Some customers add dollar bills folded into origami. ... From Hawaii to Anchorage and Bethel and beyond, candy leis are making graduation a little sweeter.

Shiny double-braided satin ribbon leis take hours to make. Dollar bills are folded into origami for money leis that dispense a graduation gift of cash -- usually about $50 total, said Ropati.

In 2025, even a $50 bill doesn’t stretch as far as it did five years ago. So, if you’re thinking about giving the same amount you did back in 2019, it might be time to adjust for the times.