The holidays are often a marathon of eating delicious foods, drinking festive beverages, and social engagements. As a part of the latter, often people are expected to give that one great party toast — or, you know, they take it upon themself to make a toast at a party after one too many glasses of eggnog. If you're worried about an upcoming performance (or suspect you might subject yourself to an impromptu one), check out these holiday toast and speech ideas. I got you covered.
The origins of "toasting," clinking glasses, and giving brief speeches has been subject to a number of myths over the years. One particularly prominent — and false — one is that, in times of strife, the physical act of toasting evolved from a guest pouring a tiny bit of his drink into the host's cup. Why? Oh, you know, just to casually prove that the drink wasn't poisoned. If a guest trusted the host, the story goes, he would simply touch the host's glass with his own. A great story if you're a Game of Thrones fan, but Snopes says it is not real — so, please don't make jokes about the punch being poisoned at your office party. That will not go over well.
So why do we knock glasses and shout all variations of "Cheers!" at parties? Though the origin story has been lost to history, the general sentiment has been attributed to European gatherings where sharing food and drink were a holiday season tradition. It's a practice that grew from love. Keep that in mind once you step up to the plate this holiday season. You got this!
"There are good ships and there are wood ships, the ships that sail the sea. But the best ships are friendshipsm, and may they always be."
Why not begin with an Irish Proverb as a toast to the best friendships in your life, the ones that outlast everything, and everyone, else?
"The warmth of home and hearth, the cheer and good will of friends, and the hope of a childlike heart to you all."
This toast, from An O'Brien Family Christmas, covers all the bases of a classic toast: prosperity, happiness and the gift of friends and family.
"Here's to alcohol, the rose-colored glasses of life."
F. Scott Fitzgerald knew what he was talking about when he wrote this now-famous line (and understandably popular toast).
"May misfortune follow you the rest of your life, and never catch up!"
It's an Irish tradition to craft a truly excellent quote, one that wishes others well while engaging in some sort of pithy word play. This is a perfect example.
"Here’s to a bright New Year and a fond farewell to the old; Here’s to the things that are yet to come, and the memories that we hold."
This toast is short, sweet and it rhymes. Destined to impress.
"We don't always have to agree, but we must empower each other, we must find the common ground, we must build bridges across our differences to pursue the common good. Toast to the common good, which is needed more now than ever."
This brief excerpt from Cory Booker's DNC speech is frankly a pretty perfect sentiment, not just for the holidays, but for life in general.
"I am grateful for what I am and what I have. My thanksgiving is perpetual."
Henry David Thoreau knew how to pen an ideal toast, one that expresses genuine gratitude and gives thanks in just a handful of words.
"Wishing you more happiness than all my words can tell, not just for the holidays, but for all the year as well."
Be prepared to pause for the chorus of awwwws that will inevitably follow this deeply generous toast.
"Here’s to the year past and friends who have left us, here’s to the present and the friends who are here, here’s to the New Year and the new friends who will join us."
Leave it to queen of manners Emily Post to craft the perfect toast to give at your partner's parents' holiday party. Not too sweet, not too sappy, but a politely kind sentiment.
"May all your joys be true joys, and all your pain Champagne."
If you do not deliver this with a perfectly timed wink at the end, then what? Are you doing? Up there?
"In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, and never in want."
This traditional Irish toast might bring about a few tears (depending on how deep into the toasting cycle your crew is).
"Here’s to us that are here, to you that are there, and the rest of us everywhere."
Rudyard Kipling is responsible for this all-encompassing quote filled with kindness and a tiny wink of wordplay. Just a suggestion: give this one early in the night, because the slightly circuitous sentence construction might stump your more, ahem, festive guests.
