10 Famous Toasts in History

Toasting is an ancient tradition that connotes celebration and good times.  And it’s by no means dead! When celebrating any occasion—weddings, retirements, even a night out with good friends—a meaningful toast will make it a little more memorable. But what makes a toast great? In this post, we share ten famous toast ideas for different occasions. The next time you're feeling stumped and speechless, feel free to keep one of these in your back pocket and you're sure to get a few cheers, tears, and even a few raised glasses.

1. New Year Toast

After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody, even one's own relations.' So let's feast and have a hefty dose of bubbly. Sounds like it's the easiest way to start the new year with a nice, clean slate—and, I don't know about you, but I'm good with that!

Ushering in the New Year with friends and family? Before you raise that glass of champagne, make sure you've got your new year’s toast prepared. But in case you are short on time, you can steal the one above from Oscar Wilde.

2. A Toast To Friendship

There are good ships, and there are wood ships, the ships that sail the sea. But the best ships, are friendships, and may they always be.”

You have to appreciate the sass of this rhyme! Keep it in mind for your absolute best friends who have a taste for fine and witty phrases. It also goes great with a round of shots.

3. Scottish Toast For Newlyweds

Strike hands with me. The glass is brim. The dew is on the heather. And love is good, and life is long, and friends are best together.

This toast is used in a Quaich Ceremony( a Scottish tradition that involves the newlywed taking a drink from a Quaich —a shallow two-handled drinking cup. The couple can fill the cup with a drink of their choice, usually whisky or combine two drinks, symbolizing the two becoming one.  The Quaich is used at the reception during their first toast together.

4. Peaky Blinder’s Toast

Thomas Shelby: Can you make a toast?

Grace Burgess: I'm Irish, I can make a million toasts. May you be in Heaven a full half-hour before the devil knows you're dead.

A popular toast from the classic TV Show Peaky Blinders. We have a quite interesting article on the show’s lead character Thomas Shelby that might be worth reading.

5. A Toast To Happiness and a Long Life

Here’s to a long life and a happy one

A quick death and an easy one

A good girl and an honest one

A cold pint and another

This one toast that will bring out smiles and heads nodding in approval. It also featured in the hit TV show Outlander.

6. The First Toast

Good health!

The first recorded toast in England took place in 450 CE, at a feast in honor of British King Vortigern by Hengist, leader of his Saxon allies. Hengist’s daughter Renwein (Rowena) offered a goblet of wine to the king, saying, “Louerd King, waes hael!”—“Good health!”—after which both drank.

7. A Toast For Blessing

May you have the hindsight to know where you've been,

The foresight to know where you're going,

And the insight to know when you have gone too far.

A classic toast that will never fail you when you want to encourage someone during a major milestone in their life for example, when they are starting a new job.

8. Toast For A Night Out Drinking

Another day another bender. No retreat no surrender

Who doesn’t look forward to the weekend? This is a great toast to get the party started the next time you are out with your friends on a Friday night at the local pub.

9. Naval Toast

To absent friends and those at sea.

To ourselves, as no one is likely to concern themselves with our welfare.

This is a combination of two classic Royal Navy toasts during mess dinners, The former customarily given on Sundays and the latter on Wednesdays. They always toast seated, as is the naval custom.

10. Housewarming Party Toast

May your home be a place where friends meet, family gathers and love grows.

An indispensable part of house warming parties, toasts provide an opportunity to put heartfelt sentiments into words and share the feelings of everyone present.