Lent Photo a Day: Celebrate

Celebrations of any kind, in my house, are nearly guaranteed to include one thing: champagne. More specifically, sabering champagne. I was introduced to the art of champagne sabering by my husband, who was introduced to it by his brother, who was introduced to it during his time working for LVMH, the producers of Moet champagne in France. And where better to learn about the art of sabering than in the place where the art itself was born, from the people who created it?

For those of you unfamiliar with the technique, it involves using the dull side of a heavy blade, such as a sturdy chef’s knife or an actual saber, to strike the neck of a champagne bottle at the point where the two halves of the glass are fused together, which causes the neck of the bottle to snap off with a satisfying pop. It’s exciting to watch, and it’s even more exciting to do (particularly the first time you try it). It’s a brief but impressive ceremony which lends a sense of grandeur and pomp to any celebration.

And isn’t that what celebrating is all about? Adding some grandeur and pomp, repeating a special tradition, linking to both the past and the future, as we recognize that a milestone of some kind has been reached? Human beings celebrate to help us remember, to show the importance of certain accomplishments, to share with others what we have done, to remind ourselves that we are moving forward.

We celebrate events that simply happen to us, such as birthdays and the beginning of a new year. We celebrate events that happened in the past, such as anniversaries and holidays. We celebrate achievements and accomplishments, such as promotions and new jobs and graduations. We celebrate events that we caused to happen, such as buying a house or having a baby or getting married. We celebrate ourselves, we celebrate our families, we celebrate our friends, we celebrate those who came before us. Human beings have a deep need to celebrate and to commemorate.

And in my house, that means champagne. 

Celebrate!