Oahu Travel Planner 2008 - (Page 32) A SYMBOL OF LOVE FLOWER LEI THE HAWAIIAN LEI IS A GARLAND MADE OF FLOWERS, historically a part of Hawai‘i’s romantic culture. Today’s tradition of lei giving signifies a warm welcome or a gesture of love. The most popular lei are made with sweet-smelling plumeria (frangipani), tuberose, delicate pikake (jasmine), white ginger, petite rose buds, colorful carnations and orchids. Women prefer the natural perfume of these intoxicating blossoms while men tend to choose the traditional leafy lei made from the glossy maile vine, which usually drapes untied around the neck. In traditional Hawaiian weddings, both bride and groom wear lei, and it is not uncommon for guests and attendants to also wear a lei. Today, you can enjoy the lingering smell of a lei at home. Most shops selling lei can arrange for your lei to be packaged and shipped directly to your home. 32 THE ISLAND OF O‘AHU
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