If you’re attending your first Hawaiian graduation, you’re in for a beautiful ceremony. After the ceremony, it’s traditional to gift graduates with Lei. There are many colorful designs to choose from, so you may be wondering how to find the ideal lei for the graduate in your life. The guide below explores the meanings and selection process behind graduation Lei.

Why Do Graduates Receive Lei?

Giving a Lei is both a display of affection and a way to honor the recipient. For this reason, Lei make the perfect offering for graduating students. When you lei someone, you are extending warm wishes for the coming transition to a new chapter of their life. Graduates will often receive so many lei that the pile around their necks will nearly conceal their faces!

How Should You Choose a Lei?

All Lei have unique appeal, but it’s a good idea to think about what you’re looking for before visiting the florist. Overall, you want to consider color, size, scent, plant type, and intricacy of the lei. Floral Lei are appropriate for anyone and can be coordinated with the graduate’s high school or university colors. Ginger and Pikake are popular fragrant options, but remember, there is an inverse relationship between longevity and smell.  The more fragrant Lei are also the most fragile and should not be shipped to the mainland.  Maile and ti leaf lei are more masculine choices, while girls will appreciate colorful and aromatic Haku Lei to adorn their hair. Non-floral options can be crafted from materials like candy, ribbon, and kukui nuts. Try to match your selection with the recipient’s personality for a particularly heartfelt gift.

Find the right lei for your graduate at Watanabe Floral, Inc. in Honolulu, HI. Voted “Hawaii’s Best Florist” from 2003 to 2018 by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Midweek, this flower shop carries a wide selection of fresh blooms for every occasion. Choose from their premade lei flower designs online, or call (808) 832-9360 to inquire about a custom order.