Making a toast
If a friend is celebrating his birthday, an aunt iS getting married, celebrating good health or some achievement, you may wish to propose a toast at the occasion.
Usually, the purpose of
making a toast is to thank someone, wish him good luck or celebrate something.
For your friend’s birthday, for instance, you wish to celebrate with him, show him how happy you
are for him, and then wish him luck and many more happy years.
Below are the common steps
to help you make your toast properly.
Knowing
these steps is important when you have not made one before. Study the steps and adopt them when the need for making a toast arises.
Steps for making a toast
1 Write the toast
Abirthday is an opportunity for you to honour your friend. Therefore, don’t wait until the night before the birthday to think of what you
are going to say. You should find time to reflect on your relationship. Some good thoughts about him will fuel your mind on what you are
going to say in your toast. Write them down.
Do not make the toast long. A good toast should be short, sweet and personal. Your feelings about
your friend are simply personal. You may wish to use a humorous quotation or a short story.
The target of your toast is to make your friend and his guests happy. Therefore, make your toast tasteful.
2 Making notes
You may decide to make notes on small cards.
This idea is important, particularly where you are in doubt about your public speaking abilities.
But where you are confident and trust that you do not need notes, only practise your written speech and feel comfortable.
If you choose to use notes, you must be careful not to write your entire speech on the cards or read
entirely from the notes.
This will look awkward.
Rather, note only some key words or phrases that will guide your thoughts and help you to
remember what you want to say.
3 Practice
Practise your toast. Do not take this for granted.
You may do this in front of a mirror or facing a small group of people, such as your friends, family members, classmates, etc
4 On the occasion, wait for your turn.
It is possible you are not the only one who wishes to propose a toast. Therefore, be patient,
until you are called to do so.
5 Stand up
When your turn comes, stand up, with confidence.
6 Raise your glass
Do this to the person you are toasting. Then say in a firm voice I Would like to propose a toast.
7 Announce your relationship
Say what your relationship with the celebrant, your friend is.
8 Propose your toast
You can now propose your toast. As you do this, look at the person whom you are toasting.
9 End your toast on a positive note
Let us now drink a toast to Tom and wish him many more happy years. To Tom, our good friend!’
When you say this, wave your glass to all, then tip it towards the person you are toasting
You may clink his glass if you are close enough to him. Then clink your glass also with people around you.
Do this gently to avoid breaking a
glass. You can now sip your drink. Do not gulp it. It is rude to do so.
10 Sit down
Having performed the toast, you can now Sit down.
if your friend offers a response, remain seated. there is no need to raise your glass again, simple “say thank you” then smile and sip your drink when he finish speaking.
Note
Remember that your toast must be very short.
A TV commercial lasts for only 30 seconds.
Your toast should not be longer than this. If, however, you are a confident speaker, you can
take one and a half minutes, but not longer.
Toast making is not an avenue to show off your talent for comedy. Avoid unnecessary jokes.
Sample toasts
Sample A
there is nothing so precious as a faithful friend and no scale can measure her existence. Ladies
and gentlemen, it gives me a great pleasure to propose a toast for my friend on this Occasion. I met Ify the first day I entered this
school. Since then, she’s been a close friend, never wanting to leave my side in good and ditficult situations. In fact, Ify has been a friend indeed. She has motivated me in so many ways.
I must say I’m glad she’s my friend. With this, let us drink a toast for continual friendship, academic excellence, long life and prosperity.
Sample B
Wonderful audience, nothing can ever be sweeter than success. I am indeed the happiest person here. Today my best friend is celebrating her success in the 2022 Unified
Tertiary Matriculation Examination. It is a success so well-deserved. Generally, we know that hard work is like a goldfish. It has no hiding-place These long years of dedication and devotion to studies have not gone unnoticed or unrewarded.
This excellent result speaks volumes about my friend’s brilliance. She is indeed a rolemodel.
We’ve got to emulate her. The university doors are already open for her. To this end, let us drink a toast to more success for her, more
open doors, more excellent performances, more
greatness tor her joyful future!