I'd Like to Make a Toast

With holiday family dinners and cocktail parties, comes the urge to share gratitude and sentiment to all. While it's wonderful to take a moment to appreciate the evening, there are a few guidelines for toasts to keep in mind:

• A toast should be polished, brief, and heartfelt
• Stand when speaking
• The host or hostess should be the one to give the first toast
• Be witty and whimsical. If public speaking is not a strong point, practice a few lines beforehand
• Avoid notes and notecards, this isn't a speech
• Don't forget your exit: I've heard too many toasts that end with an awkward "So, um, that's all I have to say..." it's anticlimactic and leaves guests hanging. The easiest and most classic exit is to simply raise your glass a tad higher (this will alert the party you are wrapping things up) and give a "Cheers!"
• Above all, be yourself