May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii

I lived in Hawaii when I was younger, from about 3 until we moved back when I was in 5th grade.

May first (Lei Day) was huge. All through April, each class at school would practice a performance, usually a song and dance. Here I am practicing my ukulele. (Contain your jealousy about my groovy threads. It was the early 70s. And I wasn't fat, even if it looks like it in this fine photo.)

On Lei Day we all wore special clothes and leis for our performances. The school would have a king and queen and princes and princesses. The Royal Court was always decked out. One of my sisters was the queen once and my mom made her a gold satin dress. The moms would get totally into making the nicest leis possible for the kids -- gorgeous flower leis for the girls and maile leis (beautiful deep green leaves) for the boys.

We would have a huge outdoor assembly with each class performing and all the parents there with cameras.

I get teary thinking about it. All those kids doing traditional hulas, playing ukuleles, or singing "Pearly Shells" or silly songs about mynah birds. People smiling on the streets in aloha shirts and mu`umu`us. The whole state is aglow in spirit and pride.

Google Lei Day and put a little aloha spirit in your day.