How do you define Christmas? For some it’s about the crib for others the winter solstice. Whether you believe in the story of Bethlehem or not it’s a time we associate with peace on earth and good will to men. It’s also a time for all sorts of functions and, as a result, all sorts of speeches. You may be asked to give a toast to the ladies or indeed reply to such a toast. It could be that you are chosen to give a toast to the guests or a vote of thanks to a speaker. As this is the season of warmth and hospitality it is quite likely that you may find yourself giving a welcome to the guests. Despite the fact that your audience is likely to be in good humour speakers should still use the correct format for such speeches. They should address honoured guests correctly and ensure that their speeches include appropriate thanks to those who should be thanked. Obviously at Christmas your speech should have a reference to the season so you might speak about Rudolph or gifts under the Christmas tree. If you are toasting the ladies for instance you might say they glitter like the lights on those trees. Your speech should be short and above all, it should add to the festivities by making people feel happy and involved. So make it light-hearted and sincere and end it with a suitable toast.

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This is the time of the year when people struggle with speeches. That’s because November and December are months when there are lots of social occasions. A boss or C.E.O. preparing for the end of year function might be trying to find the right words to express his thanks to his staff for their hard work during a difficult year. The Chair or President of a club or association might want to say the right things at the Christmas party of that club or association. Often too a man struggles with what to say in a toast to the ladies or a lady has difficulty in finding the right things to say in her reply to such a toast. Such seasonal speeches should, of course, reflect the Christmas or Holiday period. They should emphasise the fact that it is the time of year for good cheer. A touch of nostalgia is also perfectly proper and acceptable. The speeches should emphasise how essential those present are to either the club or the company. In the case of those annual dinners the toast to the ladies should be gracious, light-hearted and appreciative while the reply should be ladylike yet can also be humorous and slightly tongue-in-cheek. In fact whatever the social occasion appreciation of those present is the keynote. So whether you are giving a vote of thanks to a speaker or toasting the guests a good speech will make them feel welcome and very important indeed. If necessary add a warm seasonal toast and you’ll find you’ve got it just right for the occasion.

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Thanksgiving isn’t the only time we should give thanks. It is fitting of course that we should celebrate on Thanksgiving Day and express our gratitude both for our families and for our standard of living. Speechwriters and speakers though should also give thanks on many different occasions. On Veterans Day, for instance, their speeches should give thanks for those who have fought as members of our armed forces. A Boss or C.E.O. often uses the Christmas Staff party or Happy Holiday function as an occasion to express gratitude to the staff for their contribution during the year. At a formal dinner there is often a vote of thanks to the speaker and of course the groom usually expresses his appreciation for all his parents have done for him during his growing years. It is very nice too to hear an expression of recognition to a teacher by parents or students. The outgoing President of a charitable or professional organisation should include some words of thankful praise to those who have helped during his or her term of office. A good M.C. will also give thanks to both delegates and speakers at the end of a conference. Everyone likes to be appreciated and a few appreciative and sincere words in any speech or toast will give that feel good factor to the recipient. So whether you are speaking to volunteers or to your own football team saying thanks for the effort costs nothing and means a lot.

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After dinner speakers are often accomplished speakers and experts in a particular field. What though of the poor person chosen to be M.C. for the occasion? Quite often that job falls on the shoulders of someone who might be an excellent club member but have no experience at all of ensuring the such an evening goes off smoothly. They will know, of course, that they should welcome the guests as pleasantly as possible and introduce the guest speaker. Before that though they will need to discover what form the evening will take and organise the other various speakers. There may be a vote of thanks given to the speaker and the M.C should ascertain whether he or she is giving that vote of thanks or whether some else is. There could be a toast to the guests and s reply from one of the guests and if so the M.C. has to know who is going to give it and allow time for both the toast and the reply. It’s possible too that there may be a toast to the ladies and that one of the ladies will then reply to that toast. Depending on the formality of the occasion the M.C. may do all the thanking him or herself. So there is a question of timing to be agreed with any speakers. The M.C. should also give those important messages such as that there is a ban on smoking or tell the guests where the emergency exits are. Above all the M.C. should end the evening on a positive and pleasant note. Basically then it is a question of getting the protocol right and making the evening as enjoyable as possible for all the guests. If they go home smiling you will know you have succeeded!

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What should I say when I have to give a toast to the ladies? This is a question a speaker often asks. No matter how accomplished a speaker he may be, this particular speech seems to pose a problem perhaps because it is not a speech that he has to give very often. He wonders whether such a speech be flirtatious or formal. He agonises over the length and content. Such speeches are usually given at the end of social gathering such as at a company’s Christmas party or when a club or association have their annual dinner. Whatever the occasion the speech should be light-hearted and gracious extolling the virtues and beauty of the ladies present. It could include a tongue-in-cheek reference to how the ladies have managed to civilise their menfolk. It should certainly be short and to the point because a social occasion is not one for long, rambling speeches. The speaker should remember that everyone present is on a night out and his speech should add to the fun of the evening. That means that the ladies must feel complimented by the speaker’s reference to their beauty and their talents. The gentlemen should be reminded that the ladies add to their pleasure of the evening. All in all a toast to the ladies should add the feel good factor to the evening.

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Celebrate with a speech. Most of us would claim not to be public speakers but have you ever thought of how many times during a lifetime speeches are used by you are someone else? When a baby is born there is often a christening party or a baptismal party at which a parent or god parent speaks. In the Jewish tradition someone may speak at the Brit Milah. As children grow up their teachers will use welcome back to school speeches every year and of course there are those graduation speeches. Normally parents don’t speak at birthday parties but there are exceptions. They like to wish their daughters well when they reach sweet sixteen and of course there are also coming of age toasts. Then it’s time for those wedding speeches of all kinds and lots of people are roasted at their 50th birthdays. Retirement speeches then become a fact in your life. In between times you may speak as the incoming president of a sporting organisation or give the toast to the ladies at a social function. So you see speeches mark many occasions in our lives and of course funeral eulogies sum up those lives.

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There are all sorts of reasons for saying goodbye. It may be because your team is out of the world cup… It could be because you are an officer who is changing command. You might be saying goodbye to someone who is retiring. Whether it’s in the armed forces, the office or at the airport there are things you shouldn’t forget if you are giving a speech. This may be the last opportunity you will get o speak about the person or people in question so your words should be words that they and  their families will cherish. So you should find out as much as possible about the troops you are leaving or about the person who is retiring… It may sound obvious but it is amazing how many speakers don’t bother. As a result their speech is very general and not the personal tribute it should be. So talk to the office gossip if necessary or ask a comrade for ideas and only then start writing your goodbye speech. The Chairman of a huge organisation, for instance, cannot possibly know every member of staff but someone else does. So do that research and then your speech will have the ammunition you need to make it just right for the occasion. Of course if you really are speaking to one of those teams heading home from the world cup silence is probably better!

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Each Club or society has its own protocol. If, however, you are an officer of such a club it’s quite likely that on some occasion you may have to give a speech. You might, for instance, be giving an incoming club officer‘s inaugural speech in a fraternal club or speaking as the outgoing President of a professional organisation. It’s possible that you may, as an official, be speaking at the opening of a clubhouse. Whatever the occasion your speech should sell your club or association to all those present.
This may seem unnecessary if they are already members of the club or society. Yet you are giving them a reminder of the work the club or association actually does. You are telling them what has been accomplished and what lies ahead. Your speech should make them proud to belong.
You should express how honoured you are to be speaking on such an occasion. If you are an incoming officer you should give thanks for being elected and say that you are conscious of the trust that is being placed in your abilities. You should outline your own dreams and plans for the future and what you hope to do. As an outgoing officer you should, of course, express your thanks to those who helped you in your work during your term of office. No matter what the occasion is a few gracious words of thanks to all those involved in running the club or association is absolutely essential. Basically such speeches are about what can be or what needs to be accomplished in the future. So your speech should be both positive and practical. Above all they should express your pride in being a member.

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There are thousands of clubs and societies, many of whom have hundreds of branches. Every year they appoint new officers when old officers resign. That means there are thousands of speeches given in clubs and meeting places all over the country. What a pity that so many of them are badly written and so ordinary. An incoming Officer of a charitable organisation should, of course, thank the outgoing one. He or she should mention the wonderful work done before talking of the challenges ahead. He or she should speak of how good it feels to be appointed President and say what it means to him/her personally to fill that role. Sometimes there is a special project that he/she should mention. A club might, for instance, be building a new clubhouse. an association could be opening a new branch. The speech has to be of particular interest to those present.
An outgoing President of a professional organisation has to draw a line under what has been accomplished during his or her term of office. The new officer may, of course, continue the work he/she has been doing but he may want to strike out in a different direction entirely. So the outgoing President must hand over graciously. His or her speech has to be topical in that it allows for changes, for instance, in tax laws. It should refer to what is happening in the particular organisation at that time.
Whether it’s a football club, a public speaking group or a charitable organisation each has its own interests, challenges and plans. A good speech will encompass all three.

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The idea of Twitter employees having a set time to express their thoughts on the company explains in some way why Twitter has become so popular. After all it’s all about communications and the staff can say what they like about Twitter and tweets. The fact that they do so each in his or her own individual ways must give even more ideas to the bosses who listen in on this Friday afternoon event. So if they come up with another innovative way of getting our thoughts across we’ll know where they got the idea.
We all know the best ideas are simple and what could be simpler than letting people express their feelings to anyone who wants to hear them? The fact that what you can say is limited should be an idea copied by every chairperson of every meeting all over the world. Think of the hours it would save if everyone had to get their point across in 140 characters. Reports, comments or suggestions would have to be snappy and to the point.
There’s only one thing certain about twitter and tweets and that is that it is a very human activity. It has the world talking and the fact that some of the tweets are stupid only reflects on the way we are and what we say to each other anyway. Whether it will be a commercial success is still in doubt. Whatever about that it has touched a chord with us and made us want to answer that question “What are you doing?”. Well obviously we’re tweeting or maybe twittering of course!

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