The First Day at School

Children start primary school at the age of 6. No matter if they have attended kindergarten before or even a year in pre-school, the first day at 'real' school is a big event in their young lives and an even bigger one in the lives of their parents who are inevitably confronted with the fact that their littlies are growing up and are no toddlers any more. In recent years this has grown into a family event with grandparents, godfathers and -mothers etc. coming to visit and participate. I am somehow jealous because I do not even have a photo of my own first schoolday! I blame my mother...

For the first-years school starts one or two days later than for the older kids. Primary schools receive them with a little festive event and then distribute them to the different class groups (unless the school is very small and has only one 1st form).

On that big day the abecedarian receives a Schultüte: a big cone-shaped cardboard container filled with goodies, toys and school items to make the beginning of school sweeter. They are almost as big as the kid...
You'll see these colourful cones everywhere in the windows of stationery shops, kid suppliers and department stores over the summer. Some families also make their own, or kindergartens invite the whole group to make theirs. Decoration can be anything, from pink princess to favourite soccer club.