A Hawaiian garland of flowers, leaves, or shells worn around the neck as a sign of welcome, respect, or celebration.
From Hawaiian 'lei,' a native Polynesian word with no English origin. The tradition of lei-making is thousands of years old in Hawaii and carries deep cultural significance.
When someone gives you a lei in Hawaii, it's considered bad luck to refuse it or take it off immediately—the flowers represent respect and connection, and rejecting it is culturally disrespectful!
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