Here's a Toast!

You’ve been to a wedding, haven’t you? 

You’re probably saying, “Children aren’t invited to weddings!”

Oh, but I have seen many children in weddings.   They even take part in the ceremony as a flower girl perhaps? Or a ring bearer? Or maybe even a coin or Bible bearer?  

Some are guests, whom their parents tag along. 

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Why are we talking about weddings?

Well, I only wanted to talk about that part of the wedding reception that people call “toast,” that part where one adult goes to the microphone and asks everybody to rise. 

He then says words of good wishes to the bride and groom, then he raises his glass of wine, and requests all adults to raise theirs as well. Then, together, he and the guests drink their wine all at the same time.

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Of course the children are not given glasses of wine. So they either just watch in their seats, or run around the tables, playing.  

Have you ever wondered why adults do that?

Here’s how the practice of “toast” begun . . . 

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Long, long ago, wine tasted really yucky and sharp, not as good as the many sweet wines today. So the people floated a piece of burnt toast on top of the wine in a goblet.

The toast took away the acid or sharpness of the wine, and made it taste better.

The goblet is then passed around and shared by all the adults in a party. The host would be the last to drink what was left and also eat the soggy piece of toast.

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 “Toasting” was an offering of the people to God. A “toast” then was a way for them to express their highest praises to the Lord.

Today, a “toast” is an important part of most weddings and other formal celebrations—including those hosted by kings, emperors, prime ministers, and presidents. Every glass of wine in the party is supposed to be dedicated to the honoree.

The adult who leads the “toast” is called a “toastmaster.” The words he speaks are actually a prayer for the bride and groom, or whoever the honorees are.

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This month of March, many of your friends and cousins may be graduating from grade school or high school. Or you may be graduating yourself. That calls for a celebration!    Why don’t we have a homemade “toast” then? 

Common, go get a wine glass. (If you don’t have one, any glass will do.) Put water or milk or juice in it. Then raise it up in the air and let’s say this popular Irish Blessing together—as a prayer to God for each one of these graduates (especially you): 

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

May the rains fall soft upon your fields,

And, until we meet again,

May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

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