If you've always known Children's Day to fall on the 1st of October, this one's for you. Chances are, you're probably still unaware that it's been changed to the first Friday of October since 2011. But that doesn't matter. Official or not, October 1st will continue to hold a special place in many of our hearts.
Ah, childhood. What a sweet – sometimes literally – period of our lives. When sugar isn't so much a concern as how tall the glass, how big a scoop or how many heaping mounds of the stuff we get. Today, we take a trip down memory lane and recap some of gloriously sugary drinks we've had in our lives. While some are thankfully still available for order at coffee shops, some have left our shores never to return again. Here's an ode to them all.
First on the list is thankfully a drink that's still available at most coffee shops. Only rose cordial syrup in the most shocking shade of pink mixed with evaporated milk will do.
Fun fact: Despite its name, the fluorescent pink drink has virtually no links with its namesake Indonesian city. It is also commonly served during iftar - the evening meal when Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset.
We've come across several new-fangled ways to drink your cup of malted milk (Horlicks soy milk, Horlicks halia and Horlicks cino, anyone?) but we still prefer ours served the old-fashioned way: hot.
Fun fact: Did you know that Horlicks was originally advertised as the food drink of the night? We're glad that slogan didn't stick. We don't quite like the idea of limited this malted goodness to evenings.
We believe this drink requires no introduction. A giant scoop of vanilla ice cream slopped over a sweet, fizzy drink is the kind of stuff a child's dreams are made of.
Famous for its root beer floats, Coney dogs and curly fries, A&W opened its first outlet in Singapore in 1968 and shuttered in 2003 due to global losses. But we've got good news for you fans, A&W has announced its intention to return next year. Keep your eyes peeled for the second half of 2018.
Fun fact: A&W's mascot is Rooty, also known as the Great American Root Bear.
To the uninitiated, Sarsi is brushed off as the sweeter, less fizzy cousin of the root beer but those in the know will be able to tell the difference. It tastes and smells like black liquorice dreams with some caramel thrown in for good measure.
But for some reason (probably relating to our nation's latest interest in health and wellness), this excellent soda has fallen out of favour in many coffee shops today. The good news is that most major supermarkets still stock bottles and cans of the drink.
Fun fact: Sarsaparilla, the ingredient Sarsi is made with, was popular in the United States in the 19th century. It was once considered to be a remedy for skin and blood problems.
What's better than a cup of Milo? A giant mug of Milo topped with heaping spoonfuls of the powdered stuff. That's the Milo Dinosaur for you. And if you're looking to up the ante, there's the Milo Godzilla; which is essentially a Milo Dinosaur but bigger, better, and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
Fun fact: Did you know that there are over 60 Milo recipes globally? Research is first done to identify how each country likes its malted chocolate drink before a tailored formula is released. So if you've always thought that the Australian formula tastes different from Malaysia's, you're not crazy.
