Holiday Events

Holiday Toast Examples: 22 Toasts for Work and Company Parties

22 copy-ready holiday toasts grouped by tone and length: short, heartfelt, lighthearted, Christmas, New Year and volunteer toasts, plus inclusive and alcohol-free wording and delivery tips.

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How to Structure a Holiday Toast

A toast is the shortest speech at the party. It works best when it is specific to this group and this year, and when it ends with a cue everyone recognizes. If you're also welcoming guests or reviewing the year, do that first in a short holiday party speech or a year-end speech to employees, then close with one of the toasts below.

The four parts of a holiday toast
Part	What to say	Time
Get attention	'Could I have everyone's attention for one minute?'	5 seconds
The people	Thank the room, and name one specific thing the group did or shared this year	15–30 seconds
The wish	A wish for the season and the new year that fits everyone	10 seconds
The cue	Raise your glass: 'To all of you. Cheers!' or 'Happy holidays!'	5 seconds

The four parts of a holiday toast

Short Holiday Toasts

Holiday Party Toasts for Employees

Heartfelt Holiday Toasts for Employees

HEARTFELT HOLIDAY PARTY TOASTS FOR EMPLOYEES (30 TO 60 SECONDS)

7. (CEO OR COMPANY LEADER)
If everyone could raise a glass for a moment. This year we [SPECIFIC ACHIEVEMENT]. I get to stand up here and say it, but you did it: every call, every late fix, every customer you looked after. Thank you. Whatever you celebrate this season, I hope you get real time with the people who matter to you. To all of you. Happy holidays.

8. (MANAGER OR TEAM LEAD)
I don't say thank you enough on a normal Tuesday, so I'll say it now. When [SITUATION] happened this year, this team [WHAT THE TEAM DID]. That's not normal; that's you. Here's to the best team I've worked with, and to a well-earned break. Cheers.

9. (AFTER A HARD YEAR)
This wasn't an easy year, and I won't pretend it was. But I watched this team look after each other and keep going. That's what I'll remember. So here's to all of you, to rest, and to a better year ahead. Happy holidays.

10. (WELCOMING NEW PEOPLE)
This year we welcomed [NUMBER] new colleagues. To everyone who joined us: we're lucky to have you. To everyone who made them feel at home: thank you. Here's to the whole team, old and new. Cheers!

11. (THANKING PARTNERS AND FAMILIES)
To the partners and families here tonight: thank you for sharing them with us all year, and for the late nights you didn't complain about, much. This toast is for you. Happy holidays.

Funny Holiday Toasts for a Work Party

Keep humor about shared moments, never about a named person, and never about drinking. If a joke needs explaining to half the room, cut it.

Christmas Toast for a Work Party

Use these when the event is a Christmas party by name and the invitation said so. If you're unsure, use the 'holiday' versions above; the toast should match how the event was invited.

New Year Toast for Work

If your party includes a midnight countdown, our New Year's Eve countdown script has the minute-by-minute emcee lines.

Holiday Toast for an Association or Volunteer Group

Inclusive and Alcohol-Free Toasts

Inclusive toast wording
Instead of	Try
Raise your champagne	Raise whatever you're drinking
Merry Christmas, everyone	Happy holidays, everyone (unless it's a Christmas party by name)
Bottoms up!	Cheers!
Enjoy Christmas with your families	I hope you get real rest with the people who matter to you
Let's drink to that	Here's to that

Inclusive toast wording

Pour mocktails, sparkling juice or sparkling water alongside wine before the toast, so no one toasts with an empty hand
Say 'raise a glass' or 'raise whatever you're drinking', never name the drink
Don't comment on who is or isn't drinking, during the toast or after it
Keep alcohol out of the jokes, beyond a reminder to get home safely
Give the toast early, before dinner and before the bar has been open long
Mention any ride-home arrangements right after the toast, while everyone is listening

Holiday Toast Delivery Tips and Mistakes to Avoid

1
Get Attention Without Clinking
Use a microphone or simply raise your hand and wait. Tapping a glass with a knife can chip or break it.
2
Pick the Moment
Once most guests have a drink in hand, and before dinner is served or the music starts. Late toasts compete with noise.
3
Stand and Face the Room
Stand where everyone can see you, hold your glass at chest height, and look around the room rather than at your notes.
4
Rehearse Once
Say it out loud twice. Write the names or the one achievement on a card if you need to, but don't read a speech.
5
Finish With a Clear Cue
End with a word everyone can repeat: 'Cheers', 'Happy holidays' or 'To all of you'. Then lower the glass and step away.

Talking about bonuses, layoffs or targets: save business news for a business meeting
Toasting for more than a minute
Inside jokes only one department understands
Teasing a named person, even kindly
Toasting after several rounds, when it's easy to say something you'll regret
Forgetting the people working tonight so others could attend

How Map D Helps

When the Holiday Party Is a Full Event

Map D won't write your toast or run the bar. For a small office party you don't need event software at all. When the holiday party is a full event, with a venue map, a program, a contest and hundreds of guests, Map D helps you lay out the room and tell everyone when to gather. The floor plan editor is free for one event; publishing, the app and schedules need a paid plan, from $1,500 per event.

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Draw the venue with the stage, bar, mocktail station, buffet and photo booth as named, searchable areas
Put the toast, dinner and contest on a schedule shown on your Homebase and in the app
Send an app notification at a set time, such as 'The toast starts in 5 minutes by the main stage'
Run a live poll of 2 to 10 choices for a People's Choice contest, one vote per signed-in attendee
Large company events can see the full picture on our corporate event management software page

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FAQ

Questions Organizers Ask

How do you give a toast at a work holiday party?

Get everyone's attention with the mic or a raised hand, not by tapping a glass. Thank people for coming, mention one specific thing the team did this year, wish everyone a restful season, then raise your glass and say 'Cheers' or 'Happy holidays.' Stop there; the toast is the cue for the party to continue.

What is a good short holiday toast?

Something like: 'To the year behind us, the people beside us, and the year ahead. Happy holidays.' A short toast is one to three sentences, names the group, and ends with a clear cue so everyone knows when to drink or cheer.

Who should give the toast at a company holiday party?

Usually the most senior person present, such as the CEO, managing director, association president or team manager. At a larger event, the party organizer may welcome guests and then hand over to the leader for the toast.

How long should a holiday toast be?

Fifteen seconds to one minute. A toast is not a speech. If you have more to say about the year, give a short holiday party speech first and close it with the toast.

How do you make a toast inclusive for people who don't drink?

Say 'Raise whatever you're drinking' rather than 'raise your champagne', make sure mocktails, sparkling juice or water are poured before the toast, and never single out who is or isn't drinking. A toast is about the words and the moment, not the drink.

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