Schültüte

Nowadays all over Germany and Austria each kid receives a "Schultüte" on their first day of 1st grade. This tradition began in central Germany, in the regions of Thuringia, Saxony and Rhineland in the 18th century, however, over time it has spread throughout Germany. "Schultüte" translates to "School cone/bag" which refers to its purpose and shape. In the beginning it was also called a "Zuckerzeug" or "Zuckertüte" which means "sugar stuff", again referring to the fact that it is traditionally filled with candy. The "Schultüte" is a cone shape because at first the paper cones from shops were used and filled up with small gifts. Typically it is filled with a mix of sweets, school supplies and toys. In the beginning it was mostly a tradition within richer families, however, throughout the 20th century it spread all over Germany. Additionally, before it was godparents who gave them to their godchildren, that has also changed as now it is mainly parents who give them to their children. The cone is supposed to be a surprise for the child and represents the excitement of starting 1st grade. It also symbolizes the new chapter that the child is starting. Overall in the cultures it has also become a symbol of the value of education present in families. The cone is typically made out of cardboard and paper with lots of colors and images which represent the child's personality and interests. There are several ways of preparing the cone. Sometimes children can also make their own cone in preschool. Still most people buy a cone and fill it up themselves, although they can also be bought already filled. Typically the child will carry it with them to school but only open it at the end of the day to avoid any inequalities between what the different children receive.