Champagne, which had previously been reserved for aristocrats and wealthy elites, began to gain popularity in the nineteenth century. Wine was more affordable than ever before thanks to new bottling techniques at the time. Despite this, many consumers did not have the financial means to consume it on a regular basis. As a result, retailers began to promote champagne as a special treat for special occasions. In her book When Champagne Became French: Wine and the Making of a National Identity, historian Kolleen M. Guy writes, "Newspaper advertisements, particularly near holidays such as Christmas and New Year's, associated family gatherings with champagne." "In 1881, one observer observed that the i