Why do you say 'cheers' when you drink?

Answer 1

To say 'cheers' is a traditional and informal 'toast' to one's companions. It is spoken loudly and clearly whilst raising the drinking vessel (glass or tankard etc), and just before drinking the alcoholic beverage. Sometimes the glasses are touched (clinked) together during the toast. In toasting, the person offering the toast usually wishes the other person, or everyone present, 'happiness', 'good health', a 'long life', 'all the best,' etc. The drinking companions generally voice their agreement and usually raise their glasses also, and drink some of the beverage. Many countries and cultures have toasting customs. The English form, 'cheers' means have good cheer, i.e. good wishes for happiness to everyone here in this drinking group. Alternatives expressions include: 'good health', 'all the best', 'here's to you', 'here's mud in your eye', 'bottoms up!', 'down the hatch!', Slainte! Gaelic =cheers to your health, Prosit! German, Skol! Skandinavian, Salute! Italian.

Origins:

"The custom of drinking 'health' to the living is most probably derived from the ancient religious rite of drinking to the gods and the dead. The Greeks and Romans at meals poured out libations to their gods, and at ceremonial banquets drank to them and to the dead." ~The Encyclopædia Britannica, 1910 edition, Volume 13, page 121 The Encyclopaedia also says: "Intimately associated with these quasi-sacrificial drinking customs must have ever been the drinking to the health of living men." It is interesting to note that there was a god of wine in Greek mythology, Bacchus. The InternationalHandbook on Alcohol and Culture(1995) says: "It [toasting] is probably a secular vestige of ancient sacrificial libations in which a sacred liquid was offered to the gods: blood or wine in exchange for a wish, a prayer summarized in the words 'long life!' or 'to your health!'" Today:

When 'cheers' is said, glasses are raised upwards (heavenward?), and a 'good wish' is still traditionally said. So these customs appear to have originated with offerings of alcoholic libations to the gods, and to the requests to the gods, or to fate or fortune, for good health and blessings. For more information see Related Links below.