Why all Germans get THESE on their first day of school! | Feli from Germany

Tomorrow (September 12) is the first day of school for all students in my home state of Bavaria! 🥳 A day that's particularly exciting for all kids who are starting first grade because in Germany, we have a special tradition! All students get a Schultüte (school cone), also called Zuckertüte (sugar cone), on their first day of school. Let's talk about what that is and where it comes from! 😊
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ABOUT ME: Hallo, Servus, and welcome to my channel! My name is Felicia (Feli), I'm 29, and I'm a German living in the USA! I was born and raised in Munich, Germany but have been living in Cincinnati, Ohio off and on since 2016. I first came here for an exchange semester during my undergrad at LMU Munich, then I returned for an internship, and then I got my master's degree in Cincinnati. I was lucky enough to win the Green Card lottery and have been a permanent resident since 2019! In my videos, I talk about cultural differences between America and Germany, things I like and dislike about living here, and other topics I come across in my everyday life in the States. Let me know what YOU would like to hear about in the comments below. DANKE :)
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[@FelifromGermany]

To all of you who had a Schultüte/Zuckertüte as a kid: What did yours look like? And did you make it yourself or did you buy it? Let's share it in the comments below! 🤗

[@maxbarko8717]

I only remember that my friend and I didn’t take it to school on the first day because we thought it was childish. 😅 The photo of the class shows all kids holding their Schultüte except of my friend (a girl) and I.

[@oeqac7871]

​@@maxbarko8717What a short childhood, ending at the age of 6

[@dasmaurerle4347]

I can't remember, to be honest. But according to the photographs, the cone was almost as big as myself and I seem to be very proud😊😂

[@dasmaurerle4347]

@@J.U... Ich kann mich erinnern, dass in meinem Gymnasium regelmässig Geld gesammelt wurde, um ärmere Familien in der benachbarten Grundschule in dieser Hinsicht zu unterstützen. Nicht ideal, dass sich eine Schule gezwungen fühlen muss, Defizite des Sozialstaats ausgleichen zu müssen, sicherlich. Das Bewusstsein ob der Ungleichheit innerhalb unserer Gesellschaft wurde für viele von uns dadurch jedenfalls sehr viel begreifbarer.

[@19Regi93]

Meine Schultüte war ein Kettenkarussell. Ich fand das sehr cool, aber ich kann mich nicht daran erinnern, dass ich mir das Design ausgesucht hatte. Ich weiß aber noch, dass meine Kindergärtnerin damals für alle Schulanfänger eine Schultüte gebastelt hat und wir haben sie dann als Abschiedsgeschenk am letzten Kindergartentag von ihr geschenkt bekommen. Bei meinen jüngeren Geschwistern war es dann anders. Da durften dann die Eltern basteln und die Kinder helfen. Ich weiß auch beim besten Willen nicht mehr was drin war. Aber ich glaube ich habe sie am ersten Schultag schon in der Schule aufgemacht und reingeschaut. 😊

[@pluviophile-bookworm]

I was one of very few kids at my primary school who started learning German as a FL from year 1, and to this day I remember our German teacher coming in on the first day of school with this giant Schultüte which she opened up in front of us and gave us all treats and little gifts from. That was how I found out about this and it's such a nostalgic thing for me... looking back, my first German teacher had everything to do with why I love the German language and culture to this day.

[@livrowland171]

Is there any particular tradition as to What's in it? Just tobs of candy?

[@sevenandthelittlestmew]

I did, too! I actually was in year 2 when I started German, but was the only one in my grade school to learn a foreign language. I continued through junior high and my first two years of high school, but then I dropped out and got my GED because I had to work. Long story, but I've actually forgotten much of my German. I never use it anymore. I can read it near fluently for a high school kid (I still read German news and magazines) and speak some (very little and all conversational), but understand almost no spoken German anymore. It still makes me sad. I used it a lot until I was 21, because my best friend was from Duisburg.

[@crappiefisher1331]

@@livrowland171 i would say in general its a mix of sweets and school supplies... with many - or maybe most - kids probably being more excited about the sweets ;)

[@dasmaurerle4347]

I've been living next to a Grundschule for many years, and it's one of the highlights of my year to watch all the littelens on their first walk to school - usually with a parent or both- carrying this humongous cone with such pride. It's the cutest thing you'll ever see.. 😍😂🎉

[@Testing-123]

I would like to see this catch on in the US. Adults seem to find a way to celebrate every little change in their lives (such as "engagement showers"). I like how this sets children up to have a positive feeling about school.

[@defender4004]

Actually that really is the main reason for this tradition. To „versüßen“ (sugar-coat) the beginning of school-life. As Feli explained Kindergarten and Pre-School aren’t considered School in Germany.

[@Habakuk_]

@@defender4004 Kindergarten is different in the USA than in Germany.

[@leDespicable]

@@Habakuk_ That's...what they said?

[@Visitkarte]

@@defender4004actually the most significant part of starting kindergarten in Switzerland is the “Kindsgi-Dreieck” (kindergarten triangle), the shiny reflective triangle keeping kindergarten pupils safe in traffic (YES, we let our kindergarten pupils walk to kindergarten!) and the “Znüni-Täschli” (the little bag for the nine o’clock snack). Going to school means saying goodbye to the “Kindsgi-Dreieck” and wearing proudly your brand new shiny school bag to school. Those are supposed to be light weight, sturdy and contain reflective surfaces and are seen as mandatory for at least the first 2-4 school years.

[@jennifer7648]

Yeah for those who can afford to do this.

[@pendragon2012]

First day of school Feli: AWWWWWW, cuteness overload. That's a really cool tradition too. 🙂

[@alroth6308]

amazing keeping the same big positive smile all those years......impressive

[@kwimms]

Yeah! Put those kids into public institutions to destroy their brains so their selfish mothers can go work and pretend to be men. Nice!

[@marcelbpunkt]

This! 🥰

[@Opa_Andre]

As a German, I still remember my first day at school with such a Zuckertüte in my hand, although that was more than 50 years ago. We were damn proud to be the "big kids". What I found particularly cute lately was when I saw a YT video of a U.S. girl who participated in the CBYX / PPP German-American high school exchange program, where students live in the other country for about a year. So she also got a Zuckertüte for her first day at German school, presented to her by her German host parents.

[@Teeebs]

Yeah, I remember that one. Parents buttering you up with candy, making it seem like school's going to be super exciting. I fell for that one too, for about a day or two...😁

[@MXB2001]

Yup, it's a big snow job. But hey I'm a whore for sugar so bribe away. I'm cheap.

[@riaanlouw1874]

Made my day....

[@phillipvarner2683]

The USA needs to start this tradition, kids would love it🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@pwp8737]

given the atrocious income inequality in America, it would be very awkward for children from poorer families.

[@ronsontag6841]

well the government could hand them out like everything else. LOL@@pwp8737

[@_Chev_Chelios]

@@pwp8737that’s where your mind went? How pathetic.

[@DEVILTAZ35]

@@pwp8737USA already has major health issues. Do you really want kids coming home with all that candy first day 😁

[@dasmaurerle4347]

​@@pwp8737in a lot of German schools, parents of children that are grade 2 or further donate money to the school so they can provide to poorer families. Not only for the cone, but for stationary as well. 'Normal' Americans would do that as well, I'm sure. But i get your point, unfortunately...😔

[@keithkannenberg7414]

In a world that is becoming increasingly homogenized due to globalization it's really cool to hear about traditions and practices that are quite different in other places. My mom was the daughter of German immigrants but growing up in NYC I'd never even heard of this until watching this video.

[@amandamiller94]

My grandmother was German & she made them 4 us grandkids as well as her kids when they 1st started school 4 kindergarten & filled them with baked goods, school supplies So me & my cousins were the only 1s 2 have them She & my grandfather lived on a farm in northern west Virginia

[@user-dm6tk1yn2o]

slimbeautygirls.blogspot.com/2023/11/how-to-lose-45-kilos-without-diets-and.html

[@craigcraigster4999]

I have photos from the early 1930s of my late mother proudly holding her "school cone" on her first day of school in northern Germany (Bremerhaven/Hamburg area). I wish she had lived long enough to see your cute school cone photo Feli, I know she would've loved it as much as she loved watching your channel. 😇

[@sawdust2556]

I wish I could see the photos! ❤ Awesome!

[@alexamurawski4524]

I`ve got a Photo of my Grandfather holding his schoolcone in 1910 in West-Prussia (now Poland) . so it was also a tradition there

[@Eysenbeiss]

@@alexamurawski4524 My ancestors are also partly of Prussia, both part, but alos of slesonian and it's tradition over there too, but not to the poles !

[@alexamurawski4524]

@@Eysenbeiss my mother and her family are also from silesia 👍

[@polishgigachad7097]

​@@EysenbeissI heard that in German schools they teach children that the Germans were the first to be invaded by the Nazis. Is it true???

[@SoberNomad]

Such a fun tradition! We have a German exchange student living with us this year, so now I have something new to ask him about his homeland. Thanks Feli!

[@Premchik]

I grew up in the Soviet Union, and we didn't have such a tradition. But our tradition is to bring to school a big bouquet of flowers, and in little children, it looks a lot like the Schuletüte)))). I got a Schuletüte here, in Germany, when I started my Sprachkurs)). My German friends brought it to me, and it was incredibly sweet! I smiled the whole year while using the pens and stickers from the tüte. They made a cone, of course))

[@ganage6599]

😊 thats so sweet

[@user-dm6tk1yn2o]

slimbeautygirls.blogspot.com/2023/11/how-to-lose-45-kilos-without-diets-and.html

[@michakoniecko853]

In Poland it is called: tutka, tytka or tyta. Sometimes it's called "róg obfitości" which literally means "horn of plenty". It's regional thing mainly in Silesia, Greater Poland and Kashubia

[@MistrzSeller]

Nie miałem pojęcia, że w Polsce są takie rzeczy.

[@jnawprex]

In Bydgoszcz (Bromberg) as well - I remember that I and my sister also got it.

[@Eysenbeiss]

@@MistrzSeller Jak napisała, nie jest to typowe dla całej Polski, ale szczególnie dla południa i Śląska.

[@Transterra55]

A fascinating video… Such a beautiful tradition… I had a German sweetheart from Dresden who showed me photographs of her first year in school… this video brought up a lot of memories. Thanks.

[@entercreativename]

This is such an adorable tradition! What a great way to make the first day of school that much easier and special for the kids.

[@richranchernot]

My wife lived in Germany as a child, as her father was stationed there for three tours of duty. When she began school in Heidelberg, she received one. She went on to become a high school German teacher in Texas for almost 30 years and when we had children the each received a zuckertutenbaum.

[@californiahiker9616]

Oh yes, I loved my Zuckertüte so much I gave one to my son when he started school in California. He was the only kid who received one!

[@vomm]

How to get my child bullied at school - Step 1:

[@YujiroHanmaaaa]

@@vomm Bullied. They were probably jelous

[@davidhovestadt5105]

I feel ripped off!😂 only thing special we made In kindergarten was macaroni necklaces! 😂😂😂

[@FelifromGermany]

Okay but those are awesome!! 😂

[@jenniferbrown913]

I'm American and I think this is a lovely tradition! Well done!

[@sabinekantenseter5581]

Being born and raised in Nuremberg/Germany and now living in Nebraska /USA, I remember fondly of my Schultüte. Mine was yellow. And I was so proud taking it to first class that day. We also had to wear a yellow pompom hat so people would know the first graders going to school. Oh the memories! 😊❤️

[@mariocisneros911]

We should make this a tradition here , just like the Christmas tree. Fantastic great memory like the pinata. This is cool and teachers should learn about this and start it.

[@sarah-phillips]

We knew some kids in Wisconsin who got one! I think it's such a cool tradition. I wanted to do this for my kids or something similar. Before kindergarten, we ended up getting a special lunchbox, supplies and I let them pick a cookie recipe they want for their lunches for the first week of school. Then we get ice cream after the first day. My kids are older and in high school/junior high and we still do the cookies and first day of school treat. Anything to make it special.

[@teresalatiolais8477]

My first day my grandfather did it for me and my brothers. He’s from Munich 😊

[@xo_felice]

I graduated this year from high school in Berlin and my mum gifted me my Schultüte (the original one from when i got into first grade) and filled it again. Its pink and has littel kittens and flowers on it. By now i definitely would choose a different design but i love mine just for the memories i have of it✨️✨️

[@Maggies87]

What a fun tradition. I like your mouse and your proud schoolgirl face. BTW, I pre-ordered my lebküchen from European Gourmet for Christmas already. I’m glad you featured a big box on a video last year (or the year before?); we enjoy their products and wouldn’t have known about them without your video. Thanks!

[@brigitteitg]

I loved my first day at school and my Zuckertüte! Mine was filled with Maoam and school supplies. Siblings got a small one so they weren’t jealous… The oldest children at school prepared an assembly for the new starters and performed little anecdotes. We all had an older mentor who then brought us into the classroom. I loved doing that too in my last year of primary school - the girl I mentored remembered me many years later!!

[@johnedreslin]

We have given kindercones to all 8 of our grandchildren. There is a lady in the US who supplies them.

[@breeinatree4811]

When i lived in Germany, i loved watching the little ones with their sugar cones.

[@Paul_Wetor]

Just when I think you will run out of German-American differences, you reached all the way back to first grade to surprise us once again.

[@juanmolina9199]

Feli you’re so positive and enchanting, it’s a pleasure to watch you!

[@jasonbohacek1130]

I've really been enjoying learning about the German culture on your channel. Keep up the great content!

[@jessysch8984]

Hallo Feli, es macht mir richtig viel Spaß deine Videos anzuschauen. Es ist unglaublich, aber durch dein Video, habe ich mich tatsächlich an meine Schultüte und meinen ersten Schultag erinnert. Auch wenn dieser über 40 Jahre her ist, erinnerlich mich an die „riesige“ hell rosa Tüte, mit dem kleinen grauen Kätzchen auf der Vorderseite. Meine Eltern hatten diese so vollgepackt, das ich fast nach vorne überfiel 😂 Da wir Deutschen ja bereits soviel von Amerika übernommen haben (Valentinstag und Halloween) wäre es doch witzig, wenn du eine SCHULTÜTE-BEWEGUNG startest 😅

[@edwardott7239]

You look so adorable in that first day picture, Feli! 😊🥰

[@krautnation]

I’m a first generation American. My parents came from Altenburg, Thüringen. Although I did not get one at that age we did revive the tradition for my kids here in Texas. All three loved it. A great memory!

[@zndernaam]

Was ein schone tradition.😍 Wir haben das tradition nicht hier in der Niederlande. Our first day what we get, are probably getting candies and a welcome present from school😁 Für die Kinder ist der schule very exiting so its fine to get a suprise/überraschung😊

[@literaturtee]

I'm a teacher at a secondary school and each time a new colleague starts at our school they receive a small school cone filled with sweets from the rest of the staff to welcome them at the school and to sweeten the start in their new job. I love this tradition!

[@ninwal8579]

My Schultüte was a bought one. It was on display in the window of a small starionery shop in our street. It was pink and purple with velvet and shiny polka dots and the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Whenever I walked past the shop I would stop and look at it in awe. Until one day it was gone. What a surprise it was when my parents gave me exactly this Schultüte filled with sweets and school supplies on my first school day in August 1990. I was the happiest school kid one can imagine.

[@denisemanley5318]

My daughter-in-law and her sisters started this tradition when they came home from a trip to Germany. We are of German descent on both sides of my granddaughters families. I had never heard of it but the girls love their Schultutes.

[@a.e.w.3006]

I grew up in North West Germany and started school in 1975. During that summer, we visited our relatives in the GDR - in Saxony - which was a big adventure for me. My parents bought my school cone while being there. So I was the only kid with a hexagonal cone in my school and yes, it was also bigger than the others 😊

[@jenniferf1518]

What a delightful tradition! Great closing message about passion over grades.

[@brunokrause]

I'm from Brazil but my daughter studies in a German school, so she got her Schultüte on her first day. She helped us making it. We were very happy to incorporate such a great tradition.

[@Darkestdarkify]

As an American of German heritage I got one all of the other kids were green with envy lol

[@PhinClio]

My wife and I, who both teach at the University of Oklahoma, spent a sabbatical year in Leipzig in 2007-8. Our daughter was the right age to receive her Zückertütte (little did I know we were near the birthplace of the tradition). The other thing I most remember about the start of school in Leipzig was the need to purchase _extremely_ specific school supplies for both my kids.

[@emiliajojo5703]

Extremely specific?!that's what I call understatement😂😂😂❤

[@emiliajojo5703]

@RealFeliFromGermany..... einfach die perfekte Botschafterin ,mehr kann ich nicht sagen

[@MistrzSeller]

Interesting material. We don't have anything like this in Poland, but I remember that in a Kinder Chocolate ad a child had such a cone.

[@martinmarheinecke7677]

I know from my Polish (more precisely: Kashubian) neighbors that this custom is known in parts of Pomerania.

[@michakoniecko853]

It depends where you live. In Silesia, Greater Poland or Kashubia it is well known custom

[@monikatraeger7774]

My German parents told me about these. However, I don't remember ever having one of them for my first day of school in the U.S. What they did for me (the first day of each grade school year) was to provide me with a brief case type of pouch for my supplies and papers (no back packs in those days - 1st grade was in 1959). I always had a new dress and shoes for the new school year, and then to take a picture of me in front of our house.

[@xenoneuronics6765]

My mom insisted I get one, even though I went to school in Canada. The night before my first day of grade 1, I got my Zuckertüte, with candy, a pencil case with pencil crayons and my Staedtler sharpener and math kit. Ruler, protractor, compass, etc. It was pretty cool, and had me prepared for school. My mom made mine for me, I don't remember what it looked like sadly, but it was decorated

[@sloppymommy4796]

I also REALLY like the idea of the sugar cone tree, and each cone holding a little tchotchke of some kind

[@jeffyzefrench]

I grew up in Colmar, France and I remember my visit to Freiburg as part of a school exchange. My German school mate for the day was given money by his mom after lunch to buy and share one of those in the afternoon. It was so cool for me to be honest

[@llywyllngryffyn8053]

Never heard of this before but I love the idea. I'm going to include it in a book I'm working on.

[@cicad2007]

Wow, I didn't realize you had so many subscribers! Congratulations! Soon 500K! 🙂

[@PhilHug1]

Cool tradition. Not sure why there isn't a ceremony in the U.S. for going back to school but could be because most of us aren't happy that summer vacation is ending and we have to go back to school 😆

[@californiahiker9616]

I started school in Germany in 1955. At that time school started on April 1st. No kidding!

[@dwin6005]

In our region summer break was during the switch of producing summer- and wintercollection of shoes (our region was the central of producing shoes in germany). While summerbreak the machines in the factory were upgraded for the next collection. But this was specially for our region, not for whole rhineland-palatina. So yes, our summerbreak was always in june/july. And just the kids who startet the first grade got a school cone.

[@TheDarkmagus421]

Just recently found out that my ancestors were from Hamburg and Berlin. It's so awesome that I get to learn more and more about my rootes from such a great source. Thank you.

[@brittas.5230]

.4:53...Erich Kästner.. . "Easter bunnies" .... Because the school year/first day of school started around Easter until 1966 in (Western) Germany. 😊

[@vankmt6223]

Vielen Dank für deine Videos selbst als Deutsche finde ich sie immer wieder super interessant. Ich lebe in Japan und im Oktober kommt mein erstes Kind zur welt. Ich habe diese Tradition meinem Mann erklärt und er fand es so süß das wir es dann auch hier am ersten Schultag unseres Kindes machen wollen. Vielleicht wird es ja auch zu einer Tradition in Japan😅

[@johnvonsauers8867]

good report, Thank you for the history on the sugar cone, Feli❤

[@jensschroder8214]

the first day of kindergarten, the first day of school, the confirmation, your own engagement, the wedding and then you're an adult and only celebrate other people's parties.

[@drecksaukerl]

Nice video! I remember my older sister getting one from my parents. I got rooked. We emigrated to the US when I was still in Kindergarten! No schultute for me. That was my first lesson that life is not fair.

[@FelifromGermany]

Ah man you missed out in that part!

[@drecksaukerl]

@@FelifromGermany Sad but true.

[@seanwingfield977]

I have an old picture of my stepfather holding his school cone. He was from Wiesbaden in Hessen. I think it’s a great idea that some of our European traditions be brought here. This is how to learn.

[@krissolson7043]

You're adorable. I hope Ben and yourself are having kickass time back home!

[@tomb5372]

My kids actually did get a Schultuete for their first day in school here in the US. So yeah we did bring this tradition here, well at least as far as our family goes...

[@LennoxTim]

As an American who did his first day of first grade in Berlin, I loved my sugar cone. My parents had made me a small one but before I headed off to school that morning some family friends who were German showed up at our apartment with a huge one for me. What was even better, theirs was filled with German style school supplies instead of the American style supplies my parents had bought (think soft zippered fieldtasche instead of hard pencil case, etc). As I recall we opened them in class that morning at school after meeting our teacher and classmates for the first time. Having a proper sugar cone made me feel like I belonged even though I was an American. Thank you so much for reminding me of that day!

[@joeschmooz-it6nh]

I knew a family when I was a kid. The Father married a German Woman while in the US Army in Germany after the Second World War. Their first child was a toddler on the ship to America. I seen their home movies. The German language instructor at my College was also a War Bride. These American Soldier/Husband's were German by Blood.

[@user-lk2cj2qs1d]

My German class High school teacher was a war bride came to the US just after the war

[@melona1001]

Auch wenn ich selbst deutsch bin, bereichert dein Kanal mein Wissen über unser Land und die Traditionen. Vielen Dank für deine Arbeit ☺️🙏 For the englisch speaking people: Even tho I'm a German your channel is very interesting because I learn more and more about my own country and it's traditions. Thank you for your work ☺️🙏

[@timgribbin3583]

Your channel is great, never had any sort of German traditional customs or much knowledge of them before even being 75% German. I will definitely be making this one happen for my son though!

[@tarajoyce3598]

Fabulous content! Feli, you are so fun and interesting. Love your channel.

[@danherrmann8755]

Great inter action with children. Thanks for sharing your story.

[@powerviolentnightmare5026]

That was the only time in my life that I enjoy school. No one back then told me school would be this bad.

[@asmodon]

Here in Lower Saxony my daughter had her first day of school three weeks ago. At her school we had a big ceremony on the Saturday before the actual first day. Weirdly (at least for me) the sugar cones had to be stored in school the day before and the teacher gave the out after the first lesson while the families were waiting outside. So the children came out of school with their cones instead of going to school with them (as I did when I was little). The teacher said the school introduced the approach to stop the competition between parents who gave their children the biggest cone. Well, maybe it had gotten out of hand, idk.

[@alexander_kopainski]

My Schultüte had a brown bear dressed as a school boy on it. My mom made it :) It was filled with toys, candy and school supplies. In our region it's traditional to keep the cone for your last day of school because in the last week of school (before Ausbildung or Uni), we dress up to different themes. One theme is always "first day of school" when everybody dresses as a first grader with their Schultüten from back then.

[@Pp4Gd]

Thank you for sharing about this great tradition. I really enjoyed learning about it and as I found out not too long ago there is a German immersion school not too far from me. I hope they embrace the Zuckertute tradition.

[@svetlanamandic9785]

It's all true! My little boy had one for the first day of school ❤️

[@sandra7790]

My daughter had one which was sewed by a tight friend of me. She made it look a very similar design to the schoolbag 🎉😍 You could remove the paper inside after the first day of school and fill it with a cusion, and it is still as a cusion in her bed.

[@davidwoolsey2135]

Loved the message in the last few seconds, as well as the information on the school tradition.

[@angelitadawkins3889]

I went to a German immersion school in the US and grew up with a lot of German cultural influences because of it (which is one reason I love watching your channel). We did have Kindergarten there but we did this when we went to 1st grade as you mentioned. It something want to do with my kids.

[@sbark20]

My mum made mine! I still have it! Its pink and I love it 😍

[@petergrabner624]

I'm acually from Gersdorf and didn't know that!!!!!! Thank you Feli, this is amazing!

[@aprilmariezaragoza7499]

Hi, Feli! Could you please make a video about your suggestions on German food/snacks/souvenirs, people could bring to their home country? Thank you ❤

[@HaleyMary]

That mouse cone is so cute! I wish North America had a tradition like this. I never got to make anything that cool going to school in Canada.

[@gregor_man]

I thought school cone was a tradition only in GDR - sometimes we saw pictures or short reports about that, in the Hungarian television East German programs often appeared -, and as I saw in your video, the origin of this tradition points really to that area, but from many years ago. This is a sweet tradition, the kids always infold and caress their Zuckertüte with a huge smile, so did you at 2:26 :-)). Going to school at the first time was a happy day even in my kid years. I still love some books of Erich Kästner. He must have been a man with golden heart.

[@Herzschreiber]

Unfortunately my Schultüte brings me bad memories, LOL. It was in 1966. Well, Mum and Dad were very busy and Dad had argued with her because for days he had been telling her that he did not feel like coming with us. (Half a year later he left us forever, so the end had been near, but they really did a good job in hiding that to me!) When we arrived at school, Mum was busy with my appearance and asked Dad to take the Schultüte out of the car. He nodded. The plan was that all children should meet at the yard where a photographer was waiting, then have the Schultüten handed over by their parents, and the photographer would do his work. Well...... everyone had their Schultüte. ... I was the only one without because Dad had forgotten to do what Mum had asked him for... I remember I felt so embarrassed by being the only child without a Schultüte. After the shoot we went inside, were introduced to our teacher, and every child was allowed to open the Schultüte. The only one with nothing to do was me...... Now, it happened so long ago but some things we will never forget.

[@StalKalle]

This sounds like a really nice tradition. I have seen pictures of them but never knew what they where.

[@rjoerg79]

Thank you Feli for reminding me about this lovely tradition! I completely forgot about my sugar cone, unfortunately I haven't got a cool picture like you have! I think most of the ones in my class were animal themed, i can't quite remember but I think we may have made them in Kindergarten and then taken them home to get filled! On a different note, that shape reminded me of the "Schokolade Regenschirme" little chocolates shaped like closed up umbrellas🌂 that we always tied to the Christmas tree!

[@FlowerMama23]

That was the one tradition I never got to do as a little girl. When my family was stationed in Darmstadt (98'-05'), my older brother did get a Schuletüte when he started 1st Grade. However after we moved back to the States in 2005, I never received one on my first day - of 1st Grade - and never understood why. Thinking about it now, my guess is that American elementary schools thought a giant gift bag full of toys and chocolate (not realizing there's school supplies too) would be considered a "distraction" amongst that student's peers, and everyone would want what's inside it. To this day, I promise that my little girl will get her Schuletüte and if the school wants to argue with me on that, then they will have to fight me in her cultural right. BTW, I am 1/2 German on my Mom's side.

[@seleyav.7101]

I'm from Saxony so when I started school in 1988 I got a big hexagonal one. Some had plushies on top of it, but I had a flower bouquet. On the sugar cone were famous fairytale figures from the Augsburg Puppet Theatre (my grandma bought it). In the tip of the cone was a sweater (so that the tip did not break), coloured pencils, small books, colouring books, pack of cards, a small plushie, some knick-knacks and of course a lot of sweets. It was quite heavy so most of the time my dad kept it. As was said in the video we had a huge celebration on the Saturday before our first school day. My dad brought my cone to school beforehand so it was already in my new class. We had a real celebration in the auditorium where our new teachers and headmistress made speeches (boring, there were cones waiting for us!) and the older elementary kids had a small program with songs and some fun stuff. It was still in time of the GDR, so of course some of it was propaganda. Afterwards we went through the school to our class room where we got our personal congrats and hello from our teacher and of course our cones. Photos were taken and then we went to our personal celebrations at home (or at restaurants). We also had a sugar cone tree. It stood in our kindergarten and there were many small cones on it when we had our last day and farewell. Of course everybody got some of these filled cones. There are different ways for the kids to get their sugar cones, depending on the enthusiasm and connections of the school and parents. My dad brought my cone to the school the day before and it waited in the class room. One of my cousins had to go on a hunt where the kids had to solve small riddles and at the end find the room where the cones were. And there is the possibility to get the cones from outside. One time one of our farmer decorated his horse-drawn carriage and had all the cones on it. He said to the children that he harvested the strangest fruits. And in a village in our neighbourhood the fire brigade will bring them. The kids love it when they pull into the school grounds with blue lights and sirens. Always fun.

[@xzonia1]

Those are so cute!! What a lovely tradition! :) When I started Kindergarten here in Texas in the 70's, my Mom was given a list of items to buy for my first day. One of those things was a sleeping mat for nap time, which wouldn't fit into a Schultüte. It folded twice, so it was 3 large connected sections. Almost all of the items I needed fit into my school box (pencils, crayons, sharpener, eraser, etc), and my paper and wooden ruler was put in a folder. So we only had 3 items to carry (folder, school box, and mat) on my first day. The mat was large and stayed in the classroom until the last day of the school year when everyone took theirs home for the summer. I think we stopped having nap time in 2nd grade, but really don't remember now for sure. I know we didn't take naps in 3rd grade, but can't remember if we did in 2nd or not. Seems like we did, though. Anyway, school boxes back then (and probably still today, for all I know) had the Pledge of Allegiance printed on the inside of the lid so kids could refer to it until they learned all the words, as we had to say it every morning. I was really stoked (excited) for my first day of school, but I remember walking into the classroom and half the kids were crying their eyes out begging to be taken back home. I couldn't understand why so many of them were upset. It was weird. A tradition like yours in Germany might make more kids here in the US happier about going to school. Either way, it's adorable! :)

[@palmira2000]

Feli, you made me remember my Schultüte which I had already forgotten!!! Thank you so much for that. Mine was himmelblau and although I cant remember what exactly was inside, I remember that my grandmother (who raised me in Austria) had to keep it for "ages" since I didn't allow her to throw it away 😅😅😅... Thank you very much for another great video of yours. Living abroad for many years, I love your video channel because it reminds me on things in my home country from a different point of view in a great way ❤

[@vomm]

I've kept mine forever too, probably in the hope that one day it will fill up again :D

[@jasonarnold6273]

Thanks for sharing, pretty cool tradition! 🤙

[@dpsonnenberg4537]

Thank you for the video. I can't wait for the next show.

[@florahoenig]

I never thought about the fact that there is no school cone in other countries! I hope that will change with the video! You are so proud of it as a child.❤❤🎉

[@shellsbellswac1]

This is such a sweet tradition! I've never heard of this! In recent years, parents have the chalkboards indicating their student's name, age, teacher's name, and favorite things however when I was a kid, my parents took a photo of me on my first day of school sometimes. Thank you so much for sharing these uniquely German experiences!! I'm hoping to grasp onto something in a future video that is something unique to my family, having Pennsylvania Dutch & Mennonites in the family tree.

[@Neashadia]

My Schultüte in 1980 was actually a bit American. It was blue and yellow and had Donald Duck on it. I loved it!

[@Zireael83]

I am from the eastern part of germany, born in 1983. So in addition to my "Zuckertüte" I also got my "Pioniertuch", a blue piece of cloth that every new member in the "Jungpioniere"-Organization got. (a mandatory organization ofthe state for young people). My "Zuckertüte" was also bigger, as you said. But round too :)

[@bengriffin9830]

On the subject of unique school traditions, I’d love to see you react to Texas homecoming mums! They’re outrageous and something I was very surprised to learn aren’t a thing outside of the state.

[@RosemaryWilliams49fruits]

That is such a lovely, fun, adorable tradition! I know I loved shopping for new school supplies because I could buy what notebooks, pencils, pens etc I wanted within what was asked for me to have, and my mom always tried to make it a fun, good experience. I think it would be great if funding at schools was used to purchase these things, maybe parents would pick out what they wanted for their kid, and then they could be made for the kids with plain white designs that kids would then decorate at school on their first day, take home, and then open with their families. That way it would ensure that every child could enjoy the tradition, there would be some love and individuality in that the parents would choose the items they think their kids would like, and then the kids would get to make it their own by making the outer-most wrap of the school cone in class on the first day to help them introduce themselves, get to know other students, and feel positive about school. It sounds wonderful, and it would make sure kids all had the school supplies they need regardless of financial situations at home.

[@carudatta]

I remember being more or less the only kid without a cone on my first school day (in Graz, Austria). Because, of course, my parents were very modern and enlightened, and did not hold with stupid traditions. Needless to say, I was immediately very skeptic about school, and never stopped hating it. By the way, I hit the like button as soon as I saw First Day Feli with her huge mousey 🐭

[@aarongreenway7002]

Die Schultüte is really the backpack loaded up with all kinds of school supplies. That is closest my students come to this, but I really like the idea. What a nice tradition!

[@katharinavondaake4503]

Ich mag deine Videos so gern! Du erzählst so toll

[@Brera011]

What a lovely tradition. Wished we had something like that in the Netherlands for my daughters when I first brought them to school. Now it's to late being university graduates and student on an artschool. Never mind, I've soiled them in other ways.

[@TS_Mind_Swept]

"Grades aren't everything, passion is" Yes, that's why we're going to school; get all that passion driven right out of us...