At Art Center’s annual Chinese Lantern Festival held today, the most common wishes penned on bright orange and red lanterns were for sleep and happiness.

Photo by Adam Lopez

Not necessarily at the same time–but one can certainly see a connection when realizing they were written by art and design students.

About 75 students, faculty and staff entrusted their wants, whims and yearnings to the promise of the lantern at today’s event, held by Art Center’s Center for the Student Experience (CSE).

Next week, all lanterns created today will hang along both sides of the Bridge for all to enjoy.

A sample of some of the other wishes:

• “To see beyond them all”
• “I will travel to nearby places and imagine they are far”
• “To see her again”
• “Peace inside”
• “More inspiration”

Lunar New Year celebrations traditionally end with a lantern festival, during which colorful lanterns are lit and released into the air. This year the event lands on Thursday, February 17, to correspond with the full moon. In many Asian countries, releasing the lanterns is believed to bring good fortune and prosperity.  People write their wishes on paper lanterns before releasing them in hopes that they will be granted.

Here’s to plenty of sleep and happiness to all of our students!

Photo by Adam Lopez