How do you make a floating chinese lantern?

Question

We were watching fireworks last night and somebody put tea light candles into a paper lantern and it was floating up and up. How do you do this?

Answer 1

Basically all you do is make a hot air balloon:  an envelope to hold air over a heat source.

I know in some places, you can buy kits to do this with a colored paper envelope.  Or the site below has a description for how to make something similar on your own.  

However, BE VERY AWARE of local fire regulations = you don't want to send a flaming balloon crashing into someone's house or start a wildfire, and end up in prison for it.  And if you are a child, do this only under the supervision of a responsible adult.