Prior to the desert round, each host got up to toast their guest of honor. The lovely Naomi Campbell was honored and congratulated for her recent release from prison. Cluster A s illustrious representative toasted an invisible guest of honor who miraculously appeared during the toast with his coat and backpack in hand. We toasted each other, not just for fun, but also to practice the etiquette of toasting. While this will come in handy when we receive multiple business awards in the very distant future, it is also useful for more current situations like being the best-man at a wedding, toasting the host of a party, or impressing your parents when you toast your mother s fantastic meal at Thanksgiving dinner.
Toasting also has a long history, dating back to the Middle Ages.
Knights and Vikings would slam their glasses together while toasting and spill some of their drink into the adjoining mug. Thus if you had been poisoned, the poisonous sips would be mixed into your enemies drink. The practice of never drinking to yourself when toasted also dates back to this time in history. These traditions carry forward today. As is custom, after each guest of honor was toasted, they stood and presented a toast to the table and the host.