Toasting Special Occasions

A Birthday

If it's a major birthday―say, one ending in a zero or a five―you should devote some time to reflecting on the person's life and accomplishments. Use your judgment when it comes to joking about someone's age―the woman who just got a face-lift and Botox injections may not be amused. The toast will feel more personal if you add a few favorite anecdotes. A New Jersey woman recently toasted her husband's 45th by recalling the time he'd made her a "get-out-of-June-free card," absolving her of car-pool duty for 30 days.