Thanksgiving Toasts
Making a Thanksgiving toast is a wonderful way to let friends and family members know what their presence means to you during the special holiday gathering. Tailor your toast to the guests at the table and add your own personal touch to make it special.
Elements of Thanksgiving Toasts
Writing a toast off the top of your head can be a challenge for even the most eloquent of speakers. Get started by putting together some common elements in many toasts and then tailoring the toast to the Thanksgiving occasion. Keep an outline of key points on hand in case you need to refer to the list as you give it.
Thanksgiving Information
One of the best ways to begin a toast is to mention the reason everyone has gathered - to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. Include in the opening a little information about why Thanksgiving is celebrated, fun or informative facts about the holiday and any favorite quotes from famous people about Thanksgiving.
General Thankfulness
After opening the toast, talk about thankfulness in everyone's lives. Speak about gratitude for both the large and small gifts in life. At a small gathering, it may be appropriate to include a short sentence about each person in attendance and how you are thankful for each one of those people. At a large dinner party or corporate affair, speak about the group as a whole, including their collective spirit and accomplishments.
Current Commentary
Many people use Thanksgiving as a time to reflect on what has passed since the last year. If fitting, consider adding some current commentary about life in your Thanksgiving speech. At a family gathering where everyone is of like minds, it may be suitable to mention a few general comments on current topics relevant to the family, such as a new baby, marriage, children going to college or even global events of concern.
At a formal affair, keep politics and religion to a minimum in a Thanksgiving speech to keep from ruffling the feathers of other guests. Tailor the toast to include information about the company at a corporate affair or some general philosophical thoughts on gratitude and gratefulness in life at a larger dinner.
Conclude the Toast
Conclude the toast by bringing it back to the Thanksgiving party. If your speech had a particular theme beyond Thanksgiving, feel free to summarize the important message at this time. When dinner is about to be served, use the conclusion as a way to invite everyone to the table; if dessert is being served, segue into that with a thank you to everyone for their attendance at the party.
Thanksgiving Dinner Toasts
Thanksgiving celebrations are often a time for people to reflect on gratitude for the wonderful people and cherished memories they have in their lives. While many times these are private considerations, some families like to share their gratitude aloud. At an informal dinner, this may be done round-robin style, with everyone offering up reasons to be thankful. At large formal dinners, this is often done in a Thanksgiving toast by the host or honored guest in lieu of having everyone share his or her own thoughts.
When to Toast
When to plan the toast is truly up to the host and speaker. Ideally, the toast is delivered just before dinner is served or just after the meal has ended, either before or after dessert. The speaker should wait until every guest has a drink of their choice before tapping the glass with his or her knife and beginning the toast.
Toasting Drinks
Champagne and wine are commonly served drinks during toasts. However, some guests may prefer mixed drinks or non-alcoholic drinks. Have sparkling grape juice on hand as an alternative for guests who want to abstain and those who are underage.
Give Special Recognition
Thanksgiving toasts are a wonderful way to recognize the people in your life who you are closest to and grateful to have close to you. Write a toast to share your thoughts at Thanksgiving dinner for everyone who you cherish most.
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