Have you ever adorned yourself with a flower? Wearing them in our hair, behind our ear, or as a garland around our neck, puts a flair to our day, in a way that is different than regular dressing up. It connects us directly with nature, and thus lets us feel naturally beautiful. And this, with a scent. In Hawaii, each island has their own specialty, as well as for certain type of celebrations, dance performances and meanings.

To make a lei, collect about 50-100 flowers, depending on size and length of your desired garland. Sprinkle some water on them and put them in a plastic container in the fridge for a couple of hours. This is also how you can keep your lei fresh for another couple of days, after it’s made.

Snip off the stems and instead insert a needle with a thread, where it’s been. Fill up the string generously for them not to glide.

For a more elaborate floral arrangement, you can also braid them together with leaves, such as shown here.