Flying Paper Lanterns - My New Favorite Thing!

We just returned home from a very fun Fourth of July party.  As we turned into our neighborhood we spotted the most beautiful flying object.  It glowed and floated through the darkness unlike anything we had ever seen before.  We stopped there in the street and just watched it float higher and higher.  

We were wondering what this object was, and it was at this point that it was so unusual my oldest got a little worried.  He wanted me to drive into the court and see if anyone was out.  He was really thinking space creatures.  So after we watched the object float high and far away I followed his multiple requests that we check things out, and we drove down the court.  We met some really nice people who told us that they were paper lanterns.  The man said the top looked kind of like a chefs hat and that you light it and as it heats up it floats.  I rushed home to look them up.  This will be a must next year at our Fourth of July party.  Even one lit against the night sky was simply breathtaking!

Here is a video I found of a massive launch.  I imagine it was a beautiful sight.