This Iconic IKEA Holiday Gem Quietly Blew Up Instagram (Less Than $4!)

Olivia Harvey
Olivia Harvey
Olivia Harvey is a freelance writer and award-winning scriptwriter from outside Boston, Massachusetts. She’s a big fan of scented candles, getting dressed up, and the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley. You can make sure she’s doing okay via…read more
published Dec 14, 2025
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Blue IKEA bag on a bed with pillows and a plant inside, near a window.
Credit: Sarah Crowley/Apartment Therapy

If there’s one quiet, unexpected trend this holiday season, it’s got to be IKEA’s paper star lanterns. More and more people are filling my social feed with whimsical, homey, and magical examples of how they’ve displayed these lights in their homes. If you’ve been wanting to get your hands on a few but haven’t, now is the time — they’re officially on sale. 

Grab IKEA’s Star Paper Lanterns While You Still Can

As part of IKEA’s Winter Sale, which runs through January 13, 2026, a handful of STRÅLA lights are up to 40% off, including this red and white checkerboard motif lantern. This shade measures 19 inches across and is made from durable cardboard that filters any light added to the interior while remaining durable enough to last until next year.

The classic white STRÅLA lampshades are also marked down to under $4. This one includes lacey cutouts that give the lantern a glittery look when a light is placed inside. The lanterns come with an interior frame that can be used with other IKEA lighting kits, or you can attach battery-operated LEDs to the framework instead.

And how gorgeous is this brass-colored STRÅLA lantern? The slashes cut along each arm of the star give the lantern a glowy look, and one reviewer said that they even decorated their Christmas tree with it. 

“I have used this as my Christmas tree topper for the last few years and just added the lamp setup to the star this year,” a shopper wrote. “It’s festive on its own, and I get a lot of compliments on my giant star tree topper, but with the light it’s even better.”

These lanterns are currently marked as “Last chance to buy” items, meaning they won’t be available again once they’re out of stock. So if you want to add a few to your holiday decor, grab them now while they’re all on sale and bring a bit of twinkly magic into your space. 

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