Talking Turkey: Thanksgiving Toasts

As the head of the household, you might be expected to give a Thanksgiving toast, or you might want to give one to show your family how much you appreciate them all gathering around your Thanksgiving table. For many, Thanksgiving is the one time each year that their  family can get together to share a delicious meal. There are many reasons to be thankful, but delivering a Thanksgiving Day toast might be more difficult than expected. With our easy Thanksgiving toast tips, you'll be cool as a cucumber when delivering your Thanksgiving speech this year.

Keep Eye Contact

The number one rule of delivering a speech is to remember to keep eye contact with your audience. Try to hold a different guest's glance every few lines. This will help the audience stay engaged and connected to the words you're saying. Eye contact also helps you focus because it keeps you from making eye contact with your feet or the cranberry sauce on the table. With these turkey toasting tips, you're sure to deliver a great Thanksgiving speech this year.

Practice Makes Perfect

Secondly, be sure to practice your speech beforehand. This may seem obvious, but the more you practice, the better your Thanksgiving speech will flow. Practice in front of the mirror, your friends or in front of your children's stuffed animals. It may seem silly, but giving the speech over and over will really help you remember you key points in case you lose your place.

Stop Fidgeting!

Finally, try not to fidget. People who get nervous delivering speeches tend to fidget when they talk, which makes your audience uncomfortable. Plus, you don't want to fidget, and accidentally knock the turkey off the table! Keep your hands to your sides and your feet planted firmly on the ground to help avoid any nervous fidgeting. Only move your hands if you're trying to make a gesture to explain something. Moving your limbs around is a nervous habit, but you can easily break it by concentrating on how your hands are moving at all times.