Hawaii is known for its beautiful flowers and tradition of giving lei. But what if a friend or family member is allergic to flowers or would prefer not to receive them? You could make a yarn or ribbon lei or create something even more personalized! Here are some non-floral lei ideas that are easy to make and thoughtful!
SWEET AND SAMPLE SNACK LEI
I’ve seen this type of ribbon-and-snack-lei sold at stores or online and thought, I can make that! But can I? Is it really that simple? The answer to both questions is yes! I’m not a crafty or creative person so if I can make it, anyone can make it, too.
Supplies
- Ribbon
- Scissors
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Snacks
Instructions
Cut ribbon depending on how long you want your lei and how much leeway you need to tie the ends of the lei together. Since this type of lei hangs a little lower than traditional lei, I cut three different lengths: 44”, 36”, and 24”.
Note: Some snacks will already have a hole at the top, but some don’t! If the snack you’re using doesn’t have a hole, you can use a hole puncher to make one.
There are a few ways you can attach the ribbon:
Bow in back. Thread the ribbon through the hole at the top of the snack. Tie the ends of the ribbon together in a bow and viola, you’re done.
Bow at bottom. Thread the ribbon through the hole at the top of the snack. Tie a bow and move it so it’s in front of the hole in the snack bag. If you want to secure it, use a piece of clear tape.
Cow hitch knot with optional flower. Tie ends of ribbon together in a bow or knot and loop through the hole in the snack making a cow hitch knot. If you want to add an artificial flower, stick stem through snack bag hole and secure with a piece of clear tape.
You can use the lei recipient’s favorite snack, or if you’re in a rush, whatever you have in the pantry (we won’t tell!).
LOVELY NETTED LEI
With just a few supplies, you can make a lovely netted lei filled with yummy treats. There are different ways to personalize this lei by using colorful netting or a variety of ribbons. You can find lei netting at craft stores and some big box retailers especially around graduation season. I always try to have the supplies on hand in case of lei emergencies!
If the lei is for graduation, color coordinate your ribbon and snacks. Whatever you decide to make, just know your recipient will appreciate the love you put into making their lei.
Supplies
- Lei netting
- Scissors
- Tape measure or ruler
- Ribbon
- Snacks
Instructions
Decide how long you want the lei. Since the netting was 48”, I cut it into thirds or 16”.
Cut the ribbon into 8”-10” pieces. I prefer the ribbon on the longer side because I have clumsy fingers and the more give, the better. Plus, we’re curling the ends of the ribbon so they don’t have to all be cut perfectly. The number of pieces of ribbon you need depends on what kind of snack you’re using (the bigger the snack, the fewer pieces of ribbon you need). I cut five pieces at a time.
Insert snack into netting so it’s in the middle of the netting and tie double knots with the ribbon on both sides. This is the bottom or front of the lei.
Continue adding snacks and ribbon until you get to the ends of the netting. Insert one side of the netting into the other and tie with a ribbon.
If you want to be fancy, use a pair of scissors to curl the ribbon.
I also made a white netting lei with red ribbon and savory, crunchy snacks:
PRETTY PLASTIC TUBING LEI
Once you get the plastic, or poly, tubing from a craft store or online, you can fill it with anything you think your recipient will like. Finish it with some ribbon and you’re set!
Supplies
- Plastic tubing
- Scissors
- Tape measure or ruler
- Snacks
- Ribbon
Note: There were two widths of plastic tubing available, 2” and 4”. The size you buy depends on what you want to put in your lei. Small candies or toys fit nicely in the 2” tubing. I thought coffee pods would be perfect for the 4” tubing, but unfortunately, they didn’t fit. So, if you want to give a coffee pod lei, it’s best to make it out of netting.
Instructions
Decide how long you want your lei to be. The plastic tubing was 2”x180”. I cut it into three 60” lei.
Add your first piece or pieces of candy into the plastic tubing (I used two candies for each section). Move it to the middle of the tubing (this is the bottom or front of the lei) and tie bow (or you can tie double knots and curl the ribbon) on both sides.
Continue adding snacks and ribbon until you get to the ends of the plastic tubing. Insert one side of the plastic tubing into the other and tie with a ribbon. You can see where the tubing overlaps below. Tie ribbons to secure.
If you tied bows, you’re done! If you tied knots, all you need to do is curl the ribbon.
I also bought 4”x180” plastic tubing. I had extra savory snacks from the net lei so decided to make a plastic tubing lei with them. It was actually easier because the snacks slid nicely instead of getting stuck in the netting.
And since I had extra netting and coffee pods, I made a coffee pod net lei!
Now you can make a lei anytime you want, whether it’s a special occasion or just a token of love or friendship!
