The Tradition of Clinking Glasses: When is It Really Necessary?

Introduction

When you attend a party or a wedding reception, you might have noticed the tradition of clinking glasses. But is this really necessary, or is it just a holdover from old times that we should reconsider?

Analyze the Scenario: A Wedding Reception

Imagine a wedding reception with 100 guests and a bridal party of 10 people. The best man stands up to make a toast. If he follows the tradition of clinking every glass, even just with the members of the bridal party, he would need to clink with 9 glasses before anyone can drink. This process takes 2 seconds per glass, resulting in a total of 18 seconds for one glass. Multiply that by 9 glasses, and you have 162 seconds, or about 2 minutes and 42 seconds, spent on clinking before the toast even begins. If drink time is an additional 5 seconds per glass, the total time between toasts becomes 213 seconds, or over 3.5 minutes. This math alone makes the scenario quite cumbersome.

The Evolution of Clinking Tradition

Clinking glasses is an old tradition rooted in the belief that noises like clinking glasses would drive away evil spirits. However, the necessity and the manner of clinking are changing with the times.

Another aspect of this tradition that is evolving is the attention-calling method before a toast. Traditionally, people would tap their champagne flute with a piece of silverware to signal everyone to listen. Now, the host often stands and raises the champagne glass high above their head, saying something like, ldquo;Could I have your attention, please?rdquo; This approach draws attention more efficiently without the need for physical clinking.

Personal Opinions and Alternatives

Many people like myself find clinking glasses unnecessary and even annoying. For instance, I personally dislike clinking, and appreciate raising a glass as a gesture of respect and celebration.

There are others, however, who find clinking to be a fun part of the event, often to the extent of clinking every single beer they get at a bar. In contrast, I prefer to be polite and go along with the tradition, but sometimes I simply avoid it by nodding or holding something in both hands.

Conclusion: A Comfortable Approach

When attending a gathering, if the table allows it, you can clink glasses if it feels comfortable. However, in many cases, it's better to focus on clinking only with those nearest to you and making the toasting gesture towards the rest of the table.

Only people who are easily within reach need to be clinked with, and even then, it may not be necessary. Most toasts can be made by raising a glass and drinking without the need for clinking, which can be a bit awkward and annoying.