At commencement time, new graduates don their decorated caps and gowns, waving diplomas as they smile for photos. But many graduates also wear lei — made from flowers, candies, or ribbons around their ...

Presenting a lei to a graduating student is a tradition that has spread from Hawai‘i to the West Coast and beyond. In Hawai‘i, lei are made with fragrant flowers, ti or spicy maile leaves, shells, ...