About socks and boxes..

For their 25th birthday, women traditionally receive a wreath made of boxes, while men get a wreath made of socks. Find out the story behind this tradition.

In some regions, special birthdays are marked by unique traditions and customs. In Northern Germany, for instance, there is the so-called *Schachtelkranz* (literally a "wreath of boxes"), which is given to unmarried women on their 25th birthday. Friends craft this wreath out of empty boxes—such as those from perfumes or other products—and hang it on the front door of the newly minted "old box" (*alte Schachtel*—a playful, slightly teasing term for an unmarried woman of this age) 😉. It traditionally remains there for up to four weeks. Of course, the celebration isn't limited to putting up the wreath; taking it down later is also an occasion for a lively party, featuring toasts and general merrymaking.

The sock wreath, on the other hand, is reserved for unmarried men—the so-called "old socks." However, the term "wreath" should not be taken too literally: the variations range from small arrangements with only a few socks attached to lines stretching for kilometers, adorned with thousands of socks and winding through the entire apartment or even around the house. An example from Halverde, Germany, demonstrates just how extraordinary this tradition can be: in 2014, a sock wreath measuring an impressive 6,066 meters was created, featuring a total of 69,152 socks.