Weltspartag (World Savings Day) was established in 1924 to raise awareness of the importance of saving money, personally, and for the economy. It has been celebrated for decades around the world on 31 October, but has dwindled lately as the recent age of virtual money makes the physical process of collecting coins less relevant. Still celebrated with gusto here, the two banks in Maria Alm provided bouncy castle, balloons, sweets, coffee and cakes, and money boxes for the children which come without a key. If they want to open it they must visit the bank, if they do so on Weltspartag they get freebies galore. What more motivation do children need, to persuade them to save for a whole year, than to receive truck loads of stuff that they never knew they needed. The children were giddy with delight. Justine and Simon would have rather received, for their good, responsible practice and huge contribution to the world economy, a nice fat bankers bonus.
