Washington is all abuzz about health care reform right now. Even the most apolitical person living within an earshot of media these days can’t help but know something is brewing with respect to our nation’s health care system.
All this talk about health care is certainly a reminder of how fragile our health can be and how important it is to care for it. Maybe that is one of the reasons the traditional toast, “Let’s drink to our health” emerged? My curiosity about this expression led me to a few references, including one of my all-time favorites, The Art of the Table: A Complete Guide to Table Setting, Table Manners, and Tableware by Suzanne Von Drachenfels, to learn more about where the phrase came from.
Here’s what Ms Von Drachenfels has to say:
“The custom of raising the first glass of wine to one’s health is attributed to ancient Greece, when a sip was taken to demonstrate that the drink was not poisoned. In Homer’s Iliad, Ulysses drank to the health of Achilles.”
Both The Encyclopaedia Britannica by Hugh Chisholm and An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language by Walter William Skeat suggests the origin of the expression came from the custom of putting toasted bread in liquor to make it taste better. The former also discusses how the expression most assuredly refers to women, in particular soldiers or warriors who would toast to “their ladies.”
The expression evolved over time and is now common in countries around the world and is suitable when raising one’s glass almost anywhere.
For those called upon to make toasts in social settings, the following online resources may be helpful as you prepare:
- Emily Post has a wonderful reference guide for the etiquette of toasting which also provides sample toasts. There is also a great online reference with respect to wedding toasts exclusively.
- The Knot’s list of 30 Inspiring Quotes for wedding toasts is also a great resource.
- Toasts for Every Occasion by Jennifer Rahel Conover and available through Google Books.
Above all, I think the most important thing about a good toast is that it is heartfelt. I coordinated a wedding recently where the Best Man’s toast was in-term-in-a-bly long (something I NEVER recommend!). While some of the guests did fade, most were willing to sit through it and listen because his message was so truthful and sincere.
Cheers! To Your Health!
