DIY: Schultüte

Monday was my adorable little cousin, Midori’s,  first day of school. When I spent some time living in Germany a couple of years ago I learnt about the Schultüte. On the first day of school kids are given these paper cones filled with candy and school supplies.

Apparently, the tradition started in the 1800s, with parents taking these cones to school the day before and hanging them on a tree. The story parents tell their kids, then, is that there is a tree growing at school with all these cones and if the “fruits” are big enough and ripe enough to pick, then it’s time for them to go to school. The next day, when the children arrive at school they have to find the cone with their name on it and “pluck” it off the tree without breaking it. These days the cone is just given to the kids at home before they leave for their first day at school.

I brought a mini one home for Midori from a chocolate store in Germany, but that one obviously had only chocolate goodness in it and no school supplies. This year I made her a real one, with more school supplies than chocolate in it. I’m trying to be a good cousin.

Here’s a quick tutorial. It is the easiest, SWEETEST, thing on the planet. I might just make one for her every year.

What you need:

I got really excited about how adorable it looked and forgot to take a picture of the top of the cone. SMART ONE, Utts. But further down there is a picture of my cousin with the cone to make up for it. 
Here are some of the things I put into the Schültute.

I bet you wish you got a Schültute on your first day of school now. I know I do!

-Utts