors, glue, and red string!
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Chinese New Year Firecrackers
Firecrackers are a significant part of Chinese New Year celebrations. They are traditionally used to scare away evil spirits and bring good fortune for the coming year.
Their loud, explosive sounds symbolize the triumph of good over bad and create a joyful atmosphere during the Spring Festival.
This craft offers a fun, safe alternative to real firecrackers, perfect for families with young children. These vibrant paper firecrackers are ideal for decorating your home and adding festive flair without the noise or fire hazards.
For more crafting for Chinese New Year, check out our Red Money Envelopes, Chinese Paper Lanterns, and Paper Hand Fans.
If you are planning a party or Chinese Banquet, be sure to take a look at these 50+ Delicious Recipes for Chinese New Year.
Year of the Horse
Chinese New Year, which ushers in the Year of the Horse, starts on 17 February 2026
Your Chinese zodiac is Horse if you were born in one of these years: 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2001, 2014, and 2026.
We have shared Chinese New Year Printables since the Year of the Monkey in 2016. These printables are updated annually to reflect that year’s zodiac animal.
Our Free Printable Build A Horse has been turned gold to use across all of our updated Chinese New Year printables.
Firecrackers—A Chinese New Year Tradition
- The Story of Nian: In Chinese folklore, a monster called Nian would come out to eat villagers and destroy their houses on New Year’s Eve. The villagers discovered that burning dry bamboo to produce an explosive sound scared the monster away. Since then, it has become a tradition for the Chinese New Year.– China Highlights
- Bàozhú: The Chinese word for firecrackers literally means “exploding bamboo” and symbolizes the triumph of good over evil spirits.
- The First Firecracker: Gunpowder was discovered by accident during the Tang Dynasty (618–907), and when inserted into bamboo stalks and thrown into a fire, it would make loud noises, so the first firecracker was born! The Song Dynasty (960–1279) introduced the use of paper tubes instead of bamboo.
- Dragon’s Roar: The explosive sound of firecrackers is reminiscent of the mighty Dragon’s roar, celebrating this powerful zodiac animal.
Making Red Paper Firecrackers!
You may think the string of firecrackers looks tricky, but they are easier than they look!
The full tutorial is in the printable card further down this post, but here is a quick guide:
- Print and Prepare: Download and print the firecracker tubes and octagonal toppers.
- Assemble with Ease: Form tubes from the prints and secure with glue or tape.
- Constructing the String of Firecrackers: Secure a red yarn loop to the octagonal topper. Space out additional lengths of red wool along it at regular intervals.
- Firecracker Formation: Attach the tubes to the yarn extensions using tape. Trim any excess yarn to make it neat.
- Optional Tassel: Add a flourish with a red yarn tassel tied off with a gold ribbon or yarn. Gold represents power, wealth, longevity, and happiness.
We made this string of firecrackers for the first time in 2016 for the Year of the Monkey, and while our tutorial photographs show our gold monkey graphic, the printable downloads are updated annually with that year’s animal.
For 2026, it is the gold version of our Free Printable Build A Horse Craft Template.
Decorating for the Year of the Horse
- Festive Display: These paper firecrackers are perfect for New Year’s Eve or as part of your family reunion dinner decor, embodying the strength and good fortune associated with the Dragon.
- Cultural Harmony: Pair them with dragon dance props, Chinese Lanterns, and a Chinese New Year banner to create an immersive festive environment.
- Community and Family: Crafting firecrackers with our free printables can unite family members, fostering unity and shared cultural heritage.
Fun Facts and Cultural Insights:
- Historical Roots: The tradition of firecrackers dates back to ancient China. The Year of the Horse brings opportunities for progress, new ventures, and personal growth.
- Celebrations: Firecrackers are a staple of Lunar New Year festivities, from the streets of Hong Kong to the communities in Northern and South China.
- Red Paper: Red is a lucky color for the Chinese people, and the red paper that falls to the ground after (real) firecrackers are used is not swept until after a day, so as not to sweep away any good luck and wealth.
- Educational Aspect: This craft is fun and educational, offering a hands-on experience to learn about Chinese traditions and the lunar calendar.
How To Make Paper Firecracker Decorations
You can make your string of firecrackers any length you like. We made 20 firecracker tubes and used a 2m (6½ ft) length of doubled-up yarn. (You will need extra yarn to attach the firecracker tubes.)
There are several designs to choose from in the free printable download—the zodiac animal (single and couple), plain, and with Fu (福), the Chinese character for good luck.
Pick your favourite or mix them up. You could even use Chinese zodiac animals from years past.
Chinese New Year Firecrackers Craft
Materials
- White Card or White Paper
- Red Wool/Yarn
- Gold Wool/Yarn
- Free Printable Template links in blog post
TOOLS
- Roller Glue
- Double-Sided Tape
- Sticky tape
- Paper Clips
Instructions
- Print off 2 octagonal toppers of your choice, and 20 individual firecracker tubes onto good quality (120gsm/30lbs) thick paper or onto thin card. Cut pieces out.
- To assemble the firecrackers, roll around to form a tube, and seal with either some double-sided sticky tape or roller glue. If you are using regular glue, you may want to use a paper clip to hold them in place as they dry.
- Measure out approximately 2m (6½ft) of red wool and fold in half. Stick the looped end to the back of the octagonal piece with sticky tape. Stick another octagon on the back to cover the workings, and leave enough of the loop so that you can hang up the string of firecrackers.
- Cut 10 x 30cm (12″) lengths of red wool, and tie them to the long piece of wool at about 5cm (2″) intervals. These are the pieces of wool that you’ll attach the firecracker tubes to. Even if you double knot them, you can still slide the pieces of wool up and down to place the firecrackers where you want when finished.
- Attach one tube to one of the wool extensions with some sticky tape, (I stuck them inside of the tube). Cut off any excess wool if you need to. Continue attaching the tubes to the wool extensions until you have used all of them up.
- You can end the string of firecrackers here if you want, or you can continue to make a tassel. To do that, cut about 10 pieces of red wool, 30 cm (12″) in length. Holding them all together, fold them over, and tie another piece of wool around the looped end to hold them all in place. Use that to then tie to the firecrackers. You can then wrap gold wool around the knot to hide it if you wish.
Chinese Firecrackers Craft Download
Crafting these Free Printable Chinese New Year Firecrackers for the Year of the Horse is more than a seasonal activity. It’s a vibrant way to connect with the Chinese Lunar New Year and its rich traditions!
Don’t forget to check out the Chinese New Year Printables available in the Purple Pumpkin Printables shop!
Fill in the form below to download your paper firecrackers template.
The free printables are in PDF format and can be opened with the free-to-use Adobe Acrobat Reader (or other PDF Readers). If the download is a ZIP file, it can be opened with WinZip, WinRAR, or other software typically bundled with computers. Printables designed and created by The Purple Pumpkin Blog and its Designers are for PERSONAL USE ONLY and NOT FOR RESALE under any circumstances. Please read our full Terms and Conditions. You are welcome to print these free printables at an online print shop or print shop in-store if you don’t have access to a printer; however, some print shops may not print licensed characters. Colors may vary when printing due to different screen and printer settings. You may share this free printable blog post on social media, including Pinterest, and on your blog/website with a link to this blog post. Please DO NOT share the PDF on social media or your blog/website.
Wulfette
January 25, 2022 @ 8:40 pm
Thank you! Great, easy and pretty!
Gill
January 23, 2020 @ 12:14 pm
Wow, thank you for creating this. Thank you!
Michelle
January 23, 2020 @ 12:15 pm
You’re very welcome! Have fun assembling it!
Adrian
January 14, 2019 @ 10:37 pm
Thanks for this amazing printable it actually saved me so much time.
Michelle Ordever
January 15, 2019 @ 11:04 am
You’re very welcome!