Receiving a Lei in Hawaii: Everything You Need to Know

Picture this: you’ve just stepped off the plane in Hawaii, and someone drapes a fragrant garland of flowers around your neck with a warm smile and a whispered “Aloha.” You feel it immediately — something meaningful just happened. But what exactly does it mean? And what are you supposed to do next?

Receiving a lei in Hawaii is one of the most deeply rooted traditions in the islands, far more than a pretty floral necklace for tourists. It is a gesture steeped in centuries of Polynesian culture, spiritual significance, and genuine human connection. Whether you’re visiting for the first time or have lived in Hawaii your whole life, understanding the meaning behind a lei transforms the experience entirely.

This guide covers everything — what a lei is, its history, the different types of Hawaiian leis, the significance of lei flowers, the white lei meaning, and the proper etiquette around giving, receiving, wearing, and returning a lei.

What Is a Lei?

A lei (pronounced “lay”) is a garland or wreath worn around the neck, head, or wrists. In Hawaii, leis are most commonly made from fresh flowers, leaves, seeds, shells, nuts, or feathers — strung or braided together into a beautiful, fragrant circle.

The word “lei” itself simply means “garland” in Hawaiian, but its cultural weight is enormous. A lei is a physical expression of aloha — the Hawaiian concept of love, peace, compassion, and mutual respect. When someone places a lei around your neck, they are offering you a piece of themselves: their time, effort, care, and spirit.

The lei is recognized globally as the symbol of Hawaii, but its true roots run much deeper than tourism. It is a living tradition connecting ancient Polynesian voyagers to modern-day islanders, and every lei tells a story.

A Brief History of the Lei

The history of the lei in Hawaii begins with the first Polynesian settlers who navigated the vast Pacific Ocean from Tahiti, guided only by the stars. These remarkable voyagers brought their cultural practices with them — and among those practices was the tradition of crafting garlands from natural materials found in their environment.

From the earliest days, leis were constructed from flowers, leaves, shells, seeds, nuts, feathers, and even the bones and teeth of animals. In ancient Hawaiian society, wearing a lei was not simply decorative. It was a statement of rank, wealth, and connection to the divine. Royalty — the ali’i — wore elaborate leis that distinguished them from commoners. Warriors wore them into battle. Priests offered them to the gods.

Perhaps the most historically significant lei was the Maile lei. Among its many sacred uses, the Maile lei served as a symbol of peace between rival chiefs. In a Heiau (Hawaiian temple), opposing chiefs would symbolically intertwine the green Maile vine — and when the intertwining was complete, peace between the two groups was officially established.

As Hawaiian culture evolved and tourism began to flourish in the early 20th century, the lei took on a new role as the warm face of Hawaiian hospitality. Airlines greeted passengers with leis as they stepped off trans-Pacific flights. Lei vendors lined the famous Aloha Tower in Honolulu, selling garlands to visitors arriving by steamship. The lei became the visual and sensory shorthand for Hawaii itself.

Today, the tradition continues with leis exchanged at graduations, weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, luaus, funerals, and everyday occasions. Lei Day is even celebrated annually on May 1st — a holiday first conceived in 1927 by poet Don Blanding and officially established in the territory of Hawaii in 1929.

Types of Lei: Materials and Styles

Leis come in a stunning variety of forms, each shaped by the materials used and the method of construction. Here’s a breakdown of the main types:

By Material

Floral Leis

The most well-known category, made from fresh flowers like plumeria, orchid, pikake, tuberose, ginger, and hibiscus. These are fragrant, beautiful, and highly perishable.

Leaf and Vine Leis

Crafted from greenery such as maile vine or ti leaves. The Maile lei, for instance, is open-ended (not tied in a circle) and often used for sacred ceremonies and formal occasions like weddings and graduations.

Shell Leis

Made from sea shells, most famously the tiny pūpū shells found on the island of Niʻihau. These are among the rarest and most prized leis in Hawaii, sometimes taking hundreds of hours to craft.

Kukui Nut Leis

Polished kukui (candlenut) nuts strung together. These durable leis symbolize strength, wisdom, and enlightenment — the kukui tree was the ancient Hawaiian’s source of light.

Feather Leis (Lei Hulu)

Traditionally reserved for Hawaiian royalty, feather leis were extraordinarily labor-intensive to create. Today, they remain a symbol of high honor and cultural prestige.

Seed and Nut Leis

Long-lasting leis crafted from various native seeds. Many locals keep a seed or nut lei on hand as a daily accessory for special occasions.

Modern / Non-Traditional Leis

Contemporary adaptations include ribbon, yarn, candy, and even money leis — popular for graduations and celebrations. While non-traditional in materials, the spirit of giving remains the same.

By Construction Style

• Kui — The most common style, made by piercing and stringing flowers or nuts through the center. Plumeria and orchid leis are usually made this way.
• Haku — A braiding technique that incorporates flowers and foliage into a base material. Haku leis are often worn on the head as crowns (lei po’o).
• Hili — A simple braid using a single type of material, such as ferns or vines.
• Wili — A winding technique where materials are twisted around a base.
• Hilo — A double-helix twist, intertwining two strands together.

Types of Hawaiian Leis: The Island Leis

Each of Hawaii’s eight main islands has its own official lei, representing the unique flora and identity of that island. 

Hawaiian Necklace Flower: The Most Popular Lei Flowers

The flowers used in a Hawaiian lei are not chosen at random. Each one carries its own cultural symbolism, fragrance, and meaning. Here are the most beloved:

Plumeria (Melia / Frangipani)

Perhaps the most iconic Hawaiian lei flower, plumeria is recognizable by its five-petal star-shaped blossom and intoxicating sweet fragrance. It comes in white, yellow, pink, and red. Because it wilts quickly, many local shops don’t stock plumeria leis long-term — making them feel especially fresh and special when you receive one.

Orchid

The most practical lei flower. Orchids are durable, long-lasting, available in countless colors (purple, white, pink, green), and have no scent — making them ideal for those sensitive to fragrance. Orchid leis are among the most popular airport greeting leis.

Pikake (Hawaiian Jasmine)

A small, white, intensely fragrant blossom originally brought to Hawaii by Chinese immigrants. Princess Ka’iulani named it “pikake” after her beloved peacocks. Pikake leis are strongly associated with romance, love, and weddings.

Maile

Not a flower but a native Hawaiian vine, maile is deeply sacred. Its dark green leaves carry a subtle, earthy fragrance. Maile leis are always open-ended (never tied closed) and are given at the most significant life events — weddings, graduations, and blessings.

Tuberose

A night-blooming white flower with one of the most powerful and distinctive fragrances in the plant world. Tuberose leis are rich and luxurious, often used for special ceremonies and celebrations.

Ginger (Awapuhi)

White or red ginger flowers create leis with a fresh, invigorating tropical scent. They lie flat when worn and are instantly recognizable as quintessentially Hawaiian.

Ti Leaf

Not technically a flower, but the broad green leaves of the ti plant are widely used in leis and ceremonies. Ti leaves are believed to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. They were once reserved exclusively for Hawaiian royalty.

The Significance of Receiving a Lei in Hawaii

When someone places a lei around your neck, the gesture communicates far more than words typically can. A lei is a silent, fragrant messenger carrying complex emotions — love, respect, honor, celebration, welcome, and even grief.

The lei represents the circle of aloha — an unbroken bond between the giver and the receiver. The effort that goes into crafting a lei (gathering materials, stringing or braiding each element by hand) makes it a deeply personal gift. When you receive a lei, you receive someone’s time, their care, and their spirit.

Leis are exchanged at nearly every significant milestone in Hawaiian life:

• Welcoming visitors — a lei greeting at the airport is Hawaii’s most famous expression of hospitality
• Graduations — recipients are often buried in stacks of leis reaching their chins
• Weddings — the Maile lei worn by grooms and haku leis worn by brides are sacred traditions
• Birthdays and anniversaries — any cause for celebration calls for a lei
• Funerals and memorials — leis serve as a tender final expression of love and farewell
• Hula performances and ceremonies — traditional leis connect performers to their ancestors and the land

The White Lei Meaning

Among the many types and colors of leis, the white lei carries particularly powerful symbolism.

White in Hawaiian culture represents purity, peace, and the transition between worlds. White leis are especially associated with:

• Funerals and memorials — white symbolizes the peaceful passage of the spirit to the next realm. Open-ended white leis are traditionally preferred at funerals, as the open ends represent an unfinished journey and the belief that the spirit continues beyond physical death.
• Weddings — white pikake and tuberose leis are popular choices for brides, symbolizing purity and love.
• Haku (head) leis for brides — these braided floral crowns are frequently made in white for wedding ceremonies.
• New beginnings and spiritual occasions — the color white signals freshness, clarity, and a sacred moment.

Specific white flowers carry their own deeper meanings: pikake represents love and romance, tuberose suggests devotion, and white ginger conveys reverence and respect.

Proper Etiquette: What to Do When Receiving a Lei

Understanding lei etiquette ensures you honor this beautiful tradition with the respect it deserves. Here are the key principles:

1. Never Refuse a Lei

This is the most important rule. Refusing a lei is considered deeply disrespectful in Hawaiian culture. A lei is a welcome celebration of someone’s affection for you — refusing it rejects not just the object, but the person’s aloha. Always accept a lei graciously, with a smile and a sincere “mahalo” (thank you).

2. Receive It With Gratitude

When a lei is placed around your neck, receive it with both hands if possible. Acknowledge the gesture warmly. The person giving you a lei has offered a piece of themselves — treat that with genuine appreciation.

3. Do Not Remove It Immediately

Taking off your lei right after receiving it can feel dismissive to the giver. Wear it for a reasonable amount of time as a sign of respect.

4. Wear It Properly

A closed lei (tied in a circle) is worn draped over both shoulders so it hangs half in front and half down the back. An open lei is worn with the center at the back of the neck, with both ends hanging evenly down the front.

If a lei has a bow, it is typically worn to the side — on the right side if you are single, and on the left side if you are married or in a relationship. (This mirrors the tradition of wearing a flower behind the ear in Hawaii.)

5. Do Not Wear a Lei Before Giving It

If you’re planning to gift a lei to someone, never wear it yourself beforehand. Wearing a lei you intend to give is considered bad luck and disrespectful to the future recipient.

6. The Pregnancy Tradition: Open Lei Only

One of the most important and widely observed customs involves pregnant women. You should never give a closed (tied) lei to a pregnant woman. In Hawaiian tradition, a closed lei given to an expectant mother is believed to bring bad luck and is symbolically associated with the umbilical cord being wrapped around the baby’s neck. Always give pregnant or nursing women an open-ended lei only.

7. You Can Wear More Than One

Stacking multiple leis is not only acceptable — at Hawaiian graduations, it’s practically expected. Wearing several leis simultaneously is a sign of how loved and celebrated you are.

8. Ask Before Taking Photos

In formal or sacred contexts — such as a graduation ceremony, wedding, or cultural event — always ask permission before photographing someone receiving or wearing a lei. Respect the significance of the moment.

What to Do With Your Lei After Wearing It

Perhaps the most poignant aspect of lei culture involves what happens when the lei’s time is done. In Hawaiian tradition, a lei is never simply thrown in the trash. The lei carries the aloha of the giver — discarding it carelessly would be disrespectful to both the person and the spirit of the gift.

Return It to Nature

The traditional way to honor a lei when you are done wearing it is to return it to the earth or the sea. Ancient Hawaiians would return their leis to the place where the flowers or seeds were originally gathered — hanging them from trees, burying them in the earth, or burning them. Today, people often:

• Hang their lei on a tree branch
• Place it on the ocean or let it float on water
• Leave it at a meaningful place or landmark (many visitors drape their leis around the necks of statues across the islands)
• One of Hawaii’s most beloved traditions: if you throw your lei into the ocean as you leave the islands and it washes back to shore, it is said you are destined to return to Hawaii.

Do Not Wear a Returned Lei

If you find a lei that has already been returned to nature — hanging on a tree, for instance — do not take it and wear it again. The act of returning it to nature is intentional and symbolic, marking the end of the lei’s journey. Retrieving and rewearing it would undo that intention.

Funeral Leis Stay With the Deceased

At a Hawaiian funeral, the lei you bring should stay at the service or burial site. Leave it draped over the casket, placed at the gravesite, or on a designated lei stand. Taking a funeral lei home is considered kapu (forbidden) — it is an offering to the deceased and should remain with them.

Fresh Leis Can Be Refrigerated

If your lei is fresh and you’d like to wear it more than once, store it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator between uses. A light mist of water will help keep the flowers hydrated and extend their life.

Lei Day: Hawaii’s Celebration of the Tradition

Every year on May 1st, Hawaii celebrates Lei Day — a holiday dedicated to honoring the art, culture, and tradition of the lei. First proposed in 1927 by poet Don Blanding (who was concerned the tradition was fading), Lei Day became an official territorial holiday in 1929 and continues as a beloved celebration today.

On Oahu, Lei Day festivities are centered at Queen Kapiolani Park in Waikiki. Schools across the state hold their own Lei Day events, crowning students as Lei Day kings and queens representing each island. In 2008, at the 81st annual Lei Day celebration, Honolulu set the world record for the longest lei — measuring an astonishing 5,336 feet.

Receiving a Lei in Hawaii Is a Gift of Aloha

Receiving a lei in Hawaii is one of those rare, perfect moments where a simple object carries infinite meaning. It’s a fragrant circle of flowers, yes — but it’s also a handshake between cultures, a declaration of love, an expression of welcome, and a bridge between the ancient and the modern.

When someone drapes a lei around your neck in Hawaii, they are saying: you matter, you are seen, and you are welcome here. Honor that by accepting it gratefully, wearing it proudly, and returning it to nature with the same care and intention with which it was given.

That is the spirit of aloha — and that is the meaning of the lei.