In both Denmark and Norway, I learned that to give “cheers” around the table, you say, “skål” (sort of rhymes with “stole”).

It started in Copenhagen, where I was told that the Vikings would have meals with their enemies in order to keep an eye on one another: if you were sitting across from him, he couldn’t be doing you harm elsewhere.

A Random Group of People Saying “Skal!” in Norway While Eating King Crab in Kirkenes. Photo: Terje Rakke/Nordic Life/Innovation Norway.

So they would sit across from each other at the table, raise their drinks, and say “Skål!” all the while making intense eye contact with those across from them. In this way, they knew that their enemies weren’t grabbing for their knives to stab them.

Nowadays, people say “skål” just like “cheers,” but I was told to always make clear eye contact with the person you’re clinking glasses with. If not, you’ll have seven years of bad sex. So this ritual became very much a part of our mealtime drinks, and the group I was with took it very seriously. (Wouldn’t you??)

I guess the modern equivalent is the test you can do on glasses to see if they’ve been drugged. We’ve come a long way, baby… just keep that eye contact going…

 Norwegian Fjords and Polar Bears