A sip of Champagne and other seasonal toasts around the world

I think my first introduction to champagne must have been as a teenager in France. For several summers I stayed with a family in Bordeaux who had a daughter of the same age, which was an eye-opener on the way the French enjoy and appreciate food.  The grand-mère of the family lived in a house next door and I remember how, perfectly groomed and dressed in Yves St Laurent, she would invite the family as a special treat to an elegant hotel for an aperitif of a glass of champagne.