Plan the length
Decide where the banner will go and measure that space. Flags hung edge to edge take about their width each. Hanging them with a one-inch gap lets more air move and is easier to space evenly. With 7-inch flags and gaps, ten flags run roughly eighty inches. Plan a few extra flags in case some tear.
Make the flags
Cut the flags from tissue paper using one template or a mix. The banner page makes one letter per flag if you want to spell a word, up to 24 characters. Fold the hem over a string and glue or tape it. Space the flags with a ruler so the banner hangs evenly.
- Use the same size for all flags so the bottom edge stays level.
- Alternate colors, such as orange, pink, purple and yellow, for a bright look.
- Test the glue on a spare strip first, since some glues wrinkle tissue.
Hanging it for an ofrenda
Many families hang papel picado above or around an ofrenda. Keep the banner well away from candles. Tissue paper is thin and burns easily, and moving air from a window or fan can push the flags toward a flame. Use battery candles if the banner has to hang near the altar, or hang it higher, across the back wall or between two points above the table.
The Library of Congress mentions papel picado among the objects on a Día de Muertos ofrenda, along with marigolds, candles and photographs of loved ones.
Hanging it for a party or classroom
Use painter’s tape or removable hooks so you do not damage walls. Tie the string to two fixed points, such as shelf brackets or hooks, and avoid hanging it where people walk under it with trays or tall hats. Sunlight can fade tissue paper, so keep the banner away from bright windows.
Storing it
Fold the banner flat between sheets of plain paper and keep it in a dry box. Reuse is possible, but tissue becomes brittle, so make a fresh set each year for an event and keep the old one as a craft sample.
Sources and further reading
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