Nanfeng

Notes on software development, code, and curious ideas

Celebrating the Lantern Festival with a Canvas Animation

The Lantern Festival marks the end of traditional Lunar New Year celebrations. This small Canvas animation creates floating lanterns and displays a festival greeting without external libraries.

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<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
<title>Happy Lantern Festival</title>
<style>
html, body, canvas { width: 100%; height: 100%; margin: 0; }
body { overflow: hidden; background: #10051e; }
h1 { position: fixed; inset: 1.5rem 0 auto; z-index: 1; margin: 0;
color: #ffd86b; text-align: center; font-family: system-ui, sans-serif; }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Happy Lantern Festival</h1>
<canvas id="scene"></canvas>
<script>
const canvas = document.querySelector("#scene");
const ctx = canvas.getContext("2d");
const lanterns = Array.from({ length: 24 }, () => ({
x: Math.random(), y: Math.random(), size: 12 + Math.random() * 18,
speed: .00002 + Math.random() * .00004
}));

function resize() {
const ratio = devicePixelRatio || 1;
canvas.width = innerWidth * ratio;
canvas.height = innerHeight * ratio;
ctx.setTransform(ratio, 0, 0, ratio, 0, 0);
}

function frame(time) {
ctx.clearRect(0, 0, innerWidth, innerHeight);
for (const light of lanterns) {
light.y = (light.y - light.speed * 16 + 1) % 1;
const x = light.x * innerWidth + Math.sin(time / 900 + light.x * 8) * 10;
const y = light.y * innerHeight;
ctx.shadowBlur = 18;
ctx.shadowColor = "#ff9a35";
ctx.fillStyle = "#ef4938";
ctx.fillRect(x, y, light.size, light.size * 1.25);
}
requestAnimationFrame(frame);
}
addEventListener("resize", resize);
resize();
requestAnimationFrame(frame);
</script>
</body>
</html>

Save it as an HTML file and open it in a modern browser. Reduce the lantern count on low-powered devices, and add a prefers-reduced-motion alternative if the animation will be published as part of a larger site.

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