Congratulations

• Graduation toasts should include a basic congratulation. This can be an easy, natural way to open the toast. Your congratulations can be short and sweet, or you can include specific achievements of the graduate. Mentioning details such as accomplishments in sports, academics or other activities will make your congratulations more personal. Don't overdo it, though, or you risk sounding like a recruiter and making your graduate feel self-conscious.
  
  

Your Relationship to the Graduate

• It can be helpful to refer to your relationship to the graduate, both to make the toast more personal and to fill in guests who might not know your connection to the graduate. If you've known the graduate since he was little, you can begin with, "I remember when," and share a memory. If you've only recently made the graduate's acquaintance, you can begin with, "Though I've only known you for a while," and go from there.
  
  

Humor

• Depending on your level of intimacy with the graduate and the tone of the occasion, you can incorporate humor at varying levels. This can give you the chance to break the ice if you're nervous. Be careful that you don't overuse humor, though, and avoid anything too harsh, such as mean-spirited sarcasm or jokes. No matter how tolerant of that type of humor your audience might be, the focus should be on helping create a light and positive environment in which to honor the graduate.
  
  

Well Wishes for the Future

• While beginning with a congratulation focuses on the graduate's past, you can end by offering blessings and well wishes for the future. This can be a general comment as simple as "good luck," or you may work in specific details you know of about the graduate's intended path, such as his prospective career, further schooling, goals or travel plans