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Ready for the party? We all know that every celebration begins with a toast, i.e., raising a glass and saying cheers. One reason behind this is to show the oneness of feelings and cherished for whole life. The word 'cheer' was originated from the old french word “chiere”, which means “face or head”. Back in the era of 18th century, it involved “happiness” and was practised to show support and gladness. Presently, cheers is a symbolic and succinct way of toasting with good wishes.
Have a look at some more reasons to clink glasses and say cheers in practice.
Enhance the senses: The point of view is to enjoy an experience wholly. For example, when enjoying a drink, one uses their mind to see, feel, taste and smell, but can’t hear the sound of a drink. So by clinking the glasses and saying cheers, we build the whole/full experience of the five senses. Drinking is also a sign of a gettogether, so cheering became part of a communal celebration by physically touching the glasses.
Warding Off Evil: It was also thought that the clinking of the glasses, spilling the drink on the floor, leaves hope for the evil spirits that they would leave you alone. In a German tradition of drinking, banging mugs of alcohol on and yelling loudly at the table will scare away any ghosts or evil spirits during the celebration.
Avoid Poisoning: Some theories are circulating that toasting was a way to avoid being poisoned. However, mixing drinks and then taking a sip was gesturable and considered unharmed.
Some For The Gods: Many ancient civilizations have their way of honouring their respective gods, for instance, by exchanging wishes for prayers, health etc. In the Greek and Roman tradition, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are left as an offering to gods.
