Many of us celebrate Halloween, but it is especially children who look forward to the festivities, costumes and sweets associated with this special day. You might not enjoy this holiday quite as much without the proper decorations, which can be in the form of Halloween paper lanterns that set just the right mood.

Transparent rice paper is generally used to make paper lanterns, although some are made of stronger paper too. The paper is used to house the light source within, which can come from a candle or a bulb. A bulb would need wiring or a battery pack for power.

Halloween can mean a huge party for you or just a quiet celebration with your family. Either way, these paper lanterns can create the perfect setting. You can get your lanterns to sit on tables like lamps, or stand up from hooks in the ground, or have them suspended from the ceiling or tree branches.

You can use paper lanterns to add to the festive atmosphere already created by the Jack-o-Lanterns and pumpkins. Lighting plays an important part in creating the right setting for any party, so don?t underestimate it. You only need to spend a bit of loose change to buy some Halloween paper lanterns and hang them around bulbs for a hypnotic, creepy atmosphere.

If you want strange, unnatural light to be given off, place the lanterns around coloured bulbs and then place them on your mantelpiece or windowsill. It may not seem like much, but it actually increases the festive atmosphere.

The internet is the best place to find cheap Halloween paper lanterns. This way, you get to check out stores for the lanterns you want, and at prices you can afford. Many online stores offer paper lanterns for as little as $2 a piece, so it is money well spent. Besides regular lanterns, which are rectangular, round or cylindrical, you can also find ones designed specially for Halloween.

If you can?t find just what you want, don?t fret. You can buy it and then simply make your own additions to it in paint, just as you would when carving a pumpkin. Don?t throw them out after Halloween is over, as you can make use of them once more next year.

Although you buy these lanterns for a low price, they come in very useful when trying to make a festive, spooky atmosphere and can be used for many years.

Cody Scholberg, a lighting expert, writes about paper lanterns. Check out this post on using chinese paper lanterns to repel mosquitoes!