Leis at the Airport?????
 

I'm thinking about hiring a company to do the Lei thing at the airport for my husband and I when we go to Hawaii in Sept. I lived there for three years but this is his first visit.....so I thought it would be nice to experience the fun of it. I dont know if its done much anymore by the locals but I thought it would still be fun. I have the numbers of some reputable companies......anyone have an experience doing this?

Many of the better hotels greet their arriving guests at hotel check-in with leis...you may whish to find out if this is the policy of the hotel where you will be staying. Obviously this would make the airport lei superfluous.

Go online you can have leis flow to your home for the price of an airport lei greeting. If you do want to go this route remember the fragrant leis don't let them stick you with a cheapy dendropia lei. I see a number of lei services offereing this. $50 at the gate and $2 in china town.

try www.alohafriends.com

Kim,<BR><BR>We had the best experience in getting leid!! Being too cheap to have a lei on arrival but desiring a fresh one for all of the family, between flights we walked to the lei stand and it was great. We got to look at the lei's from about 10 vendors, watch them be made, ask about the flowers, and the meaning. It was a 5 minute walk on the airport property and the beautiful fresh lei's were $5 a piece! For directions you ask the airport welcome lady where the lei stand and she will give you directions.<BR><BR>have fun!

It is fun to get a lei on your first trip, but due to security restrictions, only the professional greeters can actually meet you at the plane with a lei. A friend could do it, but they'll have to buy the lei (There are no more $2 lei, and a decent $5 one is a good find), drive to the airport, park, and then meet you at the baggage claim...By the time you buy them dinner as a thank you, the greeter fees look pretty reasonable! <BR>Another alternative...make your own lei from baby roses or carnations at home and hide it until you arrive. Don't get too creative though as many mainland flowers cannot enter the state.<BR>Hawaiian tip of the day... the plural of "lei" is "lei"

Lcuy I was thinking of the dendropia (sp) leis. They are pretty cheap no?<BR><BR>You can make plumeria leis with fallen buds in about five minutes. I found lei needles online for $3.50 you can buy them in Hawaii at any Ben Franklin (on all islands) craft store for about $2.50. I think this is a fun beach activity. This year I have learned Haku lei making which takes more time but fairly easy if you are not ok with a less than professional appearance on your first try. You can buy great books from Amazon and the Haku leis can double as center pieces.

Lcuy do you know what type of thread you need to use for leis. I always just wing it but I would like to buy what I am suppose to use.<BR><BR>

The last time I was in Hawaii was when I was a child. At that time, everyone coming off the plane got a lei (and sometimes a photo was taken, as well).<BR><BR>Just curious....when did this practice cease?<BR><BR>

We went on our first trip to Hawaii in 2000 with another couple. As soon as we arrived and claimed our luggage, the guys pretended to go the bathroom and came walking back with leis for us. It was such a sweet gesture and meant a lot to me that he remembered after a long flight. Guys - take note.

Sheila that does sound great but so often the leis at the airport are over priced and poor quality. This is what I have observed anyway. It is great after a long flight. I love wearing one that fills the connecting interisland plane with scent. I usually end up passing it around to first timers but that is fun too.<BR><BR>P.S this has happened when friends have brought to airport from China Town. Pikaki string or rope leis if memory serves<BR><BR>

The best string for lei is actually ... dental floss!

ttt

I used:<BR><BR>http://www.alohafriends.com/leigreeting_services.html<BR><BR>last March and was very pleased with the quality of the leis. We were greeted when we arrived on Friday and they were still in good shape the following Thursday (and my mother and neice wore theirs continously). The flowers were beautiful.<BR><BR>There are several other outfits as well. I think it is well worth it for that first visit!

thanks JPM

For light weightflowers (dendrobium orchids, plumeria, etc) you can use kite string or carpet thread. for anything heavier (carnations, roses, tuberose, pikake, puakenikeni) dental floss or fishing line is better. Lei needles are nice, as they are about 12 inches long. You shove flowers on until full, then push them at once onto the string. You can use any regular embroidery needle, but it involves a little more pushing action. finish with a knot, then tie on a ribbon bow and a piece of fern to 'finish' it.<BR>Haku lei (worn on a hat or the head, more often by women) are wonderful, but involve a bit more skill and time to make. Often flowers that dry well are used, allowing you to use the lei for many months or years. Essentially, you braid raffia to make a base, then use more damp raffia attach ferns, greenery, and flowers to the base by winding it around them. The trick is to hide the raffia, and to wind it tight enough so the whole thing doesn't disintegrate as it dries!<BR>They quit giving all passengers a lei in the early 70's, about the time they stopped giving economy passengers champagne. Tourism became a "volume" rather than quality issue. <BR>

Hi Lcuy I have also made haku leis (thanks for spelling) by splitting a tea leaf, taking out spine then folding length wise, wrapping flower with wet raffi to cover tea leaf, keeping flowers in a repetitive order through out and very close together along pattern. Need to braid raffi at the top and bottom so you can tie together at finish. Selecting flowers with a very sturdy link between petal and stem. Also selecting the least bulky flowers. Did this make sense? I learned it one session. Want to make sure I remember for trip to Kauai. Plan to stop by farmers market pick up flowers and do on beach with niece. Wish I could down load instructions form internet but I can’t find. Lcuy can you buy pekaki buds for leis. Love that smell. Which of the gingers is aromatic?

PS anyone bought flower leis on Kauia?

does anyone know if the Hyatt in Kauai or the Grand Wailea in Maui sends greeters to the airport with Leis?

Thanks for the answer to my query, Lcuy.<BR><BR>