Chinese Lanterns, this new phenomenon that brighten up summers evenings, add a new dimension to New Years Eve Celebrations or are symbolic in remembrance of a loved one.
Personally I find it quite an eerie site, seeing them floating silently, illuminating the dark sky but i do often wonder what happens to them once they have floated off out of view.
I have seen them for sale locally and you can buy them for as little as £2, probably less in some bargain shops so these really are accessible to all which fireworks aren't.
Apparently the idea is that they are mini-hot air balloons travelling up to 30 miles via the heat inside until they eventually burn themselves out and fall to earth. There have been calls to ban these lanterns because of the environmental issues they create.
Read this BBC article for more information http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11265560
So Chinese Lanterns, pretty harmless fun or an environmental pest? What do you think?
