How To Make A Flower Lei

Have you ever been to Hawaii? I haven't, but it is easy to imagine it as a warm and welcoming place. After all, how could it be otherwise when the Islanders have a tradition of greeting visitors with a flower lei?

It is a custom that began during the early 1900s as the first wave of tourists arrived on cruise liners and were greeted by local people bearing these beautiful flower garlands. On departure, the tradition was to toss the lei from the ship back into the ocean. The waves would return it to the Islands, and the visitors hoped that likewise they too would return one day.

Whether you are looking to recapture your own special memories of Hawaii, or are going to a Hawaiian style party or luau, you may be interested to know that you can make your own lei from fragrant flowers.

In How to Make a Flower Lei, we are guided through the process of making a fresh flower lei by azpoppy, using blooms gathered from the garden or bought from a local florist. She made her own example lei in just 10 minutes, although I suspect she's already something of an expert! Nonetheless, her step-by-step guide has thought of every detail and is accompanied by her own photos of the entire process, so there are no worries here about doing this wrong.

As well as demonstrating how she made her own lei from 40 large plumeria blossoms (in the end she opted to wear it as a delightful hair garland, or haku as it is called in Hawaiian), azpoppy shares lots of handy hints and warnings on the construction of a flower lei. She also provides some important etiquette tips on the correct way to accept and wear a lei, and what to do with it when you wish to remove it.

I'm sure you will agree that the flower lei made by azpoppy is simply beautiful, and the perfect way to add the finishing touch to any Hawaiian-themed occasion.

Visit: How to Make a Flower Lei

Image Credit: Tropical Art - Flowers by tpeters7