How To Tastefully Toast With Authentic Style and Grace

What is the best way of going about giving a toast?

After toasting the host at a party the other night, I was mortified when the person next to me reprimanded me for the way I pinged glasses with her. She said the real way to clink after a toast was to make eye contact. She went on to say, “The French become suspicious of you if you don’t made eye contact while toasting.”

Never before had I even considered that making eye contact clinking flutes was a prerequisite to toasting. Is it really?

–Ava, Dover, Delaware

From now on make eye contact with anyone you are clinking glasses with and add a smile. Although, be careful.

In some cultures making eye contact is considered impolite.
Even in the USA, you’ll find that certain people avoid eye contact – period. Especially Native American and Native Alaskan cultures.
Also, many Asian do not adhere to the practice of going eye ball to eye ball.
In cultures where eye contact is made only among their peers, eye contact could be considered rude or arrogant coming from someone from another cultural level.
In much of America intense continuous eye contact – unless it is during an intimate romantic moment – can be interpreted as odd or even hostile.