Celebration Champagne: The Bubbly Basics

What is it about us Brits and champagne? Why is this celebratory juice used to mark special occasions and what's its significance?

Popping the cork and toasting with sparkling, fizzy bubbly as the clock strikes midnight on New Year's Eve is a ritual in many households across the globe. Equally, weddings, engagements, anniversaries and birthdays are all good excuses to the drink the effervescent, light-coloured wine we know and love.

Champagne celebrations originated in the royal courts of Europe prior to 1789 where the luxurious drink was regarded as a symbol of status. Royalty adored the novelty of sparkling wine. It was even believed to have a beautifying effect on women and to do wonders for a man's wit!

Another reason is that the cathedral - where nearly all of France's monarchs were coronated - was located in the village of Reims, in the heart of the Champagne region, and is now one of the two main hubs for Champagne production. Naturally after the ceremony, folks wanted to celebrate and what better way than with a sparkling glass of the region's infamous drink... Champagne?

The tradition of celebration champagne parties soon became a phenomenon in France and didn't take long to spread to the rest of the world. From religious rituals, to the christenings of new ships, to ringing in the New Year, champagne was used to commemorate it all.

So now when you're sipping on a glass of bubbly, impress your guests with your newfound knowledge on this celebratory drink! And the next time you're toasting something special, sure, you could go and purchase a bottle from the local supermarket and it'd go down a treat. But how about going the extra mile and giving a bottle with a difference? You could, ladies and gents, plump for personalised champagne bottles instead...

All you have to do to create your own personalised bottle of champagne is add your text to the label - it's perfect for parties, weddings, and birthdays or as a special gift to a loved one. Champagne gifts come in all sorts of label styles, including Valentine's Day, Father's Day, Mother's Day and more.

You can even choose to have your personalised champagne presented in a sumptuous silk-lined gift box along with an additional treat such as a rose, delicious box of chocolates or even a luxury cigar. Additionally, there are gift sets on offer which include a bottle of champers together with an original newspaper to get them reading their favourite paper alongside their favourite tipple.