A German Back-to-School Tradition: Schultüte
In Germany, there’s a lovely first-day-of-school tradition called a “Schultüte” or School Cone. Parents prepare a giant cardboard cone and fill it with back-to-school supplies, candies, and other small goodies. This gift, rather like an academic Christmas stocking, makes the first day of school extra special. The tradition dates back to the early 1800′s in Germany, and to fall 2008 in our house.
Ja . . . I’m going to surprise my son with a Schultüte on his first day of kindergarten in a few weeks. I can’t wait to fill it with school supplies, stickers, and little treats. German gummy bears might be just the thing to add some cultural flavor. Take a look at these “wunderbar“ school cones from Germany:
Learn and teach the German words for some school supplies to put inside the Schultüte:
- pencil - der Bleistift
- eraser – der Radiergummi
- book – das Buch
- paper – das Papier
- notebook – das Heft
- marker – der Filzstift
- crayon – der Wachsmalstift
- ruler – das Lineal
Let me know if you use this German back-to-school custom of the Schultüte.
Comment to share your own first day of school traditions.
Photo #1 Credit: by Andreas Praefcke under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation license at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Görlitz_Kaufhaus_Schultüten.jpg
Photo #2 Credit by Lukas Roth under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike license at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:678582.jpg
Photo #3 Credit by Immanuel Giel under the GNU Free Documentation license at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Schultuete_ausgepackt.jpg
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Comments
My oldest syblings were born in Germany and all four of us were treated with a schultute our first day of Kindergarten here in the states. My son is going to Kindergarten this year and I am so excited to continue the tradition!!
I now have a second child starting kindergarten since I wrote this. I can’t wait to make him a schultute, either. Makes the day so special 
What a great idea. I will home schooling for the 1st time. How do we make these, or can we buy them?
I bought one for my brother when I was in Germany in June and carried it back in my luggage, it suffered some minor dammage but it still looks good.
My brother is beginning junior high and so it not the typical age to receive a Schultüte, but I wanted to get him one anyway because he is starting German class this year.
The cone, which I got for him in a Munich department store, has knights and castles on it and I saw others with popular cartoon characters on them, space themed ones, princess ones and other various age-appropriate themes. As far as I know, they aren’t available for purchase in the US, but I have seen cardboard cones at craft stores which would work well to decorate; perhaps with wrapping paper and a bit of ribbon?
I’m so excited to finally find something about this tradition. I was born in Germany and had one on my first day of school..it was a great memory. I moved the the U.S. when I was young and started losing touch with the incredible culture of Germany. Now I have a daughter of my own and want to start incorporating that part of her heritage. I can’t wait to make her one this coming fall!!
[...] the SCHULTUTE. In Germany, there is a first day of school tradition called a SCHULTUTE or school cone. A giant cardboard cone is stuffed with back to school supplies, candies and other [...]
Hi,
I love this idea! I’m going to use the Schultüte on our first day, I can’t wait!
Thanks for the idea and information!
-Diane