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Why do we launch a ship by smashing a champagne bottle?

boat-champagne.jpgQuestion

When you launch a ship, why do we smash a bottle of champagne against the side? Why not just drink the champagne by the side of the boat?
Max, Stockwell

Answer

** Definitive **
Name: Ray, The City
Qualification: Taxi driver, so I know everything
Answer: The champagne represents blood. In Viking times, they used to throw bodies under the ship for luck (maybe early traffic wardens?) as a sacrifice for the Gods. This was then replaced by champagne when bodies no longer became viable.

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