Sunday, December 11, 2016

A Rather Questionable British Children's Christmas Tipple

Chronica Domus
A print ad from 1959

Most adults, if asked, can wax lyrical about their own idealized childhood Christmases.  I am happy to report that I am one of them.  However, I recently discovered why my own earliest Christmas merriment might very well have been just a wee bit merrier than most.

We spent Christmas last, in celebration with my family in London.  We gathered together at my sister and brother-in-law's house where a delicious and memorable traditional English Christmas day dinner had been generously provided. One of the drinks on offer brought forth memories of my own childhood Christmases. "Ah" I said to my American husband, "now that's something I've not tasted since I was a little girl".  I was overjoyed to spot a bottle of Babycham, a libation my parents filled our glasses with each Christmas so we children could join in on the merry toast making.  Apparently, there was somewhat of a revival going on and Babycham was back from near extinction with a successful promotional relaunch of this once-popular British libation.

Back in the days when this gentle authoress was but a mere child, the grownups enjoyed their wines, sherries, and port on Christmas day.  My sisters and I happily quaffed our once-a-year Babycham treat with gusto.  We found it hard to resist the sweet and sparkly effervescent qualities of the festive bubble-infused tipple. As a rule, we rarely drank fizzy sodas so this was a particularly special treat. All the more so, as I think about it, because it was poured directly from diminutive-scaled bottles no taller than about six inches, just the right fit for little hands to grasp. How very thoughtful of the brewer, indeed. Not only that, but a most adorable little fellow gazed back at us from each and every bottle:


Chronica Domus
Babycham's sprightly chamois became a familiar Christmas image in our household and could easily rival any Disney character for cuteness

My husband, not having any previous experience with this British drink, was curious to sample it. Taking the bottle to hand and quickly scanning the label he said "Do you know, there's as much alcohol in this stuff AS-A-BEER!"  

Just then, not only did my sisters and I look rather perplexed, but so did both of my brothers-in-law. You see, it turns out that it was not just my own parents who were under the misapprehension that Babycham was the children's equivalent of champagne, a drink usually associated with special occasion toast making, but so had my brothers-in-law's parents.  Indeed, the only reason Babycham had been included in the selection of drinks at our Christmas feast was that it was purchased for my sisters' young children to sip upon.  

As you can imagine, it didn't take long for us all to be in fits of laughter over this rather startling revelation.  Could it really be true that a generation of parents had been plying their children with alcohol?  Is it any wonder we all recall our magical sixties-era childhood Christmases (and New Year's Eve celebrations for that matter) with such fond memories? Suddenly, the term 'Swinging Sixties' takes on an altogether different meaning. 

Chronica Domus
As I suspected, my parents were not the only ones juicing up their children on Christmas day during the nineteen-sixties - I found this image on Pinterest filed under the label "Babycham my childhood drink"


Turning to my parents for enlightenment, they explained they never once thought to read the label, what with that charming little Bambiesque figure prancing about on the packaging, and with the name BABYcham.  Surely, they said, the ad man must have been targeting their marketing efforts towards parents.  In researching this post, I discovered that Babycham, essentially a pear cider, was in fact marketed to women.  Naturally, as women tended to be the main grocery shoppers for the household, they might have caught sight of that adorable prancing mascot and thought to themselves, "now there's a sweet little drink suitable for Junior".  Into the grocery basket it went.

Another thing that raised my eyebrows when researching this post was the tag line that appears on the cardboard four-pack sleeve of this nostalgic tipple.  Those ad men were not far off the mark when they printed 'The Happiest Drink In The World' on their product.  It certainly made for some very happy childhood Christmases, I can tell you!

16 comments:

  1. Hello CD, The British have so much class in these matters. American children had to rely on spiked eggnog during the holidays.

    It is interesting that perry, fresh or hard is still a commercial product in England. In America I have never seen it for sale (although probably it is available today as an exotic import--a while ago, never). But all the old pear books I read discuss the perry potential of different varieties of pear, as they do with apples and cider.
    --Jim

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    1. Hello Jim,

      Spiked eggnog is always a good thing around Christmas.

      You are so right about perry not being widely available here. The only time I've ever sampled a jug or three was during a lunch or dinner at the, sadly, long-gone Ti Couz restaurant in San Francisco. They served excellent Breton cider from earthenware jugs which was well worth a swig.

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  2. Oh, my GOODNESS! What a delightful discovery, and even more amusing denouement---you merry little tosspots, you.

    I'm even more charmed by the story because we're all addicted to your lively, wonderful export "Call the Midwife," with all the wonderful folks and happenings and BABIES and what I can tell is quite true-to-life London of the era. Not all smiles and BabyCHam, I can tell you.

    I noticed it as the favorite tipple for little celebrations by those lovely nurses (and nuns, on occasion), and had not given it a thought as a children's drink, because the "baby" title and the ladies' enjoyment as they toasted with their glasses/tumblers/wee bottles was quite evident and sweet. And by Jingoes, after some of those deliveries, they deserved champagne, one and all.

    Even the "BABY" in the title was lulling, associated with all the new arrivals and all, and the drink is usually proffered by bright, beautiful Trixie---ever cheerful and groomed within an inch of her golden coif.

    So, BabyCham, to me, was also a wonderful export, unheard of by us over HERE til now---an adjunct to crackers and flaming pudding and games of SnapDragon, and perfectly aligned to the Spirit, so to speak, of the occasion.

    Too fun and too true--absolutely charming.

    says rachel, who coincidentally ran across only yesterday a picture of our own Sweetpea, bald as a little egg at one, and lying feet-up with a stuffed Santa in a pink TeleTub, a tiny split of champagne in each hand, and her Ganner-applied caption of "Happy New Year!!"

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    1. Oh my goodness, racheld. Tosspot is a word I've not heard uttered since moving to America. Back in England, the word was volleyed as a slight insult. Very amusing!

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  3. So funny CD! I haven't never tried it but now I want to :) are you sure your folks didn't know though hehe. But seriously I am going to look for this at the shops later!

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    1. Get thee to the nearest off licence pronto, dear Naomi, for you've not lived through a proper English Christmas until you've sampled a few bottles of Babycham. Cheers to you!

      PS: Once sampled, not sure if you'd care to repeat - so much good (adult) bubbly out there.

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  4. Too funny. The Babycham name is misleading but obviously refers to the smaller size of bubbly rather than a child's libation. Good thing your husband read the label! Even so, a little tippling once a year clearly increased the merriment without seducing you (or your siblings) into a life of lushful excess. The French give their children watered down wine so I think those who enjoyed Babycham as youngsters are safe.
    Best,
    KL Gaylin

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    1. Hello KL Gaylin,

      My teenage daughter has been accustomed to trying a little wine on special occasions at home too (so French, as you say!), which I think is a healthy approach to alcohol. In the UK, the legal age for drinking (18) is far lower than most states in America (21), which I still find rather odd considering you can be married and serve in the armed services by then.

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  5. That is hilarious. I would imagine today the markets would have to make sure buyers were aware, right?
    It is a very cute branding label, but the name is not a endearing to me...sounds like some kind of milk or formula.
    :-)
    Karen

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    1. Hello Karen,

      I agree, advertising Babycham today would be a far different kettle of fish than it was during the Swinging Sixties. How times have changed!

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  6. My Dear CD,
    GSL is not the least bit surprised you and sis started hitting the sauce as wee lassies...we recall that charming Trafalgar Square pic brimming of Holiday Spirit(s).

    Didn't Kate Moss have a Babyshamble she once curled up with?

    Have yourself a merry little gee & tee!

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    1. Hello GSL,

      I think it quite amusing that I only found out this family drinking secret so late in life, and all because my American husband was curious enough to read the label.

      I'm happy to oblige with a gee and tee per your request, cheers!

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  7. Many thanks for this enlightening post. I've wondered about Babycham since Angelica Houston's character ordered it in that unsettlingly fine film The Grifters.
    The bartender hadn't a clue, but was ordered to fake it. A memorable scene, but not nearly so memorable as when, later on in the film, Angelica chastises an ambulance driver who hesitates to assist her injured son: "Do it or I'll have you killed." Somehow that line always melted my heart.

    Happy Christmas, dear CD, and do let's toast the end of this dismal year with several glasses of Babycham...now that I know its lurid history.

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    1. Hello Toby Worthington,

      Why is it I've yet to see The Grifters I wonder? I shall correct the error of my ways later this month when I have a little more time to indulge in film watching activities, thank you.

      PS: I've been thinking about you lately and hoping you've been listening to Series 3 of Gloomsbury on the radio. I've been in fits of giggles.

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  8. Just catching up on my blog reading and although late I just have to comment! You have stirred some happy memories for me. I spent my childhood in England before moving to Australia. When we went on holidays mostly to Clacton and at Christmas my sister and I were allowed Babycham and its sister Cherry B. I loved Cherry B and still remember the song that played in the ad. I suppose the equivilant today is a piccolo of Moët although the quality of the contents would be worlds apart. Such a different care free time back in the 50 s and 60 s.

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    1. Hello Paris Cafe,

      I'm so pleased you have shared your lovely childhood drinking memories after reading this post. I just looked it up and I almost spilled my tea at the discovery that Cherry B has a 14% alcohol level. I think you qualify as having the merriest childhood Christmases of all (Babycham, alas, is a weakling coming in at 6% alcohol level).

      Thank you again for stopping by, and I hope you come back again and often!

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