Social Etiquette Tip of the Week - “To Clink or not Clink”
The holiday season is in full swing and we are closing in on New Year's. As you wait for the clock to strike midnight, a glass of bubbly in hand, do you wonder where the tradition of toasting and clinking glasses came from?
As with many of our food traditions, the clinking of glasses traces its root to the health and safety of the drinker. In this case, it goes back to the tendency of nobles to kill each other off by poisoning their food! One story about the clinking of glasses is that the purpose is to spill each person's wine into the glass of the other, for assurance that nobody is being poisoned...or everyone is. Hmmm...that doesn't sound like a happy hour to me.
Another story is that the custom of clinking glasses originated in the Middle Ages when all alcoholic drink was believed to contain actual ‘spirits’ who, when imbibed, inhabited the host's body, causing him to do things that he would not normally do. Since bells and other sounds were thought to drive ‘spirits’ away, the clinking of glasses was thought to drive the 'spirits' out of the spirits making it safe to drink
What To Do When Listening to a Toast.
When listening to a toast, hold your glass when the toast is being made. At the end of the toast, raise your glass and point it gently towards the person making the toast and take a sip. NOTE: If that person is toasting someone then raise your glass to the person being toasted.
Not holding your glass, or putting it down while a toast is being made, is impolite. If a person does not take a sip of his/her drink at the end of the toast, it signifies that they do not agree with the toast for some reason.
If you don’t drink alcohol you can toast with another beverage, as toasting with an empty glass is considered bad luck.
Clinking of glasses is optional.
While some etiquette mavens believe that clinking glasses is not necessary, and can even cause a shattered champagne flute, basic etiquette rules state one need not clink glasses with everyone…just the people within easy clinking distance.
If clinking is done at a large table, then only clink with persons sitting immediately on your left and right, but not those sitting across from you. Do not reach under, over or around others to touch your flute with those far away. Rather than reach across vast expanses of large tables (risking losing your balance and ending up on the table) simply raise your glass and make eye contact with those across from you.
Clinking Glasses Tips.
• Hold the glass by the stem.
• Raise the glass bowl to about nose level.
• Gently touch the glasses together.
• Make eye contact as you say something like, Cheers!
Warning! Don't bash your glass against another person's glass, especially if you are using delicate crystal. Also, it’s considered rude to tap a utensil against your glass to get people's attention.
In just a few days, we ring in the New Year and say goodbye to 2009. I wish a safe and prosperous New Year, to you and your loved ones! And…if you plan on enjoying lots of tiny bubbles…have a backup plan for getting home safe. Happy New Year!
As with many of our food traditions, the clinking of glasses traces its root to the health and safety of the drinker. In this case, it goes back to the tendency of nobles to kill each other off by poisoning their food! One story about the clinking of glasses is that the purpose is to spill each person's wine into the glass of the other, for assurance that nobody is being poisoned...or everyone is. Hmmm...that doesn't sound like a happy hour to me.
Another story is that the custom of clinking glasses originated in the Middle Ages when all alcoholic drink was believed to contain actual ‘spirits’ who, when imbibed, inhabited the host's body, causing him to do things that he would not normally do. Since bells and other sounds were thought to drive ‘spirits’ away, the clinking of glasses was thought to drive the 'spirits' out of the spirits making it safe to drink
What To Do When Listening to a Toast.
When listening to a toast, hold your glass when the toast is being made. At the end of the toast, raise your glass and point it gently towards the person making the toast and take a sip. NOTE: If that person is toasting someone then raise your glass to the person being toasted.
Not holding your glass, or putting it down while a toast is being made, is impolite. If a person does not take a sip of his/her drink at the end of the toast, it signifies that they do not agree with the toast for some reason.
If you don’t drink alcohol you can toast with another beverage, as toasting with an empty glass is considered bad luck.
Clinking of glasses is optional.
While some etiquette mavens believe that clinking glasses is not necessary, and can even cause a shattered champagne flute, basic etiquette rules state one need not clink glasses with everyone…just the people within easy clinking distance.
If clinking is done at a large table, then only clink with persons sitting immediately on your left and right, but not those sitting across from you. Do not reach under, over or around others to touch your flute with those far away. Rather than reach across vast expanses of large tables (risking losing your balance and ending up on the table) simply raise your glass and make eye contact with those across from you.
Clinking Glasses Tips.
• Hold the glass by the stem.
• Raise the glass bowl to about nose level.
• Gently touch the glasses together.
• Make eye contact as you say something like, Cheers!
Warning! Don't bash your glass against another person's glass, especially if you are using delicate crystal. Also, it’s considered rude to tap a utensil against your glass to get people's attention.
In just a few days, we ring in the New Year and say goodbye to 2009. I wish a safe and prosperous New Year, to you and your loved ones! And…if you plan on enjoying lots of tiny bubbles…have a backup plan for getting home safe. Happy New Year!
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