Top toasting trends for the holiday season
More than two thirds will mark the holiday season by raising a glass in a toast at some point during the festivities, global research from Diageo has found – but how should one toast in 2016?
The study, which surveyed 7,000 people around the world, found that toasting traditions vary tremendously, demonstrating the cultural significance of celebration rituals.
From Danish hygge to Scottish Hogmanay, toasting trends span superstitions, seductions, and even celebrating beloved pets.
“Toasting as a way to mark the moment during a celebration is nothing new, but our research shows just how far the tradition has come since its beginnings in the Neolithic period,” said Carolyn Panzer, Diageo’s Alcohol in Society Director.
“Our research suggests two thirds of the world will be raising a toast of celebration this festive season and we know that where people celebrate, and who they do it with, is just as important as the drinks they choose to toast with.
“The global language of celebration is about people enjoying rituals and traditions that help mark the moment at this special time of year.”
Click through the following pages to discover some unusual toasting traditions from around the world.
How do you mark the festive season? Will you be raising a toast? Let us know in the comments below.
Home is where the heart is
Raising a glass doesn’t necessarily mean going out on the town. Diageo’s research found that 57% of global respondents would prefer to celebrate the holiday season by hosting others at home.
This plays into the Danish trend for hygge – the concept of creating and enjoying a cosy, warm atmosphere with good things and good people – which has become incredibly popular during 2016. Fittingly, only 15% of Danes said they liked going out to celebrate.
The polar opposite however are celebratory Indians. 85% said they see going out somewhere special as crucial for any festive celebration.
To clink or not to clink?
That’s covered off where – but how exactly does the world like to raise a glass in a toast?
According to Diageo, the origin of clinking glasses stems from the suspicion of being poisoned – if your guest is willing to spill their drink on themselves, you could trust them. Not a fan of sloshing your spirit? You drink like a Hungarian – they believe glasses should never clink during a toast.
What about eye contact? Danes and Swedes believe it’s essential to keep eyes locked during a toast to ensure your toasting partner is centre of attention.
With the faux pas of drinking to excess named by 63% as the way to spoil festive celebrations, it makes sense to toast like you’re in Japan, where raising a glass of soft drink is an accepted tradition. Just don’t use water – in Spain this is thought to bring bad luck.
And why stop at one? In many cultures, from Vietnam to Georgia, multiple toasts keep the celebrations going long into the evening.
Who to toast?
Why toast at all? The toasting ritual points to deep cultural traditions around the world.
47% of those surveyed said marking a significant moment through a specific act is part of their cultural heritage, while 20% said toasting specifically wards off romantic bad luck. In fact, 43% of men surveyed said they see a toast as an opportunity to catch the eye of a potential significant other.
It’s not only romantic interest behind toasts – the UK is a nation of animal lovers, with 25% raising a toast in honour of a furry friend.
Top toasts
How should one orchestrate the perfect toast? According to Diageo data, online searches seeking out that answer have increased by 60% across India, the US and the UK.
Adding an international air is also now popular. Online searches for phrases such as ‘cheers in…’ are up 163%, says the company.
Which language attracts the most search interest? Italian ranks highest, with ‘Saluti!’ the most popular term.
