The Friendsgiving Lifestyle | Episode 15: The Art of The Toast

New in the Shop:

We are officially expanding! This week, Sandra introduces a brand-new Branded Merchandise category at FriendsgivingShop.com.

• E-Cards: Personalize and instantly send digital notes to your inner circle.

• Digital Downloads: Check back weekly for new e-guides, printable place cards, and kid-friendly freebies.

• 2026 Invitations: Our fall Friendsgiving collection is officially live. Secure your favorites before they're gone.

Listen & Connect: Subscribe to "The Friendsgiving Lifestyle" Podcast on Apple or Spotify, and join the conversation on YouTube @FriendsgivingShop. Don't forget to sign up for the Side Dish Energy Newsletter for subscriber-only sales and behind-the-scenes magic.

Since a toast is a gift, not a speech, these templates are designed to be punchy, heartfelt, and delivered in under 90 seconds.

1. The Celebration Toast

The Vibe: High energy, focused on a specific win.

• The Opening: "Everyone, if I could have your attention for just a moment. We are here tonight for one very specific reason: [Name] just [mention the achievement]."

• The Middle: "Watching the work you’ve put into this over the last [amount of time] has been inspiring. You didn't just get it done; you did it with [mention a specific trait, e.g., grace/tenacity]."

• The Closing: "So, let’s raise a glass to [Name]. To your hard work, your success, and the many more wins to come. Cheers!"

  
  

2. The Gratitude Toast

The Vibe: Sincere, grounded, and focused on support.

• The Opening: "I wanted to take a quick second before we keep eating to say something that’s been on my mind. This past month has been [briefly describe, e.g., a bit of a whirlwind/tough]."

• The Middle: "Looking around this table, I’m reminded that I didn't have to navigate it alone. Whether it was a text, a shared meal, or just knowing you guys were in my corner—it meant everything."

• The Closing: "I am so incredibly lucky to have this community. Here’s to the people who show up when it matters most. To all of you, cheers."
  
  

3. The "Just Because" Toast

The Vibe: Unbothered, casual, and focused on the "now."

• The Opening: "I know we don’t have a 'big' reason to celebrate tonight, but honestly, I think that’s the best reason to raise a glass."

• The Middle: "In a world that’s always moving so fast, having a night where we can just sit, eat, and actually talk to each other is a huge win. I'm just glad we're all alive and in the same room."

• The Closing: "To good food, better company, and the simple fact that we made the time for this. Cheers to a perfectly imperfect night!"⁠⁠

[00:00:00] Welcome to the Friendsgiving Lifestyle Podcast, the space where we celebrate the power of community and the joy of gathering around a shared table. I'm your host, Sandra Colton-Medici, and each week we explore how to create meaningful connections, lasting traditions, and delicious meals that make every guest feel at home.

From hosting tips to heartfelt conversations, we're here to help you lean into the season of gratitude. So pull up a chair. There's always a place for you here, right at the table. Let's get started.

[00:00:00] Welcome to the Friendsgiving Lifestyle Podcast, the space where we celebrate the power of community and the joy of gathering around a shared table. I'm your host, Sandra Colton-Medici, and each week we explore how to create meaningful connections, lasting traditions, and delicious meals that make every guest feel at home.

From hosting tips to heartfelt conversations, we're here to help you lean into the season of gratitude. So pull up a chair, there's always a place for you here right at the table. Let's get started. Hi everyone, I'm Sandra Colton-Medici, and welcome to episode 15 of the Friendsgiving Lifestyle Podcast.

We've all seen it, that moment at a dinner where the room goes quiet, someone clinks a glass, and then they freeze. Or worse, they go on a 20-minute rambling journey that leaves everyone's food cold. Well, today we are mastering the art of the toast. I'm going to show you how to speak from the heart, honor your friends, and do it [00:01:00] all in under 90 seconds without the ums and the ahs and all of those in-betweens.

Your quick win for today, the water toast rule. Never feel like you can't toast because you aren't drinking alcohol. The sentiment is in the words, not the liquid. Let's all raise a glass. But before we dive in, I always have this announcement. This week, make sure you head over to our comments section here on the podcast.

You can leave us a comment telling us where you are pulling up a seat to the table from, whether it's in Los Angeles, where I am, or around the world. We are growing this podcast and going international. So if you are listening to us from a foreign country or you're right here in our backyard, I wanna hear where you're pulling up a chair from and what you're bringing to the table.

I think vibes and sides are pretty good, but if you wanna tell us what you ate for this meal while you were listening to the podcast, [00:02:00] or where you drove to while you were listening to the podcast, or how great your exercise was while you were listening to the podcast, I am here for all of it. Leave us a comment and I will definitely be shouting out people in upcoming episodes.

So let's talk about the why before we get to the what. A toast isn't a speech. It's a gift. Its only job is to make the people in front of you feel valued. Your action item for today, before your guests arrive, identify the theme of the night. Is this a celebration of a win, a thank you for support during a hard month, or just a glad we're all alive moment?

Here's your strategy. Pick one specific theme so you don't wander. A great toast follows a simple past, present, future arc. Where we were, why we are here now, and what I hope for us next. It's a 30-second roadmap that keeps you on track. [00:03:00] I wanna get your opinions on everything from tablescapes to how to handle guests who trash talk other guests after the party concludes.

So head on over to our YouTube channel at Friendsgiving Shop for that and so much more as we lean into the Friendsgiving lifestyle. So what's the anatomy of a perfect toast? Let's break down the 90-second formula. What is the hook? Start with a specific small memory. Not, "We've been friends for a long time, but I was thinking today about that time we got lost in the rain."

Number two is the connection. Tie that memory to the present. "That's the thing about this group. We always find our way back to the table." Number three, the call to action. End with the glass raise. "To the people who keep us on track and the people who feed us the snacks. To us." Your hosting hack, write your anchor words [00:04:00] on a cocktail napkin.

Not a script, just three words to remind you of your points. It keeps you present and not reading. Over on the Friendsgiving Shop, I've introduced a new way to send your besties a note. In addition to physical products, you can now see our new e-cards. You can personalize the note that you send with each e-card as well.

And because you're tuning in to the podcast, you're the first to know about our latest physical product coming to the shop this week. So I haven't ironed her, but this is our brand-new tote for the Friendsgiving Shop. It has our logo on both sides. It is super cute. We have our flower tote that is also on the shop, and now this is our second tote, and we have to have some merch for the shop.

So I thought we would bring you some Friendsgiving Shop merch. So you can take this to your grocerys- on your grocery store runs. You can take this to the store, to the beach. Super durable. You can fit tons inside, [00:05:00] and on the bottom it folds up just like so. So you can fit it into any other bag that you need.

If you're hiking or whatnot, it folds up very small. I love it. And the really cool thing about this bag is I'm gonna be gifting one on our social media profile over on TikTok. So if you haven't had a chance to follow us on TikTok, the handle is @friendsgivingshop. I'm gonna be posting about this giveaway, and you will be in the running to win this, um, by posting in the comments.

So follow the directions on the TikTok post. This very special tote bag for The Friendsgiving Shop. Now, if you don't win ... Now, if you don't win, you can certainly get your very own by purchasing it on the shop. We are developing a lot of new merchandise that has The Friendsgiving Shop logo on it as well, so check out those items in the coming future All right, timing [00:06:00] is everything.

When do you actually clink the glass? Here's your strategy. Never toast at the very beginning when people are hungry and looking for their seats, and never toast at the end when they're in a food coma. Your sweet spot, right after the main course is served, but before the first bite is taken. Or if you're doing a multi-course meal, right before the transition to dessert.

You want people to have a full glass and a warm heart, but not an empty stomach. The Side Dish Energy newsletter is on our website right now, and you can subscribe to it today. Delivered to your inbox with care, you'll find new product announcements, subscriber-only sales, and fun behind-the-scenes of what is coming soon.

It's called the Side Dish Energy newsletter because the sides are where it's at. If you still need inspiration or event invitations, head on over to [00:07:00] FriendsgivingShop.com and check out the journal, because there are so many blog posts over there with great detail about giving, event planning, food inspiration, invitations, and so much more.

Now, what if you're not the host? What if you want to toast the person who cooked? This is called the gratitude garnish. Your action item, if you're a guest, wait for a lull and say, "Before we move on to dessert, I just wanna say one thing about," and then say the host name.

Your hosting hack, as the host, if a guest toasts you, the proper etiquette is to stay seated and not drink from your own glass during the toast. Just smile, take it in, and say thank you afterward. Receiving a toast is just as much of an art as giving one. The Friendsgiving Lifestyle is about the connection, not the caviar. If you haven't had a chance to subscribe to the podcast, take a moment to subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your [00:08:00] podcasts.

Make sure to send a link to your friends, your besties, your friendsies, and don't forget to listen to the Friendsgiving soundtrack for April. It's out on Spotify right now.

If you'd like to sponsor an episode of the Friendsgiving Lifestyle Podcast, or maybe you have a product that you want reviewed or featured in an upcoming episode, send an [00:08:00] email to support@friendsgivingshop.com.

You can follow us on Instagram @TheFriendsgivingShop on Blue Sky and TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube at Friendsgiving Shop and my personal social media. @SandraColtonMediciOfficial on YouTube and @SandraColtonMedici on TikTok.

All right, let's wrap this up with some gratitude. Words have weight. When you take a moment to look your friends in the eye and tell them that they matter, you are strengthening the invisible threads that hold your life together. I've put three toast templates in the show notes, one for a [00:09:00] celebration, one for gratitude, and one for a just because kind of night.

Use one this weekend. Next week, we're getting hands-on with shared hobbies, where we'll talk about hosting a skill share Friendsgiving. Don't forget to get your Friendsgiving 2026 invitations on the shop and check out our latest journal articles. I'm Sandra Colton-Medici. Cheers to you, and I'll see you right here at the table next week.