Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Toasting at Toastmasters

Clink!At my Toastmaster's meeting last night I gave a short speech about how to perform a toast (content stolen from here) then I gave everyone a chance to practice.

I provided non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice and some cheap plastic wine glasses. Between the other speeches throughout the evening, people would come up and propose a randomly-selected toast. Here are the scenarios:
Toast #1
The Scene: A fancy reception hall
You: You are the best man or maid of honor.
The Honoree: The person who gave the previous toast is the bride or groom.
The Occasion: A wedding reception, shortly after the wedding. Everyone is enjoying a beautiful meal and you’re toasting the newly-married couple.

Toast #2
The Scene: Sherwood Forest in 15th century England
You: You are a member of Robin Hood’s band of merry men (and women).
The Honoree: The person who gave the previous toast has just performed a feat of daring-do (that you get to choose) that has earned the honoree a place in Robin’s band.
The Occasion: Robin’s merry men (and women) are in their secret hideout in Sherwood Forest, having a feast to welcome this latest member to the band.

Toast #3
The Scene: An Academy Awards after-party at the multi-million dollar mansion of the honoree
You: You are one of the honoree’s costars.
The Honoree: The person who gave the previous toast is a movie star.
The Occasion: You are leading the party-goers in congratulating the honoree for the Oscar that the honoree won earlier that evening.

Toast #4
The Scene: A retirement dinner at a banquet hall in the middle of the 21st century
You: You are one of the honoree’s coworkers.
The Honoree: The person who gave the previous toast is a coworker with whom you have worked with for decades.
The Occasion: You are wishing the honoree a happy retirement.

Toast #5
The Scene: The elegant dining room on the luxury passenger liner, the RMS Titanic, on April 14th, 1912
You: You are a millionaire who has been invited to sit at the captain’s table. You are unaware that the ship will hit an iceberg later tonight.
The Honoree: The person who gave the previous toast is one of the ship’s architects, who is also seated at the captain’s table.
The Occasion: You are congratulating the honoree for a successful launch of the greatest passenger liner ever created; a ship that The Shipbuilder magazine calls "practically unsinkable."

Toast #6
The Scene: A going-away party at a frat house or sorority
You: You are the president of the fraternity or sorority.
The Honoree: The person who gave the previous toast is a popular member of your organization who has done something very funny that has resulted in their expulsion from school.
The Occasion: You are congratulating the honoree for the expulsion and offering your best wishes before the authorities arrive to take that person away.

Toast #7
The Scene: A holiday dinner at the home of the honoree. (You can pick a holiday.)
You: You are a friend of the honoree who has been invited to dinner.
The Honoree: The person who gave the previous toast.
The Occasion: You are thanking the honoree for the meal.

Toast #8
The Scene: A garden party sponsored by the Illinois State Lottery commission on the back lawn of the Illinois Capital building in Springfield, Illinois
You: You are a friend of the honoree.
The Honoree: The person who gave the previous toast has just been presented with a giant check.
The Occasion: You are congratulating the honoree for winning the largest-ever prize in the Illinois Lottery.

Toast #9
The Scene: A table at the prison lunchroom at Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Illinois
You: You are either the cellmate of the honoree or you are a prison guard; your choice.
The Honoree: The person who gave the previous toast is an inmate who is to be released tomorrow after serving a sentence (that you get to choose) for a crime (that you get to choose).
The Occasion: You are leading your fellow cellmates in wishing the honoree well in the outside world.

Toast #10
The Scene: A baby shower in the honoree’s living room
You: You are the godparent-to-be of the honoree’s expected child.
The Honoree: The person who gave the previous toast is the expectant father or mother.
The Occasion: You are toasting the honoree and the baby-to-be.

No comments: