Tag: love my boys

The first day of school for any German child, even those that are far away in Australia, is a hugely important step! It’s a rite of passage!

Arguably THE most important part of a child’s first day of school is the Schultüte. A paper cone, often homemade, filled with sweets and presents. Germans believe that the thought of attending school for every day for the next 12-13 years needs to be ‘sweetened. Really, it’s much more than that: it’s a ritual that honours the child’s changing status and the many changes this entails for the rest of the family.

It’s filled with sweets, school supplies, little gifts and trinkets and the Schultüte itself is closed at the top so the child can’t see into it. It only gets opened once their first day at school is completed. Myself and many of my German friends here in Australia love this tradition. And I spent today making a Schultüte for Max, who starts school next week.

I just wanted to share these sweet pictures from 4 years ago when Luke started school. Often a sibling will get their own smaller Schultüte.