1) Do not even think about drinking out of your glass until the proper introductory "Skål" has been conducted.
2) Wait for the host(ess) to begin the Skål.
3) Hold your alcohol-filled glass with your right hand and put your left hand on the table directly in front of you parallel to your chest (to show the others at the table that you have no intention of "going for your blade").
4) After everyone at the table is properly prepared, the host may say a few words as an introduction, while glasses are in the air.
5) At the conclusion of the introduction, the host will declare "Skål!" (pr. "Skoal" for you Yankees) and everyone at the table, glasses remaining in the air, repeats "Skål!"
6) At this point, we have reached a pivotal moment. Will you "clank" glasses like a drunken American or will you resist this tempation of youth and choose the classy, Northern European, all-important and highly respected, simple-but-meaningful eye-contact, with each and every person at the table? Choose wisely. This evening is depending upon your decision.
7) After you have offered a respectful nod with genuine eye-contact to all around the table, you may gently sip from your glass, followed by slowly bringing the glass to your heart and ever so-subtly acknowledging everyone at the table again with a simple glance.
8) Place your glass back on the table, simultaneosly removing your left hand from the table after having successfully resisted the temptation to "go for your blade."
9) After the introductory Skål, any guest or the host may initiate individual Skål tributes throughout the evening by simply calling upon a person around the table by name, gently declaring "Skål," drawing eye-contact with said called upon person, sip, heart, glance, down.
10) Repeat often throughout the evening and often throughout your time in Sweden.
By the way, the word "Skål" comes from the Viking "trading" era. When the Vikings would begin "trading" with a new region, they would celebrate their first "trade" by cutting of the head of their "business partner", opening up their skull ("Skål), taking out the brains, adding alcohol and "gently sipping."
And don't even ask what the Vikings did if you didn't make eye contact....
"Skål!"
2 comments:
I take issue(s) with number 6:
6) At this point, we have reached a pivotal moment. Will you "clank" glasses like a drunken American or will you resist this temptation of youth and choose the classy, Northern European, all-important and highly respected, simple-but-meaningful eye-contact, with each and every person at the table? Choose wisely. This evening is depending upon your decision.
I had a feeling, that European's were "clanking" glasses long before America was a distant glimmer in Christopher Columbus' eye. And upon researching, I found this feeling to be entirely accurate. Here are a few thoughts on the origin of the "clank" tradition:
- Germanic tribes would bang their cups on the table before drinking in order to knock out the ghosts. Congolese natives would ring bells before emptying their cups for the same reason.
- Nomadic horsemen, like Atilia, decorated their cups and wine sacs with bells and other "clinking clutter" for the purpose of keeping out the evil.
- The Tibetans tapped their cups of Kumiss before drinking.
- From the citizens of the Shang Dynasty crying "Kaan" to Nordic tribes in the caves of Odin cracking skulls and shaking leather wine sacs.
You'll notice that NO WHERE in this research is America mentioned in the history of the clank. I accept your apology on behalf of all drunken Americans.
Secondly, I'm not sure who you're socializing with in America, but making eye contact with everyone at the table is often, if not always, practiced. So maybe your issue here is your inability to pick classy friends(and family!).
Second apology accepted.
I take issue with Todd's comment for two reasons:
1) I know that you were making an analogy, but Christopher Columbus didn't discover America. In fact, he never set foot in America. Where he did go, he managed to massacre an entire civilization.
2) Even if one did want to make an argument that he did discover America, you can't "discover" something that hundreds of thousands of people already know about.
Otherwise, I support calling out Sean Whiting. Always a good call.
Best,
D
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