There are many graduation traditions that people use to honor this milestone of someone’s life. One cultural tradition from Hawaiʻi is gifting graduates with a lei garland on this special day. But what does it mean to get a graduation lei? Check out some reasons why giving a lei for graduation might be a great idea.
1. Congratulations
Whether you get a graduation lei from a parent, sibling, grandparent, or friend, one common meaning is simply a congratulations on your accomplishment! Because a lei is a floral garland, your friends and family can put it around your neck themselves, so you can wear it as you cross the stage. When you accept a lei on graduation day, you’re showing that there are people in your life who are proud of your academic achievements.
2. Affection
Another reason you might receive a floral garland could be general feelings of love and affection. Family and friends may give you more than one to showcase just how many people love you when you walk across the stage to accept your diploma.
3. Well Wishes
The final meaning behind a graduation lei is to wish someone good luck. Whether you’re super-stitious or just a-little-stitious, people like to give symbols of future success at momentous occasions. In addition to wishing you congratulations, your family and friends may also want to do all they can to ensure good luck in the future.
Popular Lei Trends
Graduation lei aren’t just for Hawaiian ceremonies. They’re also used across the country and around the world for the same reasons. You can give lei to both men and women to indicate well wishes and love.
Traditionally, orchid lei are the most popular flowers to use. They can be dyed in any color, but most commonly come in purple, white, or green. However, many people want to customize their lei to a particular school or person. If you’re hoping to give someone a personalized graduation lei, but you’re not sure where to start, here are a few of the most popular trends to inspire you:
- Dyeing lei flowers to match the school colors
- Dyeing lei flowers to be the graduate’s favorite colors
- Ti leaf or kukui nut lei as alternatives to orchids
- Rose lei with yellow flowers for women
Other Lei Considerations
Besides the colors of the flowers, fragrance is another important consideration for lei. While natural flowers come with their own scent, many lei sellers add another aroma to give these flowers a boost. The most common options include jasmine, tuberose, and gardenia for a delicate scent that isn’t too overwhelming to wear around your neck.
You might also consider handmade money lei that can provide a new graduate with a great send-off for their future. You can choose to use singles, fives, or twenties to give exactly the right amount. Just remember that a money lei will have between 30 and 50 bills for a complete garland.
Can You Use Any Lei?
Your graduation lei can use any flower, color, or scent, but they’re typically made with fresh flowers — not artificial ones. While orchids are the most traditional, there is a lot of flexibility depending on preference. Women may prefer more delicate lei with nice aromas, while men might prefer cigar lei or non-scented options.
Lei also come with flowers in different sizes to provide subtle, conservative pieces, as well as statement designs. Typical lei range between 30 and 40 inches but you can customize this to ensure the garland fits your graduate perfectly.
Make Sure Your Lei Stays Fresh
Lei are designed to stay fresh for several days after they’re made to ensure you have enough time to gift them to your graduate. However, you can help them stay as beautiful as possible for as long as possible by following a few simple tips:
- Keep your lei on the bottom shelf of the fridge
- Spray it with water occasionally
Don’t put your lei in the freezer as this can damage the flowers and they’ll wilt when defrosted!
Keeping Your Lei After Graduation
Many people want to keep their lei after graduation to remind them of the support they have on their side. If you want to permanently preserve your lei, you’ll need to hang it upside down to dry in a cool, dark place with lots of airflow. After a few weeks, the lei should be dry and you can spray it with a floral sealer to keep the flowers intact for years. You can also use hairspray to preserve your lei, but you may have to respray it every year to minimize wear.
Find the Perfect Lei
Graduation lei are no longer only a Hawaiian tradition — they’re for everyone! So if you’re wondering what to give a graduate that will symbolize your love, admiration, and well wishes for the future, a lei is the perfect choice!
And don’t forget that you can use these garlands for plenty of other celebrations, including birthdays, weddings, Father’s Day, and Mother’s Day.
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