TIPS ON TOASTS: Toasting is an expression of goodwill, in congratulations or of honoring someone or something.

Simple Toasts from Around the World:

Enjoy – India
Wish you happiness – Mongolia
To health – Russia, Slovakia, Bulgaria
To our health – Ukraine
Cheers (Greetings) – Fiji
Cheers (Thank you) – United Kingdom, Ireland, Lebanon, United States, South Africa, Australia and Canada
Chin Chin – Argentina, United Kingdom, France, French Canada and Portugal
Love long and prosper – Vietnam
To your good health – Hungary
Empty the cup – China
Proost – Nehterlands, Germany, Austria
Salud or Salute – Spain, Italy
Sante – Franch, French-speaking Switzerland, Quebec
Schol or Skoal – Flanders, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland

Sample Celebratory Toasts:

BIRTHDAYS: Happy new year, Rebecca! We celebrate all that you have achieved over the past year. May you experience more opportunities, peace and laughter through the next year. Happy Birthday!

NEW HOME: Here’s to your new house! May you find happiness, peace, fun and comfort here. Congratulations and welcome to your new home!

With this toast we bless your home and all who enter here that they may find warm friendship, stimulating conversation, nourishing food and a warm welcome. Here’s to your new home!

CONGRATULATIONS: Today we celebrate your hard work and your success. Your achievements speak for themselves. We congratulate you on your new position. You earned it and we are proud of what you have don and what you have become. Here’s to your continued success, may it be more than you can imagine!

BON VOYAGE: Here’s to a wonderful vacation! We send  you on your way with our best wishes for easy traveling, safe flights and wonderful sights.  And may you return to us with beautiful memories and interesting stories to share. Bon voyage! Vaya con Dios!

BLESSING: Today we bless Marie and her new life. As you move to a new state to a new home and a new job, we wish you peace, happiness, delight and security. We bless your journey into a new community and in finding new friends. May all good things come to you in this new beginning. Here’s to you and your life!

FORMAL TOASTS: These toasts are usually lengthy and pre-written for formal events such as wedding receptions, graduations, New Year’s Eve, patriotic occasions and roasts.

THE TAMADA: The great and artful historic tradition of toasts given throughout the course of a party by the Tamada comes from the country of Georgia on the Black Sea near Russia. The Tamada is chosen for his ability to be good with words, to be clever , to have a sense of humor and to say the classic toasts in original ways and, often, to be poetic with words. The party looks to him to decide when to propose new toasts and how often; and to orchestrate when there is singing and dancing to keep the energy up. The Tamada is eloquent, quick-thinking, funny, smart, sharp-witted and loving. With his art, the evening can become a contest of oratory.