5 Best Toasts for New Years

It's that time of year again when we have to dust off those oratorical skills and be prepared to give a toast at one or more New Year's celebrations. A lot of people approach this task with fear and trepidation, but it's not really necessary. If you give it some thought before hand, you'll in all likelihood do a fantastic job. It's funny that the fear of public speaking is second only to the fear of death; in fact, some people say that they fear speaking in public more than death because after you're dead, you're done, but when you stand up to speak in front of others, you're still around to be aware of and suffer the consequences.

The nice thing about toasts at New Year's events is that most of the attendees, by the time toasts come around, are too tired, too drunk, or both, to really notice if your toast is boring - but will perk up if you come up with a zinger. So, the key to surviving the experience is to do just that. Say something different or new, and people will appreciate and remember, and you'll discover that public speaking really isn't so bad after all.

Here are my five favorite New Year's toasts. Feel free to use them - and if you want to give me credit, feel free to do that as well.

1. Here's to New Years and old friends. As we make the journey from year to year, ever facing new challenges and adventures, the one thing that keeps us on a steady course is the firm and helping hand of old friends.

2. A toast to Father Time and the Baby New Year. We have no idea where the old man is going, and we're not at all sure where the new kid came from, but I do have a question: Who is the mother of all this?

3. Here's to those who raise a toast to ring in a brand new year. Here's to the brewer who makes the stuff that causes all this cheer. Here's to love and happiness and plenty of good luck. I plan to keep this toast going until my zipper comes unstuck.

4. To happiness, peace, good fortune in the coming year. May there be an end to war and strife; no more children abused or abandoned; a cure for all the diseases that plague mankind; and no more hunger.