We started celebrating May Day in Hawaii this year last Friday. By now schools spread out the Lei Day programs so families can attend as many as possible to see their opio and moopuna.
May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii. Why? Below are photos from my cherished book Hula Moons by Don Blanding, copyrighted by Blanding in 1930 and published in 1966 by Dodd, Mead & Company. They tell the delightful story. Below those photos are images I snapped at our granddaughter’s May Day program.
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Second grade students of Le Jardin Academy awaiting their turn on stage at Friday’s May Day program. Most are wearing fresh lei of plumeria blossoms.
Kahili bearers precede the king and queen of the school’s May Day court.
She’s ready to hula with her uli uli implements. The green print on her muumuu is a maile lei.
Second grade teacher Mr. Marsden wears a lei of orange kou, a lei of plumeria, and a lei of kukui nuts and shells.
Make a lei, give a lei, wear a lei!
Rebekah’s Studio 
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