Lantern walking with lantern made from cardboard and tracing paper

The children's lanterns are often made by the children themselves from cardboard and colorful tracing paper (e.g., in kindergarten) and are powered by a candle or a battery-operated light bulb. In many places, lanterns or paper lanterns from the shops are also used, which are now often equipped with an electric lamp instead of a conventional candle. In the past, it was common for lanterns to catch fire from time to time during the lantern parade.

In Catholic regions in particular, there are Saint Martin's processions with lanterns on the commemoration day of Saint Martin of Tours (November 11). In some Protestant regions, the Martini singing is celebrated in honor of the reformer Martin Luther on November 10 (Luther's birthday).

Also, in some regions, the lantern run takes place in the fall independently of November 10 or 11 as a lantern procession in different variants, e.g. from small groups of a kindergarten to the lantern processions organized by municipalities, associations, etc., which can also be accompanied by a marching band.