10 Things To Avoid When Giving A Holiday Toast & 10 Tips For Giving A Good One
Cheers, Everyone!
With December coming to an end, big holidays are just around the corner which means you've got to tidy up on your toasting skills! Whether you're hosting or just have some nice things you want to say, we've got some tips to help you make your speech a memorable one. Here are 10 things to avoid doing and 10 things you should follow.
1. Don't Give Your Toast Before The Host Does
Make sure you wait for the host to give their toast before doing your own. It's a good idea to talk with them beforehand so you know when they might do it and to give them the heads up you will be following suit. You don't want to walk all over their parade after all! Let them have their moment first.
2. Don't Drink Too Much Beforehand
The last thing you want is to be inebriated right before you're supposed to be giving a heartfelt speech to those you love. Be responsible and hold off on the drinks — get your words out first before getting the liquid into your system.
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3. Don't Leave It To The Last Minute
Making a quick speech might sound like an easy task, but don't treat this like your university paper. Leaving your toast prep to the very last minute will be a mistake you regret making! It takes time and practice to perfect exactly what you want to say.
4. Don't Make It Impromptu
Even worse than leaving it to the last minute is going full-on improvised. Trust us, you're going to blank halfway through and you'll feel super embarrassed standing there awkwardly in front of everyone. No matter how skilled you think you are, you can always do with some practice.
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5. Don't Get Political
Everyone knows when it comes to any holiday party or dinner, always leave politics at the door. There's no need to bring up serious talk in such a warm and friendly environment, you'd only ruin the positive vibe everyone else is setting.
6. Hold Back Your Tears
While it's okay to get emotional during your toast, especially if you're sharing something sentimental, try not to get carried away with it. If you start bawling your eyes out, not only will it make the room turn awkward, no one will be able to understand what you're saying!
7. Don't Ramble On
The moment you start talking about unrelated things, you know you've messed up your toast. Do your best not to ramble on and on when speaking. That just makes all the words you're saying feel unrelatable and forgettable.
8. Don't Mutter
Remember, speaking in front of an audience is very different than speaking to a small group of friends. Make sure you enunciate and most important of all, don't mutter! You want to make sure people that are the farthest away from you can still hear you loud and clear.
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9. Don't Be Boring
While it might sound harsh, following the same script as everyone else won't keep your audience engaged. Don't be afraid to get creative and have fun with your toast! It shouldn't feel as if you're copying a famous movie speech or one you found online. Make it yours!
10. Don't Make It Too Personal
It's easy to go off on a tangent and start talking about your own personal experiences and growth, but when making a toast, make sure you avoid that. Remember, it's about everyone in the room, not just you. You'll sound a bit self-absorbed if that's the only thing you focus on.
1. Get Everyone's Attention First
Before you blow everyone's mind with your brilliant toast, make sure you get everyone's attention first. While a simple clink on your glass usually does the trick, you can follow up with a quick shout to everyone too.
2. Wait For Silence
Sure, you've gotten everyone's attention but are they really listening? Before you get started, do one final check to make sure the room is silent. No one wants to have to give their toast while trying to talk over the chatty Cathy in the very back.
3. Keep Things Short & Sweet
Even if you have a lot to say, try to condense your thoughts to keep your toast brief and to the point. While that doesn't mean it shouldn't be meaningful still, you don't want to make it so long that your audience is starting to zone off.
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4. Start Off With An Introduction
Don't just jump into the deep end, start off your toast with welcoming phrases that introduce yourself to everyone. You want to ease everyone into your speech, not just toss all these heartfelt words at them right away!
5. Add Some Humor
There's nothing like a bit of humor to make your toast enjoyable and memorable. Remember, you're at an event filled with positivity; everyone can appreciate a good laugh or two! Just make sure you're not being too cheesy — that'll definitely garner a different reaction.
6. Keep An Eye Out For The Best Timing
It's important that you don't just throw your toast at everyone out of nowhere. Timing is incredibly important, but often overlooked. The atmosphere should feel right before you start speaking, and you should be checking you're not butting heads with anyone looking to give a speech too.
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7. Make Sure You Stand Up
To make your toast feel extra official, make sure you stand up before addressing everyone. This makes it seem like you're speaking to everyone in the crowd rather than the few people next to you. You want everyone to be able to see who's giving the speech.
8. Make Eye Contact
Try not to stare off into space while giving your toast. We know it can be hard, especially if you're on the shy side, but try to make eye contact with the individuals in the audience. This makes your words feel all the more personal and serious.
9. Practice
This point is so important we're going to reiterate it again on this list! There's truth in the saying "practice makes perfect." Not only will it ensure you know exactly what to say, feeling fully prepared can help you better stomach any nerves too.
10. Don't Forget To Raise Your Glass!
At the very end of your speech, don't forget to finish it off by raising your glass with everyone! It's the perfect way to end off any toast on a positive note. Everyone celebrates together in that one little moment.
