There are few gestures capable of speaking without words. Clinking glasses, for example, is one of those complicit signs capable of showing affection without the need to verbalize it with words.
The toast is the moment of a celebration in which guests raise and clink glasses to express good wishes or show gratitude. But where does this ritual, which is perpetuated to this day, originate?
What are the origins of the toast?
According to some urban legends, the toast was born in ancient Greece and extends to the Middle Ages. In those times, one of the most common ways to murder a person was to poison him or her.
Since no one knew where the betrayal could come from, people distrusted even their family and friends when they were offered a glass of wine. And so, the most popular way of toasting was born: clinking glasses together. This technique was used to prove that the drinks were not poisoned. In this way, if any drink contained poison, it was distributed in the other glasses.
Other legends place the birth of the toast in the great Roman banquets, where the diners clinked their glasses together to warn the servants that their glass was empty.
There is also a popular legend that tells that, in the 18th century, during the reign of Charles V, the victories of the army were celebrated by raising the glasses and shouting bring dir’s, a German phrase that means “I offer it to you”, when the soldiers granted the victory to the monarch.
It is from this moment on that the toast is entrusted to an important person at the table who pronounces a few words to wish good wishes to the honorees or to all those present.
5 tips to start a toast
Do you have a celebration just around the corner and you are the one in charge of making the toast? Here are 5 tips for success:
1. Never toast with water
As we have already mentioned, the toast has a long tradition. Over time, there has been a belief that toasting with water brings bad luck. So, if you can avoid it, it’s better to toast with wine😉.
2. Be clear on the message
The secret of success lies in organizing your ideas and feelings. You can use a 3-step strategy: an introduction, referring to why you are gathered, a development, with what inspires you to toast, and the closing, encouraging everyone present to raise their glasses.
Make sure it is also a positive message. Don’t do as Grouxo Marx did in his famous phrase… “I drink to make other people interesting”.
3. Find the right moment
For your toast to be successful, you have to get the attention of your guests. That’s why it’s important to choose the right moment. Regardless of the occasion, you should make sure that most of the guests are already present and that everyone has a glass in hand.
If you have to get the attention of a small group of people, you can do so by standing up and tapping your glass. Once you have everyone’s attention, you can begin.
4. Keep it short
The more punctual and shorter a toast is, the better. If you want to keep the attention of others, the speech must be short: ” the good, if brief, is twice as good”.
5. Keep a good position of the glass
While you are making the speech, keep the cup at the level of the abdomen and only raise it at the end, making sure not to raise it higher than the eyes. At this moment, all the attendees will be carried away by the emotion of the moment and will repeat your gesture.
The toast can be one of the most emblematic moments of any event, since the act of toasting symbolizes happiness, rejoicing and the manifestation of good wishes. Now that you know everything you need to make a perfect toast; do you dare to toast with our wines?
