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TOAST floral arrangements. Decanters are then
placed onto the table in front of the Host /
Dining President and the Guest-of-Honour.
Additional decanters are placed at the other
tables. The Host / Dining President and Guest-
of-Honour will remove the stoppers and place
it on the table before pouring the port into
their own glasses.
If there are foreign They will then pass
guests in the dining-in, it the decanters to
may be considered an their left and right
appropriate gesture to respectively. Those

propose a toast to his/ with decanters in
her Head of State. front of them will
The significance of toasting - Toasts are given then pour a little
during various occasions, formally and port into their own glasses. The decanter is
informally. The custom of “Toasting” goes then passed to the next person. As the decanter
back to ancient times, when a piece of toast is passed round the table, stewards will
was placed in the goblet with the mead, or an replace empty decanters or serve water to
alcoholic brew. When it became saturated, the officers who cannot consume the port. The
toast sank to the bottom of the goblet, and waiters/waitresses will then return the
after someone challenged “Toast” it was decanters to the centre of the main table. The
necessary to drain the
The custom of goblet in order to get male diner should fill the glass of the lady
“Toasting” goes back to the toast. seated on his left side. (The banquet
to ancient times, when manager/supervisor will then inform the Host
a piece of toast was It is also believed that / Dining President when everyone’s glass is
placed in the goblet this custom came into
with the mead, or an wide acceptance after
alcoholic brew. the effect of poison
was discovered.
When two persons drank from the same
source at the same instant, and suffered no ill
effects, a degree of mutual trust and rapport
could be established. Nowadays, one does not
drain a glass of champagne or wine – a filled and the Host / Dining-in President will
favourites for toasts. On the contrary, a sip or commence the toast.)
two should be taken so there will be plenty of
wine left for other toast. During informal When there are no foreign guests involved,
occasions, almost any liquid at hand may be the toasting procedure will be as follows:
used when making a toast.
1. The President remains seated. He will call
In dining-in, after the desserts have been the diners to order by knocking on the
served, the tables are cleared except for port gavel three times with the mallet and says,
glasses, centrepieces, trophies, candles and “Mr Vice, The President”.